After Reports of NASCAR’s Major Security Lapse, Jeff Burton Confesses He “May or May Not” Have Breached Chicago Track During “Inappropriate Times”

A lot of questions were raised about the Chicago Street Race even before it took place. Prior to the race, NASCAR and the City council were on the receiving end of some criticism for their decision to conduct a race in the city. While the residents were concerned with issues like increasing crime rates, diversion of traffic, and road closures, among many others. NASCAR’s plan ultimately made it through all of this.

Coming into a first-of-its-kind race, NASCAR was determined to make a statement. But certain problematic situations did arise amid the racing action that needed special attention.

Former NASCAR race car driver Jeff Burton was one of the people at the venue as part of NBC’s entourage. Speaking about his expectations at first sight of the track, he admits doing something that turned out to be a major issue in other news.

Jeff Burton Admits to ‘Sneaking’ Into the Chicago Street Race Course

Accompanied by host Nate Ryan on the NASCAR on NBC podcast, Burton informs that although he did have his doubts over the success of the event, a single glimpse of the racecourse, created a sense of belief in him that the event had the potential to be a super hit with the fans.

“I think aside from what NASCAR couldn’t control, everything else felt pretty much like a home run. What was it like from your perspective watching this race happen?” asked Ryan enquiring Burton’s views on the much-anticipated event.

Showing his skepticism, the former two-time Coke 600 winner says, “You know I was really nervous about it. The whole process, I was concerned about it. We went a month ago or so, went to Chicago with all the traffic on the race track, and on the roads. But we were able to get on those roads and see what it was that was going to happen. And after seeing it, I’m like this is gonna work.”

“This can work, right? Like it’s wider than I thought it was gonna be in most areas. There were some areas that were really narrow. But, I don’t know, I got some confidence that it could work. And then, it turned into what’s it gonna look like when the walls are up.”

The former Richard Childress driver then discloses the adventures with Hendrick Motorsports legend and fellow analyst Steve Letarte in Chicago when they tried to get an unauthorized visit to the venue.

“Steve and I got here on Wednesday night and we may or may not have snuck on the track at the inappropriate times and you know, check out the parts of the racetrack that we could see. It was like, ‘Wow, this is gonna work’. And then on Saturday morning, I got to take the pace car out and after that, I really had a high level of confidence that it was gonna work.”

The confession from Jeff Burton comes strangely after reports of a great number of security breaches this weekend. Despite engaging a security force of 900 personnel, there was not much they could do to prevent the breaches. A major mistake at an event of this stature.

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Multiple Security Breaches Detected at the Chicago Street Race

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As per the reports, Jeff Burton was not the only one lurking on the street course. Chicago weather information Twitter account, WindyCity Weather and News conveyed the information about the breaches happening at the track.

These events come as a surprise to the officials considering that Four Leaf productions have garnered around two decades of experience in standing guard for such events. On July 2, an estimated number of 20 drivers made their way onto the track from Columbus and Balbo. This was not the first callout of a security breach at the event, either.

Shortly before the incident, some unauthorized vehicles made headways into the race-designated roads. The news of security breaches just kept coming as another unofficial van used Gate 4 to enter the restricted area. Trying to find the source of these breaches, the officials pointed out that the most probable way to get into the circuit was to use the pedestrian underpass that is situated behind the Field Museum, where the operating hours had been adjusted to accommodate the street race.

The offenders did have to pay the consequences for the violations, as the Chicago Sun Times reported, “Charges are pending against a man who allegedly drove onto the NASCAR Chicago Street Race course on Saturday night after the day’s second race was canceled early due to bad weather. How the 46-year-old was able to get access to the race course about 9 p.m. wasn’t immediately clear, Chicago police said. A bright yellow Corvette with red flame details could be seen stopped near Michigan Avenue and Balboa Drive after the unauthorized car was reported on the course.”

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Such offenses need to be prevented in the future considering the importance of such large-scale events, especially in a city like Chicago where the crime rates are on the rise.