It’s now official, NASCAR will take to the streets of Chicago in July 2023, for what will be the first street meet in NASCAR Premier League history.
For the first time in history, NASCAR hits the streets of downtown Chicago on 1is and July 2, 2023. One of the most iconic cities in the world, Chicago will add another chapter to its illustrious sporting history when a NASCAR race takes place against the backdrop of Lake Michgan and Grant Park.
Like the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, we seized an incredible opportunity to add an unprecedented element to our schedule and take center stage in the heart of another major metropolitan market. It’s the perfect setting for the first-ever street race in the NASCAR Cup Series. NASCAR’s Next Gen cars as well as the IMSA class will race along the shores of Lake Michigan in downtown Chicago, marking a truly historic moment for our sport. We are so grateful to Mayor Lori Lightfoot and her team, and the entire city of Chicago for working with us to make this concept a reality.
Ben Kennedy, NASCAR Vice President of Development and Race Strategy
The first urban Cup race will take place on Sunday July 2, 2023 and will be preceded the day before by an IMSA race. The IMSA categories that will be present in the streets of chicago will be announced later.
The streets of Chicago are as iconic as our skyline, and our reputation as a world-class sports city is indisputable. I’m thrilled to welcome our NASCAR partners to Chicago for an event that will draw thousands of people to our city. The entertainment and hospitality industries, combined with the history of our city, make us the perfect hosts for this unique event.
Lori Lightfoot, Mayor of the City of Chicago
The 12-turn, 2.2-mile course will take in Lake Shore Drive, Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive. The start/finish line and pit lane will be along South Columbus Drive, directly across from Buckingham Fountain. The course will pass through the famous Grant Park, as well as the northern end of Soldier Field, one of the most notable and recognizable sporting venues in the United States of America. To date, Soldier Field is the only venue in the city to have hosted a NASCAR Cup Series race in Chicago, in 1956.
Hosting another NASCAR event in Illinois just weeks after the Enjoy Illinois 300 is a testament to the strength of our tourism industry from Chicago to Metro East. Illinois, with its long history of innovation, is the perfect host for NASCAR’s first-ever street race and we’re excited to host this new series next summer.
JB Pritzker, Governor of Illinois
Tickets for the Chicago event will go on sale at a later date. This race will replace that of Road America which has been on the calendar for the past two seasons.