Preparations for NASCAR’s upcoming Chicago event are in full swing. Teams and drivers are working relentlessly to fine-tune their rides for the challenging street course in Chicago. While fans are excited about NASCAR’s debut at its first street course, concerns regarding the track’s layout have been abundant among drivers. 

While the NASCAR world straps its boots for the Chicago debut, NBC commentator and former Hendrick Motorsports crew chief has warned drivers about the repercussions of being too ambitious at the street circuit.

“Stuff job”: HMS legend warns NASCAR drivers

In the latest episode of the Dirty Mo Dough podcast, HMS legend Steve Letarte revealed the plausible passing zones for drivers to gain on each other. Pointing out Turns 1, 4, 6, and 12, Letarte strongly believes that these four turns would be the “legit passing zones.” He then said there would also be four defending zones where drivers would block or run others down. During the podcast, Letarte also warned of potential multi-car crashes as drivers could get more ambitious as the race nears a conclusion. 

Expressing his concerns, Letarte said, “I think everyone’s going to start like ‘this is narrow and the walls are close and we’re going to be real nice and we’re going to do this and we’re going to that. We’re going to go and we’re going to get through a couple stages.’

“And then somewhere with 15 to go somebody’s going to be out on older tires; somebody on newer tire is going to be running them down. They’re going to be faster, and there’s going to be a moment where that leader is going to decide how much he wants it, and I’m going to tell you, he’s going to want it too much.”

Letarte then sent a seven-word warning to drivers saying, “We are going to show Chicago what a NASCAR big issue looks, and we’re gonna have one big stuff job. Somebody’s going to block and he’s going to get stuffed. I think it’s going to be impressive, I could be wrong but I think we’re going to have a big moment in one of these races. And why not? If we’re going to come to Chicago, let’s do it NASCAR style, let’s show them elbows out.”

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Joining Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney’s stance, Steve Letarte is the latest to have spoken out regarding the problems drivers may encounter at NASCAR’s inaugural street course.

“Really Narrow”: Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney express concerns for the Chicago Street Course

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Earlier this month, Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney pointed out how negotiating the sharp corners of the street circuit would see many drivers turn hesitant. Speaking to NBC, Ryan Blaney said, “The racetrack is pretty narrow…Not a ton of runoffs. The only thing I would like to see different is some runoffs in those 90-degree corners, if you overshoot one you have a kind of a bailout place. So I think you’ll see guys kind of hesitate at some of those corners to begin with, but once you get more confident in it, you’ll be going pretty good.”

Adding in on Blaney’s view, veteran driver Kyle Busch said, “The wall in [turn] eight before you go around the left-hander is, to me, really narrow over there. You’re barely trying to miss getting your right front ripped off; not bouncing off that and killing your car on the left side. So there could be more room given over there, I feel like … It’s going to be a tight street course.”

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As the HMS legend warns drivers ahead of NASCAR’s inaugural street race, which driver are you banking on to grab the Chicago Street Course title?