IMSA NASCAR Street fight: Bye Road America, Hi Chicago

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The business of racing has taken precedent over the sport of racing as NASCAR will run the first-ever street Cup Series Points Race on NBC During Fourth of July Weekend next year, supported by an unnamed IMSA series that will be announced at a later date. That weekend, of course, normally sees IMSA running sports cars at Road America in Wisconsin. NASCAR also runs at Road America too, usually in June. Whether this is, well, cheesy or not depends on your point of view. For the moment IMSA – owned by NASCAR – is officially silent on the matter. (AutoInformed:Brickyard Sunday – Allmendinger in Chevy Wins NASCAR Cup)

Here’s what Bubba Wallace said (excepted and edited – Autocrat): “Yeah, well, obviously you guys know, the majority owner of our team has done a lot for this city, Michael Jordan obviously, being under his banner, being under his wing and knowing how much he means to the Chicago area is super cool, and I’m proud to carry that to our race team and in our race cars and to the racetrack…

“For being here, like I said earlier, it’s just the representation, showing that NASCAR can survive in a market like this and will succeed in a market like this is very beneficial.

“So just proud to be a part of it, proud to be having my voice and my opinion in the matter, and just making the most of it…

“There’s a lot of unknowns, and if you’ve been following my journey for the last little bit, I’ve always said the unknowns is what excites me. I don’t know what to expect going into this deal. I know that these guys got a lot of work to do and the city does, too, to get it ready. It’s exciting.”

Last word from Bubba, who gets the point, I think: “The biggest thing that I was always asked from my dad growing up when we were racing was “are you having fun?” And this has fun written all over it, so we’ll make the most of it.”

Both “races” will be surrounded by music and entertainment choices for all ages, making it more  like, what, a rock concert or the old snake pit in the Turn One infield at Indy? How good the actual racing is remains to be seen, but at least the Next Gen NASCAR cars have a chance of making it around the 12-turn, 2.2-mile course. No matter, Chicago adds another episode to its sports history when a Cup Series street race debuts against the backdrop of Lake Michigan 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,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing development and strategy.

“This is the ideal setting for the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series street race. The NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen cars and the IMSA machines will race along the shores of Lake Michigan in downtown Chicago, marking a truly historic moment for our sport. We are very appreciative of Mayor Lori Lightfoot and her team, along with the entire City of Chicago for working with us to make this concept a reality.”

The first-ever NASCAR Cup Series street course race will take place on Sunday, July 2, 2023, and will be preceded by an IMSA sanctioned series race, which will run on Saturday, July 1, 2023. The specific IMSA series joining the NASCAR Cup Series in Chicago will be announced at a later date, as we said.

Lake Shore Drive, Michigan Avenue, Columbus Drive and surrounding thoroughfares will be transformed into a 12-turn, 2.2-mile street course, with the start/finish line and pit road located along South Columbus Drive directly in front of Buckingham Fountain. The course will pass through the famed Grant Park, as well as approach the northern edge of Soldier Field, and the site of the only other Cup Series race to take place in Downtown Chicago, in 1956.

The remainder of the 2023 schedules for the Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and IMSA will be announced at a later date. Tickets for the 2023 NASCAR Chicago Street Race Weekend will go on-sale later this year at NASCARChicago.com. Additional details and elements of the weekend will be announced soon, and fans can follow @NASCARChicago on social media for the latest real-time updates on all aspects of the event.