Yahoo Sports Chicago Street Race 101: Trends to watch, tire info, interactive ways to follow race
It’s time to add to the NASCAR history books this weekend as the Cup Series makes its street-course debut in the Windy City.
Nestled right in the heart of downtown Chicago, the 12-turn, 2.2-mile road course in Grant Park will introduce new fans to the sport and hardcore fans to a new style of racing. To help build up to Sunday’s race, there will be plenty to do at the track from attending concerts to visiting the free-to-the-public NASCAR Village at Butler Field.
Before a monumental weekend begins, check out some important info to get a taste of what to expect for Sunday’s Grant Park 220 (5:30 p.m. ET, NBC, Peacock, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) with trends to watch, a look at each corner of the track, Goodyear tire notes and interactive ways to follow all of the action.
RELATED: See paint schemes for Chicago | Betting favorites for Sunday’s Cup race
FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS 📚
A first-time event means the potential for a first-time winner in 2023 and there are a plethora of road-course aces with street-course knowledge to break through.
Both Michael McDowell and AJ Allmendinger have competed in street-course events in different series. Both finished inside the top 10 just three weeks ago at Sonoma Raceway to build momentum into Chicago where they will run the same tire setup.
Rookie Ty Gibbs could be in play for his first career Cup Series win on Sunday. He showed his prowess on road courses in the Xfinity Series with three wins, which included outdueling 2021 Cup Series champion Kyle Larson last season.
Defending Cup Series champion Joey Logano has a knack for winning at debuting events in the Cup Series, grabbing the inaugural checkered flags at the Bristol Dirt, LA Coliseum and World Wide Technology Raceway.
MORE: See where your favorite driver is projected to finish on Sunday
NOTES ON SPOTTERS STANDS AND TRACK SERVICES EQUIPMENT ✍🏾
With drivers utilizing multiple spotters to help them navigate all 12 turns, there will be three locations where spotters will be stationed.
The primary spotters stand will be at the President’s Paddock Club where the start/finish line is located. There will be another stand in Turn 4 where the Big Bus Tour buses will be utilized and the third will be in Turn 11 where spotters will be perched on the balcony of the Chicago Symphony Center.
In the event cars crash on the course or stall due to a mechanical failure, Track Services equipment will be placed in Turns 2, 4, 7 and 12. Crashed vehicles would be recovered as normal, taken off in Turns 2, 4 and 12.
📉 TRENDS TO WATCH 📈
— Nine races in 2023 were won by drivers 30 or younger but only three of the nine came in the last eight races
— Four of the last seven races of 2023 were won by drivers ending winless streaks of at least 33 races
— Toyota won both road-course races this season
— Ford only has two wins this season, tied for the fewest since 2010
(Via Racing Insights)
TURN-BY-TURN NAVIGATION 🗺️
• Start/Finish Line: On Columbus Drive, in front of Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park
◦ 940 feet toward Balbo Drive
• Turn 1: 90 degrees left on East Balbo Drive
◦ 900 feet towards DuSable Lake Shore Drive, with Museum Campus with Grant Park‘s fields to the right
• Turn 2: 90 degrees right on DuSable Lake Shore Drive
◦ 1,350 feet on DuSable Lake Shore Drive with Lake Michigan on the left
• Turn 3: Slight right-hand curve staying on DuSable Lake Shore Drive
◦ 825 feet toward Roosevelt Road in front of the Field Museum at the Museum Campus
• Turn 4: 90 degrees right on East Roosevelt Road
◦ 375 feet toward Columbus Drive
• Turn 5: 90 degrees right on Columbus Drive, heading towards Balbo Drive
◦ 2,050 feet on Columbus Drive
• Turn 6: 90 degrees left on Balbo Drive
◦ 1,000 feet down Balbo Drive across a bridge over railroad tracks toward Michigan Avenue
• Turn 7: 90 degree Right on Michigan Avenue
◦ 500 feet on Michigan Avenue
• Turn 8: Right on Congress Plaza (street version of a chicane)
◦ Just over 500 feet toward Ida B. Wells Drive
• Turn 9: Middle of Congress Plaza Drive where it crosses over Ida B. Wells Drive
◦ Another 500 feet back to Michigan Avenue
• Turn 10: Right back on Michigan Avenue
◦ 475 feet toward E. Jackson Drive
• Turn 11: 90 degrees right on E. Jackson Drive back towards the lake adjacent to the Art Institute.
