NASCAR brings unprecedented street race to Chicago

In the heart of Chicago, Grant Park has been transformed from an expansive green oasis with impressive landmarks into a thrilling 2.2-mile course featuring 12 exhilarating turns. Set against the backdrop of one of the world's most iconic and recognizable cityscapes, the stage is now set for the 2023 NASCAR Chicago Street Race. 

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the NASCAR Cup Series, some of the best NASCAR drivers will rev up their engines Saturday and Sunday in an unprecedented race.  

Last year, former Mayor Lori Lightfoot and NASCAR forged a three-year agreement to introduce a street course in bustling Chicago. This visionary concept sparked months of meetings, extensive planning, and collaborative efforts among various departments and community members. 

Julie Giese, President of the Chicago Street Race, and her team understand the significance of this historic moment. 

"It's an education process. We needed to learn Chicago, Chicago needed to learn NASCAR, and I think now that we are here, there's just this great buzz that we are about to make history," Giese told CBS News. 

The once-bustling pedestrian areas have been completely transformed, now covered with hundreds of spare tires, while diligent crews meticulously position their vehicles for final rounds of inspections and checks. 

Leading up to the race, drivers like Connor Mosack have dedicated themselves to thorough preparation, refining their skills on simulation courses. On Friday, he and other drivers finally had the opportunity to experience the track firsthand through walk-throughs.  

Reflecting on his initial impressions, Mosack told CBS News, "I feel okay. There are definitely some corners where a throttle hanger or brake failure could spell trouble, but you just try to go into it and not dwell on that." 

Drivers will have their first and only chance to practice and drive the track just 50 minutes before the command to start engines is given for the cup qualifying round.

NASCAR Cup Series driver and former Formula 1 champion Jenson Button, who has driven courses across the world, ranked the Chicago course he saw on simulation above races he competed in Monaco and Singapore. He said there are several challenges he saw including several 90-degree corners on the track. 

"It's a challenging track. You got to throw the bumps into it, you've got the overpasses. It's gonna be tough for us to learn in 50 minutes. You know, to have confidence in the car and the track to push it and break where we think we can break," he said.

While the event represents a breath of fresh air to the sport, some Chicagoans view it as a headache as street closures are expected to cause traffic backups during a busy Fourth of July weekend. The race comes as the city is grappling with poor air quality in the days leading up to the event due to wafting smoke from Canadian wildfires.

Even so, a crowd of about 100,000 is being anticipated as NASCAR weekend promises a star-studded concert lineup featuring The Chainsmokers, The Black Crowes, Charley Crockett, and Miranda Lambert. General admission tickets start at $269, with the event projected to generate over $113 million in economic impact and more than $3 million in tax revenue for the city of Chicago. 

Amid Formula One's rapid expansion within the United States, NASCAR aims to replicate the success of hosting a grand event in one of America's largest metropolitan cities, while also attracting new fans to the sport. Longtime fans like Daniel Blaufman from New Hampshire and Mike McGowan from South Carolina recognize and appreciate the significance of the race.  

Eagerly anticipating the event, they sat outside the gated entry, hoping to catch a glimpse of the preparations on Friday.

For Blaufman, a first-time visitor to Chicago, this race represents a pivotal moment, signifying a new direction for the sport — and its fans. 

"I think it's showing that we are able to do more than one thing. That we aren't just left turns or even road courses," Blaufman said.