NASCAR won't bring back Chicago Street Race in 2027, will return to Joliet
NASCAR is calling off plans to bring its street race back to downtown Chicago in 2027, but is holding out hope for the event to return in the future.
In a statement on Tuesday, NASCAR said despite progress in talks with city and state officials, there is not enough time to restart the Chicago Street Race in Grant Park in 2027.
"While we will not be racing on the streets of Chicago in 2027 despite genuine joint efforts by both NASCAR and our partners at the city and state level, we remain committed to the Chicagoland region and would welcome the opportunity to bring the NASCAR Chicago Street Race back at some point in the future," A NASCAR spokesperson said in an email.
While the Chicago Street Race won't be back next year, NASCAR will return to the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet from June 25 to June 27 next year.
Instead of the Chicago Street Race this year, NASCAR returned to the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet for the July 4th weekend, the first NASCAR race in Joliet in seven years.
"The fan response this year was overwhelming, so we're thrilled to be able to honor that turnout with another milestone weekend of racing in Joliet," said Jacque Herrera, General Manager of Chicagoland Speedway. "I grew up coming to this track with my family, so to see it roar back to life this year and return to the NASCAR competition schedule in 2027 is an incredible thrill."
The NASCAR Chicago Street Race ran in downtown Chicago for three years from 2023 to 2025, taking over streets in and around Grant Park over the 4th of July weekend.
But not everyone is thrilled by the race; residents who live near the course and in adjacent neighborhoods have complained about the street closures, the parking restrictions, and the noise from the race.
Crain's Chicago Business reports NASCAR pulled the plug on continuing the race this year while talking with city and state leaders about shifting the event away from the 4th of July weekend to another weekend, possibly after Memorial Day, which would have allowed organizers to share setup and takedown efforts with the Sueños music festival, and shorten the amount of time Grant Park would have been closed to the public for the race.
