For the second consecutive season, NASCAR is set to take over the Windy City with a thrilling street race through downtown Chicago. The highly anticipated Grant Park 165 will see Cup Series drivers navigating iconic streets such as Michigan Avenue and Lake Shore Drive, passing famous landmarks like Buckingham Fountain. The race will start and finish in front of Grant Park, promising an exhilarating spectacle for motorsport fans.
The 2023 race faced challenges with torrential rain delaying the start by over 90 minutes and shortening the number of laps due to fading daylight. Despite these hurdles, the event delivered a unique and exciting finish. This year, the weather forecast looks promising with partly sunny skies and a high of 87 degrees, setting the stage for an even more thrilling race.
With only seven races remaining in the regular season, the Grant Park 165 presents a crucial opportunity for winless drivers who excel on road and street courses to secure a victory and a playoff berth. The question on everyone’s mind is: Who will capture the checkered flag in Chicago?
The Grant Park 165 is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. local) on the streets of downtown Chicago. NBC will broadcast the race, with a pre-race show beginning at 4 p.m. ET (3 p.m. local). Fans can also live stream the event on Peacock, the NBCSports website, and the NBC Sports app. Additionally, the race will be available for streaming on Fubo.
The race will cover 75 laps around the 2.2-mile street course, totaling 165 miles. It will feature three segments: Stage 1 with 20 laps, Stage 2 with 25 laps, and Stage 3 with 30 laps.
In the most recent NASCAR Cup race at Chicago, Shane van Gisbergen made a stunning debut by chasing down Justin Haley and Chase Elliott to win. The New Zealand native and three-time Supercars champion led the final eight laps, pulling away from Haley by 1.259 seconds. This victory made van Gisbergen the first driver to win his Cup debut since Johnny Rutherford in 1963.
The lineup for the Grant Park 165 is as follows:
1. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet
2. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota
3. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford
4. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota
5. (16) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet
6. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota
7. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota
8. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet
9. (99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet
10. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford
11. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota
12. (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota
13. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet
14. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet
15. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet
16. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford
17. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford
18. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet
19. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet
20. (7) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet
21. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford
22. (14) Chase Briscoe, Ford
23. (51) Justin Haley, Ford
24. (19) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota
25. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota
26. (38) Todd Gilliland, Ford
27. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet
28. (10) Noah Gragson, Ford
29. (41) Ryan Preece, Ford
30. (71) Zane Smith, Chevrolet
31. (21) Harrison Burton, Ford
32. (22) Joey Logano, Ford
33. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet
34. (33) Austin Hill, Chevrolet
35. (31) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet
36. (4) Josh Berry, Ford
37. (13) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet
38. (60) Joey Hand, Ford
39. (66) Josh Bilicki, Ford
40. (15) Kaz Grala, Ford
NASCAR returns to Chicago’s Grant Park during the first weekend of July, bringing fans back to Illinois for the second NASCAR Chicago Street Race. The area in front of Buckingham Fountain along South Columbus Drive will serve as the start and finish line, as well as pit road.
The second NASCAR Chicago Street Race will be held on July 6-7, 2024. The Grant Park 165 will take place at 3:30 p.m. CST on Sunday, July 7. The 165-mile NASCAR Cup Series race will span 75 laps. The Loop 110 NASCAR Xfinity Series Race will occur at 2:30 p.m. CST on Saturday, July 6, covering 110 miles over 50 laps.
NASCAR Chicago Street Race action will be broadcast on NBC and NBC Sports. Streaming options include the NBC Sports app, NBCSports.com, and Peacock. Tickets for the event range from $269 to $3,570.69, with options from general admission to the President’s Paddock Club. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.nascarchicago.com.
The 2024 NASCAR Chicago Street Race schedule includes a variety of events and performances. On July 6, gates open at 8:45 a.m. CST, with practice sessions, concerts, and shows throughout the day. Highlights include performances by Buddy Guy, The Black Keys, and The Chainsmokers. On July 7, gates open at 9 a.m. CST, with more performances and the main event, the Grant Park 165, starting at 3:30 p.m. CST.
Street closures and traffic plans will be in place for the NASCAR Chicago Street Race weekend. Key routes will remain open, including DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Dan Ryan Expressway, Kennedy Expressway, Eisenhower Expressway, and Stevenson Expressway. In the Loop, streets such as State St., Dearborn St., Clark St., and others will remain open.
The second NASCAR Chicago Street Race promises to be an exciting event, with plenty of ways for fans to catch all the action live. Whether attending in person or watching from home, the Grant Park 165 is set to deliver another memorable race in the heart of Chicago.
Source: USA TODAY Network, Journal Star
