NASCAR is returning to downtown Chicago for a second year, bringing its highly anticipated street race to the city on a track that will see drivers speeding down some of the most iconic roadways.
Race cars are expected to reach speeds of over 100 mph, in a 12-turn course that will once again put Chicago's skyline on full display.
The second annual NASCAR Chicago Street Race is set to take place this Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Just like 2023, the race will take place on sections of streets that surround and are adjacent to Grant Park. That includes Columbus Drive, Jackson Boulevard, Michigan Avenue, Roosevelt Road, Balbo Drive, and DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
Here's a map of the route:
Both races will use the same course.
The Cup Series race, named the Grant Park 165, is a 165-mile race with 75 laps. Before that will be the NASCAR Xfinity Series race, or The Loop 110, which is 50 laps with 110 miles.
The Loop 110 will take place at 2:30 p.m. Saturday while the Grant Park 165 takes place at 3:30 pm. Sunday.
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According to race organizers, "cars will once again exceed 100 mph along several sections of the course’s straightaways, while other sections, such as turns and pit road, require significantly reduced speed. "
Which streets will be closed and which will remain open during the race?
Several streets along and around the race course will be closed in the lead up, during and after the big event.
This includes major roadways like DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Michigan Avenue and more.
For a complete day-by-day schedule of road closures, click here.
The following streets will remain open through race weekend:
- State Street
- Dearborn Street
- Clark Street
- LaSalle Street
- Wells Street
- Franklin Street
- Upper Wacker Drive
- Lower Wacker Drive
- Randolph Street
- Washington Street
- Madison Street
- Roosevelt Road west of Michigan Avenue
- 18th Street
Who is racing in the event?
The Cup Series entry list includes all of the usual full-time drivers, plus a few wild cards.
Shane van Gisbergen, who races full-time in the Xfinity Series but won the Cup race in Chicago last summer, will defend his victory in the No. 16 Chevy for Kaulig Racing. Elsewhere, Xfinity regulars A.J. Allmendinger and Austin Hill will enter the Cup race as part-time entries and road-racing ace Joey Hand will make his first start of the season for RFK Racing.
Here's the entry list for the Cup race on Sunday:
| Car number | Driver | Team | Sponsor |
| 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing | Busch Light |
| 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Discount Tire |
| 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Get Bioethanol |
| 4 | Josh Berry | Stewart-Haas Racing | Overstock |
| 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Valvoline |
| 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing | Elk Grove Village |
| 7 | Corey LaJoie | Spire Motorsports | Celsius |
| 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing | Zone |
| 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | NAPA Auto Parts |
| 10 | Noah Gragson | Stewart-Haas Racing | Bass Pro Shops |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Sport Clips |
| 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Menards |
| 13 | A.J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Benesch |
| 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Mahindra Tractors |
| 15 | Kaz Grala | Rick Ware Racing | Remixers.com/Meat N' Bone |
| 16 | Shane van Gisbergen | Kaulig Racing | Wendy's |
| 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing | Fastenal |
| 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Bass Pro Shops |
| 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Craftsman Tools |
| 21 | Harrison Burton | Wood Brothers Racing | Motorcraft/Quick Lane |
| 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Shell/Pennzoil |
| 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | McDonald's |
| 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Relay Payments |
| 31 | Daniel Hemric | Kaulig Racing | Cirkul |
| 33 | Austin Hill | Richard Childress Racing | United Rentals |
| 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Chicago White Sox |
| 38 | Todd Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Gener8tor |
| 41 | Ryan Preece | Stewart-Haas Racing | Haas Tooling |
| 42 | John Hunter Nemechek | Legacy Motor Club | Dollar Tree |
| 43 | Erik Jones | Legacy Motor Club | Family Dollar |
| 45 | Tyler Reddick | 23XI Racing | Jordan Brand |
| 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Mariano's/Colgate |
| 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Ally |
| 51 | Justin Haley | Rick Ware Racing | Pinnacle Home Improvement |
| 54 | Ty Gibbs | Joe Gibbs Racing | Monster Energy |
| 60 | Joey Hand | RFK Racing | BuildSubmarines.com |
| 66 | Josh Bilicki | MBM Motorsports | Purekick Hydration |
| 71 | Zane Smith | Spire Motorsports | Focused Health |
| 77 | Carson Hocevar | Spire Motorsports | Zeigler Auto Group |
| 99 | Daniel Suarez | Trackhouse Racing | Jockey/Folds of Honor |
