The NASCAR Chicago Street Race is back for its second year and looking for another headline-making weekend in the city.
While last year saw no shortage of excitement, despite a rainy and stormy weekend that brought an entirely new set of challenges to the street course in downtown Chicago, what exactly will come of this year's race remains to be seen.
Before the racing gets underway, here’s a look at all the information you need to know on how to watch it:
When is the NASCAR Chicago Street Race?
Both the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series will be racing on the 2.2-mile course over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
The Xfinity Series, which is considered the second-highest level of stock car racing below the Cup Series, begins at 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday with The Loop 110.
The Cup Series race, known as the Grant Park 165, is set for 3:30 p.m. CT Sunday.
Where is the NASCAR Chicago Street Race course?
The Chicago course is located in the heart of the city.
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Just like 2023, the 12-turn 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 course layout:
How can I watch the NASCAR Chicago Street Race?
NASCAR Xfinity Series: The Loop 110 will air on NBC and stream on Peacock.
NASCAR Cup Series: Grant Park 165 will air on NBC and stream on Peacock with MRN and SiriusXM providing radio broadcasts.
Coverage of the Chicago Street Race Xfinity event begins at 2 p.m. CT Saturday on NBC. Coverage of the Chicago Street Race Cup event begins at 3 p.m. CT Sunday on NBC and Peacock.
In addition, NBC Sports Chicago will offer two special coverage shows surrounding the event.
One will air from 6:30-7 p.m. CT Friday on the NBC Sports Chicago Plus Channel and will be available for streaming on the NBC 5 Chicago 24/7 streaming channel. The coverage will also stream live in the player above.
Another will stream the day of the big race, from 2:30-3:30 p.m. CT on the NBC 5 Chicago 24/7 streaming channel. The coverage will also stream live in the player above.
Here’s the schedule of events for both the Cup and Xfinity Series:
SATURDAY, JUL 6
9-11 a.m. CT: Practice + Qualifying Sessions | NASCAR XFINITY SERIES (USA, streaming on NBC Sports)
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. CT: Practice + Qualifying Sessions | NASCAR CUP SERIES (USA, streaming on NBC Sports)
2 p.m. CT: Driver Introductions on the START/FINISH LINE | NASCAR XFINITY SERIES
2:30 p.m. CT: The Loop 110 | NASCAR XFINITY SERIES (50 Laps) (NBC, streaming on NBC Sports, Peacock)
SUNDAY, JUL 7
3:10 p.m. CT: Driver Introductions on the START/FINISH LINE | NASCAR CUP SERIES
3:30 p.m. CT: Grant Park 165 | NASCAR CUP SERIES (75 LAPS) (NBC, streaming on NBC Sports, Peacock)
What if I want to watch in person?
Tickets are still available for race weekend for those looking to watch live in person. A list of the best seating options for viewing can be found here.
A number of restaurants and bars will also be offering viewing parties for the event. That includes places like Fatpour, Pippin's Tavern, The Lodge Tavern and more. For a full list click here.
NASCAR Chicago Street Race drivers, entry list
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.
Who are the favorites for the NASCAR Chicago Street Race?
Here are five names to keep an eye on throughout the weekend:
Shane van Gisbergen
Where else would we begin? SVG's victory in Chicago last summer came in his debut start. Since then, the New Zealander has moved to the U.S. and fully immersed himself in the NASCAR world. He has two wins in the Xfinity Series this season and is competing part-time at the Cup level while honing his skills. SVG will be a threat to win both events this weekend.
Christopher Bell
Last year, Bell led the most laps (37) and won Stage 1 and 2 before finishing 18th. The driver of the No. 20 Toyota is arguably the hottest driver in the Cup Series right now, too. He's won two of the last six races and leads all drivers with nine stage wins. Bell should be in contention on Sunday as he aims for his 10th career victory.
Kyle Larson
Arguably the biggest star in NASCAR, Larson made headlines in May when he competed in his first Indy 500. The California native leads the Cup points standings and recently won at Sonoma Raceway, another road course. Larson finished fourth in Chicago last year.
Chase Elliott
NASCAR's most popular driver doubles as one of the series' elite road-racers. Elliott leads all active drivers with seven career road course victories, though the last came back in 2021. In Chicago last summer, Elliott finished third after crashing in practice and starting at the rear of the field.
Justin Haley
Here's an underdog to watch out for. Haley led 23 laps in Chicago last year and finished second to SVG, but he's in a different car this time around. He moved to Rick Ware Racing over the offseason, a move that surprised many as RWR is one of smaller teams. But the 25-year-old Haley has impressed in 2024 with four top-15 finishes in the last seven races. He could be a sneaky pick to run well once again on the streets of Chicago.
What is the weather for NASCAR in Chicago this weekend?
While it is still several days away, early predictions for the weekend forecast, according to the NBC 5 Storm Team, things aren't looking to be a repeat of 2023.
Saturday's forecast is partly sunny skies with highs in the low 80s, while Sunday looks to be partly sunny, warm and humid with a chance of storms developing late. Highs will likely sit in the upper 80s.
