With Grant Park 220 just around the corner, the expectations of fans from the race and the new track are getting higher. To help drivers and fans better understand the track, NBC analyst Dale Earnhardt Jr has been sharing some insightful data, whether it be through his Twitter account or through Instagram stories.
Recently, Dale Jr shared a video on Twitter where he was seen driving through the Chicago track. Tony Stewart‘s Xfinity driver Cole Custer, who is leading the recently postponed Xfinity race, reacted to it. Amongst all the comments, Jeff Burton’s comment was one of the most interesting ones.
Dale Earnhardt Jr reveals the condition of the Chicago track before the Grant Park 220
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Ever since the announcement of the Grant Park 220 race on the newly built Chicago street course, there has been much talk about the safety of the track. Since it’s NASCAR’s first foray into street course racing, it does have some imperfections, which might become a headache for drivers.
Dale Earnhardt Jr talked about the condition of the Chicago track in detail on his recent Instagram story, where he also showed viewers the real-time condition of the track.
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) July 1, 2023
Talking about the build quality of the Chicago street course, Earnhardt Jr. revealed how it’s a bumpy track. The “Pied Piper of Daytona” said, “Very imperfect, bumpy, bumpy patches of concrete, and this is going to challenge the driver.”
On the same Instagram story, he also revealed another imperfection of the track, which was the brake markers. In reference to brake markers, Junior said, “They put in some orange tape around them because I guess the driver said they couldn’t see them, which I agree with. They were kind of tough to see.”
Kyle Busch shared a similar review of the track during an interview earlier. He said, “It’s really rough, it’s bumpy, it’s slippery, you know there’s some Corners that are very challenging.” Going by the legends’ remarks, we can say that this weekend could be highly challenging for the drivers.
Cole Custer and Jeff Burton react to Dale Jr’s drive through the Chicago Street Course
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In the Twitter video shared by Dale Jr, he is seen driving through the track, unlike the Instagram story where he was walking through it. This video gave a really good idea of how and where drivers could find difficulties. Several enthusiasts shared their views of the track, with one fan even comparing the track with Circuit de Monaco, “This track is like NASCAR’s version of Monaco. Small overtake zones = limited passing. Going to have to make each pass count. #NASCARChicago.”
That turn 7 ain’t no joke! pic.twitter.com/JC0ISFB5GD
— Rich Greenway (@Rich52370) July 2, 2023
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Another fan mentioned, “Here it is: The first real-world lap of the #NASCARChicago Street Course.” Not just fans but Xfinity drivers like Cole Custer also saw the video prior to the practice and qualifying race and found it helpful. Custer, reacting to Earnhardt Jr’s post, said “Thank you for this.”
Jeff Burton, who is also part of NBC’s broadcasting team, also reacted to the post. He said, “When u have family and friends in the car, I had to push hard. He called me an a**hole😂”.
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Watch This Story: “If I Ever See This A**hole…” – Dale Earnhardt Jr. Opens up About Holding a Grudge Against One Particular Driver Since 1996
While there are certain imperfections in the Chicago track, it’s still going to be a fun weekend. What are your plans for the weekend? Watching the race on a screen or at the Chicago Street Course?