It started as dream. Or maybe a nightmare, depending on what side of the NASCAR spectrum you lie.
NASCAR's vision of dominating the American motorsports scene needed some oomph. IndyCar is a tough nut to crack. Formula 1 has gained exponential power the past couple of years. America's preeminent stock car competition draws plenty of eyes — its 10-year, $8.8 billion deal with Fox and NBC prove that — but it's looking pull in more. One way it tries to do that is through innovation. Sometimes, the ideas can blossom from the most unexpected sources.
That's where Chicago comes in. The Cup Series will take its show to the heart of the Windy City for the Grant Park 220, the first NASCAR race to be held on a street course.
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It's unclear how things will go. Stock cars are built for spacious oval tracks and road courses, not the confines of the street. The Grant Park course was made from scratch; never has a race like this taken place inside the nation's third-most populous city.
NASCAR is attempting something that's clearly different. Its ingenuity could be pivotal as it looks to honor tried-and-tested formulas and also embrace a younger, more diverse fan base.
MORE: Jimmie Johnson withdraws from NASCAR Chicago race after family tragedy
With that, here's what you need to know about the mazy street course that promises to have NASCAR fans talking, one way or another.
NASCAR at Chicago track location
- Location: Chicago
- Venue: Grant Park
Lined with lush white oaks, Grant Park, located in the Loop community, is one of the most picturesque parts of Chi-Town. It's little surprise that NASCAR, with its focus on aesthetically pleasing landscapes (see: Sonoma), would venture to the 319-acre pasture that houses numerous sculptures.
The course:
- Is 2.2 miles long.
- Has 12 turns.
- Is expected to carry speeds exceeding 100 mph in straightaways.
Parts of Grant Park will be closed to the public during the set-up and teardown of the race facilities. But many of the park's highest-profile landmarks, including Buckingham Fountain, Butler Field and Lower Hutchinson Field, will remain open throughout the weekend.
NASCAR at Chicago track map
The official course map shows 12 turns on the 2.2-mile course. The race will be 100 laps long.
NASCAR at Chicago track details
Joining the Daytona 500 as regular-season races named after their location and not a corporate sponsor, the Chicago street course is far different than the other racing circuits in the Cup Series.
The race will be held on asphalt, which is ubiquitous in stock car racing, but the backdrop for the event is unique. Located in the heart of Chicago's central business district, Grant Park overlooks the vast Lake Michigan. NASCAR will place a marker on the setting, which once served as the site of the city's landfill over a century ago.
Racers will make their way around Michigan Avenue — one of many areas cleared out by the Great Fire of 1871. Also included in the course are trips along Lake Shore Drive and Columbus Drive, where the start/finish line will reside. Pit road will lie along Columbus Drive, as well, ensuring that much of the race's drama should play out in the heart of the map.
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The decision to build a street circuit was a curious one. The noise that emanates from NASCAR's metal colossuses will ring out across the city, although NASCAR will add mufflers to the cars to reduce sound levels.
NASCAR took care not to be too invasive when it came to crafting the course. Fences will rest on the course's trim, providing a barrier between drivers and the general public. Additionally, much of the area is intended to remain open to the public during the setup and teardown of the course's surroundings.
Given the uncommon nature of the course, there are doubts about how enjoyable the viewing experience will be. It's clear, however, that NASCAR is looking for style over substance. Perhaps the race itself won't be as entertaining as one on a standard track, but it promises to be a spectacle; NASCAR will be hosting a concert at the venue, enlisting the services of The Chainsmokers and Miranda Lambert.
Upwards of 100,000 people are expected to descend upon the Windy City to get a glimpse of the festivities, per NASCAR.
NASCAR at Chicago street closures
Numerous streets and sidewalks within Chicago's business district were closed ahead of the race and will remain so long after it ends. Here's a list of the streets and sidewalks that will be affected:
Street closures
