NASCAR drivers hope third time's the charm to run a full Chicago Street Race in Grant Park
The NASCAR haulers have rolled their way into downtown as drivers and their teams get set for the third edition of the NASCAR Chicago Street Race in Grant Park.
The best stock car drivers in the world are back in Chicago for a race that's different than any other on their schedule. They're eager to take on the same 2.2-mile, 12-turn course for a third straight year.
NASCAR's only street course is one that presents challenges rain or shine.
"This track's definitely it's very challenging in its own way. When you look at turns 1 and 6, you have no runoff. There's not many street courses that I know of, at least, where you have have long straightaways with literally no runoff. So the risk is huge. You've seen it where cars will go straight boom into the tire barrier. So you don't have the ability to make mistakes," NASCAR driver Joey Logano said.
Shane Van Gisbergen has made a lot of memories in Chicago the past two years, and will race twice again this weekend. The New Zealand driver and street race specialist won the inaugural Cup Series race in 2023, and will go for a second straight win in the Xfinity race, The Loop 120, this weekend.
"This place is pretty cool to me. Every time I come back, I hate cities, So I don't really like the place, but when you get here, it's pretty cool. I've got great memories here. This place has changed my life. So I'm going to have special memories of this place forever," he said.
All drivers practice on Saturday morning. Qualifying for the Loop 120 starts at 10:35 a.m. Saturday, and the race is at 3:30 p.m.
Sunday's Cup Series race, the Grant Park 165, begins a few hours earlier this year at 1 p.m. Drivers hope to get the full 75 laps of it in for the first time, weather pending, after races had to be cut short the first two years due to rain.
