Credit score: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Photos
The Grant Park 165 for the Chicago Road Race on July 6 would be the third consecutive 12 months with a NASCAR Cup Sequence race in downtown Chicago. Nonetheless, it is likely to be the final time the town hosts a NASCAR race for some time.
Showing on Friday’s episode of the Door, Bumper, Clear podcast, reporter Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic mentioned that whereas NASCAR is publicly preserving the door open to returning to Chicago in 2026, he can be stunned if there’s a Chicago Road Race subsequent 12 months.
Associated: NASCAR free brokers after the season
“The conversations I’ve had with folks, I’d personally be stunned if NASCAR is racing in downtown Chicago once more (subsequent 12 months). It’s an costly enterprise…As you take a look at it, three years is concerning the shelf life for a few of these new locations and I believe that’s honest to say about this.”
Jordan Bianchi on the way forward for the Chicago Road Race
Setting every little thing up for the road race is moderately costly. In 2023, Chicago spent at the least $3.5 million on development and police extra time to run the road race and it nonetheless price $2.15 million in 2024. In the meantime, NASCAR paid the Chicago Park District simply $350,000 to host the road race, although the town additionally reportedly acquired $2 per ticket offered and 20 % of web gross sales from merchandise and concessions.
The contract with the town expires after the 2025 Cup Sequence season, however NASCAR does have choices to return subsequent 12 months and in 2027. Nonetheless, it seems the prices and frequent problems created by the climate will doubtless finish the Chicago Road Race after this season.
Associated: NASCAR standings for Cup Sequence, Truck Sequence and Xfinity Sequence
Instead, NASCAR might maintain a road race in San Diego for 2026, or it might push it again till 2027. Whereas Chicago is prone to lose out on Cup Sequence racing for the following two years, Bianchi additionally famous that there’s a risk of NASCAR returning to Chicagoland Speedway sooner or later.
