CHICAGO — The streets of Grant Park will not echo with the sounds of 200-mph race cars in 2027.
Running out of time to strike a deal with the city, NASCAR pulled the plug Tuesday on the return of the Chicago Street Race for next summer but is still hoping to bring it back down the road.
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Meanwhile, NASCAR confirmed it is putting Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet back on the schedule again next summer after a successful return to the long-idled southwest suburban track over July Fourth weekend.
NASCAR had been hoping to get both Chicago and Joliet on track for 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,” NASCAR said in a statement.
The Chicago Street Race, which turned Grant Park into a pop-up urban racecourse over July Fourth weekend from 2023 to 2025, went on hiatus this year while NASCAR and the city explored ways to minimize disruption and maximize results for both.
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The street race was held instead at San Diego’s Naval Base Coronado in June on a one-year deal. NASCAR was working on a return to Chicago in 2027, but was unable to reach a deal before finalizing next year’s schedule this month.
Among the obstacles was a $10 million funding gap in a state grant to help NASCAR defray costs. The state appropriated $5 million in the fiscal year 2027 budget, while NASCAR was seeking a $15 million grant.
Chicago-area race fans will still get a chance to see NASCAR’s top drivers battle it out on the asphalt next summer — but just a little farther from the streets of downtown Chicago.
NASCAR announced Tuesday the Cup Series is returning to Joliet after a successful run this summer.
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Chicagoland Speedway, which hadn’t hosted a NASCAR event since 2019, was packed over July Fourth weekend with 50,000 fans from 31 countries and all 50 states watching Chase Briscoe take the checkered flag.
In 2027, the Cup Series event is scheduled to take place June 25-27 at the 1.5-mile oval speedway in the southwest suburbs.
“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,” Jacque Herrera, general manager of Chicagoland Speedway, said in a news release. “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.”
Joliet’s gain may be Chicago’s loss.
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Despite battling torrential downpours and backlash from some residents and politicos, the nationally televised Chicago Street Race drew significant numbers of new fans to attend and cast the city in a favorable light to millions of viewers across the U.S. during its three-year run.
“Chicago was proud to host NASCAR and bring a major sporting event to our city,” a mayoral spokesperson said in a statement Tuesday. “The race provided an opportunity to showcase Chicago to a global audience and demonstrated the potential of our streets and downtown as a setting for major events.”
The 2024 Chicago Street Race also generated $128 million in total economic impact and drew 53,036 unique visitors, according to a study commissioned by Choose Chicago, the city’s tourism arm. The race also generated $43.6 million in media value for Chicago that year, according to a companion report.
The event was not, however, a direct financial windfall for either the city or NASCAR.
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The city turned a slight profit on the actual race with the advent of an annual $2 million payment from NASCAR, which ran in the red all three years at the Chicago Street Race.
While Chicago remains off the schedule for the second year in a row, NASCAR will maintain the downtown office it opened in 2022 to launch the street race, and will continue the community programs it implemented in conjunction with the event, a spokesperson said Tuesday.
In its statement, the Mayor’s office lauded NASCAR’s continued investment in the city, and kept the door open for the return of the street race.
“We remain open to discussing the future of NASCAR in Chicago and look forward to continuing to build partnerships that bring new opportunities to Chicago, create value for residents, and advance our vision for a safer, more affordable Chicago,” the mayoral spokesperson said.
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