The third time’s a charm, NASCAR fans! Or, in this case, just plain bad luck and poor timing. The Chicago Street Race was about to kick off, but the clouds in the sky gave a warning that there may be a slight twist to the performance on the road course. However, the drivers are used to this unpredictable outcome and are now used to getting their tires a little wet on the asphalt. Has NASCAR learned from the lessons learned in the last three speedways, or will the Chicago race also call for another board meeting?

About thirty minutes before the engines would roar to life, the weather began playing a little game of high-and-go-seek with the competitor’s and fan’s emotions. Reporter Bob Pockrass kept the updates coming in, alerting fans of the drizzle that was present up north of the Chicago Race Course and that it could be just that—a light rain. But if there’s anything NASCAR has learned, it’s to expect the unexpected.

Pockrass took to X (formerly Twitter) to report the weather conditions as rain began to build up to the north of the track and presented a line of showers on the west. He dared to ask the question of whether this would turn into a situation of “will it or won’t it?” with the fans.

Recalling the incident at New Hampshire Speedway where the storm took over the majority of the race and wreaked havoc, as well as an exciting test of man and machine against the natural elements. The USA Today 301 was the beginning of the “wet-weather tires” debate amongst many insiders and critics, who urged NASCAR to look into these specifics when planning the schedule.

So could it be that NASCAR did consider that while planning this day out? Surely, they wouldn’t make the drivers go out onto the tracks without precautions in order, especially on a track like Chicago Street Course, which was infamous for its notorious turns and route. Last year, Chicago saw the same outcome with rain, which took away a chunk of time from the drivers and the audience, forcing everyone to wait it out before resuming the race. By then, most racers in the lead were pushed back, and there were a few expected winners.

Fans Fume Over Weather Woes at NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race

For the second year in a row, the highly anticipated event has been hit with soaked roads, leaving them frustrated and questioning the series’ decision-making entirely.

“Real smart with the 4 PM start time!” one fan sarcastically remarked. “Exactly why the green flag should’ve flown an hour ago.” This sentiment was echoed by many, who felt NASCAR should have been more foresighted in getting the race underway before the storms rolled in.

“NASCAR needs to study areas with serious droughts so they can schedule events there and bring rain to the regions,” one fan quipped. While another took a jab at them with a more direct message, “Need rain? Just schedule a NASCAR race!”

Others went as far as to suggest the weather issues were all part of a scripted narrative. “This gotta be scripted,” one frustrated spectator posted on social media. It really did feel like too much of a coincidence, while one would like to believe that it was just a chance situation. For it to happen two years in a row? Something was fishy.

As the skies opened up and the track crews scrambled to dry the surface, the patience of the loyal NASCAR fanbase was wearing thin by the minute. They came to see high-speed action, not a weather delay that threatened to dampen the entire event.

With the threat of more showers looming, NASCAR officials will need to make some tough decisions to get future races in a more timely manner and satisfy this particularly disgruntled crowd. One thing is certain: the weather gods seem to have it out for NASCAR’s Chicago adventure once again.