• Loading stock data...
Sunday, July 6, 2025

Breaking Down NASCAR’s Beautiful Disaster in Chicago

  • The Grant Park 220 brought in 4.795 million viewers — NBC’s most-watched NASCAR race since 2017 — and set merchandise records.
  • In his NASCAR Cup Series debut, New Zealand’s Shane van Gisbergen won the race.
Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #91 Enhance Health Chevrolet, leads the field during the NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 220 at the Chicago Street Course.
Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images via NASCAR

CHICAGO — For hours on Sunday, nothing happened on and around NASCAR’s $50-million, completely temporary Chicago Street Course.

Record rainfall drenched Grant Park to its roots, canceling the Charley Crockett and Miranda Lambert concerts for the day and putting the first-ever Grant Park 220 in jeopardy.

This was after lightning strikes on Saturday canceled The Chainsmokers’ set and caused NASCAR to unprecedentedly declare Cole Custer the winner of the Xfinity Series The Loop 121 before half the race had concluded.

But when the racing got underway Sunday, it was spectacular in every sense of the word.

NASCAR Chicago Street Race

Why NASCAR Is Spending $50 Million to Race in Downtown Chicago

Every part of the $50 million Chicago event has been built from…
July 1, 2023

The wet conditions caused wrecks early and often, leading to nine cautions throughout the race, including crashes from Kyle Busch, Bubba Wallace, and polesitter Denny Hamlin. The delayed start and many yellow flags led NASCAR to shorten the race to 75 laps due to lack of daylight.

But after an overtime period, Shane van Gisbergen emerged victorious in his Cup Series debut — the first NASCAR driver to accomplish that feat since Johnny Rutherford in 1963.

“I miss racing in the States,” said the New Zealand native and three-time Supercars Championship winner. “I’ve done Daytona four or five times now, and just the way the American people are and how they go racing, it’s so much more enjoyable.”

Trackhouse Racing brought van Gisbergen in for the Chicago race as part of Project 91 — a venture where racers from around the world compete in NASCAR a handful of times during the season; Trackhouse had previously entered 2007 Formula 1 champion Kimi Räikkönen for two races.

How a Chicago Block Party Could Represent NASCAR’s Future

NASCAR has made strides to reach more fans in more diverse demographics.
June 30, 2023

“This was a shower idea,” Trackhouse co-owner Justin Marks said of the project following the victory. “We’re trying to build something here where the greatest drivers in the world have a place that they can call home if they want to try NASCAR racing.”

“Being in a big city, having a big moment, but also having that international presence and a driver in a series that we have a lot of respect for… contributed to the enthusiasm you saw from the winners, and that’s contagious with the fans as well,” said NASCAR COO Steve O’Donnell.

It wasn’t the prettiest racing, but there was a real sense that NASCAR, NBC Sports, and the city all wanted to get the race in Sunday instead of pushing it to Monday when, ironically, perfect conditions graced the park.

All the same, the weekend delivered: Sunday’s race averaged 4.795 million viewers on NBC — the network’s most-watched NASCAR race since 2017 and its most-streamed race ever.

It was excellent PR for both NASCAR and Chicago.

The broadcast produced absolutely stunning shots and brought in many first-time NASCAR viewers. The event also attracted many first-time attendees — as many as 70%, according to event president Julie Giese.

“This is like a giant ongoing advertisement for the city with some racing stuff mixed in,” one user said on Chicago Reddit.

A NASCAR representative also told Front Office Sports that merchandise partner Legends set a record for its highest-ever event sales (outside of the Daytona 500) since the partnership began in 2019; Legends’ average transaction value was up 29% over the previous high.

Of course, it wasn’t all positive. Increased traffic and expensive ticket prices remained sticking points among Chicagoans, and NASCAR did not comment when asked if fans would be getting refunds for the canceled concerts and shortened races.

But between the thunderous engines and the excitement surrounding cars whizzing by on some of Chicago’s most iconic streets, the buzz in the air was palpable, and the vibes were great when the rain wasn’t falling.

With two years left on the contract between Chicago and NASCAR, it builds a strong argument for the event’s future — especially if NASCAR can get dry conditions in 2024 and 2025.

“​​Certainly, this is brand new to us; this is the first time we’ve done something like this,” NASCAR SVP of racing development and strategy Ben Kennedy said following the event. “We’re by no means saying that everything’s going to be perfect from day one, but you don’t know unless you try. We gave it a really good effort today, and we are certainly proud of all the work that everyone’s done.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

American Celebs Want to Be Sports Owners. Soccer Is Where They Start

As U.S. team prices climb, investors set their sights abroad.

Baseball’s Celebrity Row: Behind MLB’s First-Pitch Ritual

Often planned, sometimes spontaneous, the ritual throw is baseball’s celebrity row.

3,000 Hot Dogs, $20K in Prizes: Behind the Nathan’s Eating Contest

Nathan’s serves up thousands of hot dogs and $20,000 in prize money.

Geoffrey Esper Can’t Catch a Break at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

“Hot dogs is not one of my favorite competitions of the year.”

Featured Today

The Battle Over Wimbledon’s Ambitious Expansion Plan

A classic NIMBY standoff on one of the most hallowed grounds in sports.
Seattle Rough & Tumble
June 28, 2025

Women’s Sports Bars Are on the Rise. Survival Isn’t Guaranteed

Some women’s sports bars are cashing in. Others are clawing for funding.
June 27, 2025

Shitposters Have Taken the Reins of Pro Sports’ Official Voices

Meet the social media pros turning sports teams into internet trolls.
Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena
June 26, 2025

Stanley Cup’s International Summer Tour: Rules, Repairs, and Raucousness

No pro trophy tour compares to the NHL’s three-month global victory lap.
Jul 2, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) heads to the dugout prior to the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Dodger Stadium.

MLB Changes Are ‘Showing Great Results’: Former CFO

Big stars playing in major markets “make a real difference.”
July 2, 2025

NHL to Rejoin Olympic Ice in Milan—and NBC Set to Cash In

NHL players last competed in the Olympics in 2014.
Michael Johnson
July 3, 2025

Grand Slam Track Still Owes Athletes $13 Million: Source

The new track league hasn’t paid athletes in full yet.
Sponsored

Hottest Matchups Following NFL Schedule Release

The NFL released the 2025 regular-season schedule, and anticipation is already building in the ticket marketplace with four months to go.
Sophie Cunningham
July 2, 2025

WNBA Expansion Decisions Show League Prioritizes North, NBA Ties

One player ripped the league for its geographic choices.
exclusive
July 2, 2025

PGA Tour Slashes FedEx Cup Winner Pay From $25M to $10M

The FedExCup is reworking how it distributes its bonus money.
Red Panda
July 2, 2025

Red Panda Hospitalized After WNBA Halftime Fall

The beloved performer was taken off the court in a wheelchair.
July 1, 2025

WNBA Roster Limits Under Fire After Vanloo’s Valkyries Release

Kaitlyn Chen remains on the Valkyries roster.