| Street (on) | Street (from) | Street (to) | Projected closure | Projected reopening |
| Balbo Drive | Columbus Drive | DuSable Lake Shore Drive | 6/19/2023 | 7/13/2023 |
| Balbo Drive | Michigan Avenue | Columbus Drive | 6/19/2023 | 7/13/2023 |
| Columbus Drive | Monroe Street | Jackson Drive | 6/28/2023 | 7/5/2023 |
| Congress Circle | Harrison Street | Van Buren Street | 6/26/2023 | 7/6/2023 |
| Ida B. Wells | Michigan Avenue | Columbus Drive | 6/10/2023 | 7/10/2023 |
| Indiana Street NB | Roosevelt Road | 13th Street | 6/29/2023 | 7/4/2023 |
| Jackson Drive | Columbus Drive | DuSable Lake Shore Drive | 6/28/2023 | 7/10/2023 |
| Jackson Drive | Michigan Avenue | Columbus Drive | 6/25/2023 | 7/10/2023 |
| Monroe Street | Columbus Drive | DuSable Lake Shore Drive | 6/28/2023 | 7/3/2023 |
| NB Columbus Drive | Roosevelt Road | Jackson Drive | 6/25/2023 | 7/10/2023 |
| NB DuSable Lake Shore Drive | McFetridge Drive | Randolph Street | 7/1/2023 | 7/2/2023 |
| SB DuSable Lake Shore Drive | Randolph Street | McFetridge Street | 6/28/2023 | 7/4/2023 |
| NB Michigan Avenue | Balbo Drive | Jackson Drive | 6/29/2023 | 7/5/2023 |
| SB Michigan Avenue | Jackson Drive | Roosevelt Road | 6/30/2023 | 7/2/2023 |
| Roosevelt Road | Columbus Drive | DuSable Lake Shore Drive | 6/29/2023 | 7/4/2023 |
Local access only
| Street (on) | Street (from) | Street (to) | Projected closure | Projected reopening |
| 8th Street | Wabash Street | Michigan Avenue | 6/29/2023 | 7/5/2023 |
| 9th Street | Wabash Street | Michigan Avenue | 6/29/2023 | 7/5/2023 |
| 11th Street | Wabash Street | Michigan Avenue | 6/29/2023 | 7/5/2023 |
| Balbo Drive | Wabash Street | Michigan Avenue | 6/29/2023 | 6/5/2023 |
| Harrison Street | Wabash Street | Michigan Avenue | 6/29/2023 | 7/5/2023 |
| Ida B. Wells | Wabash Street | Michigan Avenue | 6/29/2023 | 7/5/2023 |
| Indiana Street SB* | 13th Street | 16th Street | 6/30/2023 | 7/4/2023 |
| Jackson Boulevard | Wabash Street | Michigan Avenue | 6/29/2023 | 7/5/2023 |
| Monroe Street | Michigan Avenue | Columbus Drive | 6/29/2023 | 7/5/2023 |
| NB Michigan Ave. | Roosevelt Rd. | 16th Street | 6/30/2023 | 7/4/2023 |
| SB Michigan Ave. | Monroe St. | Jackson Drive | 6/29/2023 | 7/5/2023 |
| SB DuSable Lake Shore Dr. | Randolph St. | McFetridge Street | 6/28/2023 | 7/4/2023 |
| NB Michigan Ave. | Balbo Dr. | Jackson Drive | 6/29/2023 | 7/5/2023 |
| SB Michigan Ave. | Jackson Dr. | Roosevelt Road | 6/30/2023 | 7/2/2023 |
* Will become a two-way street
Full sidewalk closures
| Street (on) | Streets (between) | Date closed |
Time closed (CT) |
Date reopening | Time reopening (CT) |
| Columbus Drive SB | Jackson Drive/Balbo Drive | 6/2/2023 | 6 a.m. | 7/15/2023 | 6 a.m. |
| Columbus Drive NB | Jackson Drive/Balbo Drive | 6/5/2023 | 6 a.m. | 7/15/2023 | 6 a.m. |
| Ida B. Wells Drive EB/WB | Michigan Avenue/Columbus Drive | 6/10/2023 | 12:01 a.m. | 7/10/2023 | 11:59 p.m. |
| Balbo Drive WB | Columbus Drive/S DuSable Lake Shore Drive | 6/15/2023 | 6 a.m. | 7/9/2023 | 11:59 p.m. |
| Balbo Drive EB | Columbus Drive/S DuSable Lake Shore Drive | 6/21/2023 | 6 a.m. | 7/13/2023 | 11:59 p.m. |
| Balbo Drive EB/WB | Michigan Avenue/ Columbus Drive | 6/21/2023 | 6 a.m. | 7/13/2023 | 11:59 p.m. |
| Columbus Drive NB/SB | Roosevelt Road/Jackson Drive | 6/22/2023 | 6 a.m. | 7/10/2023 | 11:59 p.m. |
| Jackson Drive EB/WB | Michigan Avenue/Columbus Drive | 6/25/2023 | 1 a.m. | 7/10/2023 | 11:59 p.m. |
| Congress Circle NB/SB | Entire circle | 6/24/2023 | 6 a.m. | 7/6/2023 | 6 a.m. |
| Columbus Drive NB/SB | Monroe Street/Jackson Drive | 6/28/2023 | 8 p.m. | 7/5/2023 | 6 a.m. |
| Jackson Drive EB/WB | Columbus Drive/S DuSable Lake Shore Drive | 6/28/2023 | 8 p.m. | 7/10/2023 | 11:59 p.m. |
| Monroe Street EB | Columbus Drive/S DuSable Lake Shore Drive | 6/28/2023 | 8 p.m. | 7/3/2023 | 11:59 p.m. |
| Roosevelt Road WB | DuSable Lake Shore Drive/Columbus Drive | 6/29/2023 | 10 p.m. | 7/4/2023 | 12:01 a.m. |
| Roosevelt Road EB | DuSable Lake Shore Drive/Columbus Drive | 6/29/2023 | 10 p.m. | 7/4/2023 | 12:01 a.m. |
| Michigan Avenue NB | Balbo Drive/Jackson Drive | 6/29/2023 | 8 p.m. | 7/5/2023 | 6 a.m. |
How much did construction of NASCAR Chicago track cost?
NASCAR invested more than $50 million in the Chicago street course, which is scheduled to host three races in three years. NASCAR estimates that it will generate $113 million in economic impact and $3 million in tax revenue for the city.
NASCAR will also cover the costs of any repairs needed to return Grant Park and its surrounding areas to its pre-race standard.