◦ 950 feet back to Columbus Drive and back across the railroad tracks
• Turn 12: 90 degree right on Columbus Drive
◦ 925 feet back down Columbus Drive to the S/F Line in front of the Buckingham Fountain
ON-TRACK SCHEDULE 🗓️
Saturday, July 1
— 1:30 p.m. ET: Practice (USA Network, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
— 2:30 p.m. ET: Qualifying (USA Network, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday, July 2
— 5:30 p.m. ET: Grant Park 220 (NBC, Peacock, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
MORE: Full weekend schedule at Chicago Street Course
RULE CHANGES/GOODYEAR TIRE NOTES 🛞
The GEICO Restart Zone returned to its 2022 dimensions after being extended for this season’s first five races.
There will be no cautions at the end of the stages on Lap 20 and Lap 45. The rule first went into effect at Circuit of The Americas and will be implemented at all Cup Series road-course events along with any Craftsman Truck or Xfinity Series participating at the same road course as the Cup Series. Stage points will still be allocated as usual at the end of each stage.
The Cup Series will run the same Goodyear tire setup that was used at COTA and Sonoma Raceway earlier this season. Each team will receive two sets of tires for practice, one set for qualifying and an additional five for Sunday’s race.
In the event of a lost wheel that is contained to pit road, the offending team will be subject to a pass-through penalty under green-flag conditions. If the infraction occurs during a caution period, the offending team will restart at the tail end of the field.
If the wheel breaks free outside of pit road, the new rules guidelines mandate a two-lap penalty. Plus, a two-race suspension for two crew members. Each penalty is series-specific: Violations in one series will not impact those crew members‘ eligibility to participate in other series.
RELATED: See rules changes for 2023
WHERE TO FIND EVENTS AT CHICAGO STREET COURSE 👀
Heading to the track this weekend? Make sure to download the NASCAR Tracks app to see times and locations for all the festivities taking place in Grant Park.
You’re not going to want to miss out on seeing The Black Crowes, The Chainsmokers, Miranda Lambert and more as they get the city ready ahead of two days of thrilling action.
FAN REWARDS 🫵
Fans can get in on the action all season long with NASCAR Fan Rewards, a free program that rewards fans for participating in the action when they watch races and play NASCAR Fantasy.
There‘s no cost to join. Fans must be 18 years or older to participate in the program.
Earn points by checking into a race from home or at the track, setting your Fantasy Live lineup, making purchases on the NASCAR.com shop and more. Points can be redeemed for race tickets, merchandise and VIP experiences at the track, including pace car rides and waving the green flag at qualifying.
FOLLOW THE RACE 📲
NASCAR Mobile has now added support for fans to “Follow the Race” and access live leaderboard and race information from Live Activities in the current app release (v13.2.0), available now. Android users, we didn‘t forget you — the same functionality has been custom-built for Android devices, as well.
How to access Live Activities on iPhones:
Make sure your iOS device has been updated to 16.1 or higher.
Available on the leaderboard of all NASCAR Series races.
Click on the three-dot menu near the top right of screen.
Select “Follow the Race.”
Swipe up to access the home screen and you will see the Live Activities at the top.
Lock the device and you will see Live Activities on the Lock Screen.
To turn off, simply visit the leaderboard, click the three-dot menu and “Unfollow the Race.”
FANTASY LIVE 🏆
Want to manage a team and race your way to the top of the leaderboards? Check out NASCAR Fantasy Live, which is open now. The free-to-play game lets you choose your drivers each week and show off your crew-chief instincts by garaging a driver by the end of Stage 2, and there is a $25,000 prize for the winner.
How to play: Fantasy Live | Set up a team today!
ALSO ON NASCAR.COM 💻
Get additional camera views by logging on to NASCAR Drive, where each week, in-car cameras will be available.
NASCAR has partnered with LiveLike to add fan engagement to the NASCAR Mobile App. Log in to the mobile app during the race for polls, quizzes, the cheer meter and more — and see instant results from NASCAR fans like you.
