The Chicago race is all that traditionalist NASCAR fans are not used to. It is set in an urban jungle with a stunning view of the cityscape and promises fans a stellar race and an even better experience with big-time concerts. It’s almost as if it was meant to be a grand festival with concerts at its core and a race built around it—not the other way around! However, this was the promise made, and last year’s rain essentially washed it away. Fans missed out on the off-track fun of concerts, and on-track drivers struggled.

And this year things don’t look any brighter. The rains have already washed many NASCAR races this season and given the updates, Chicago seems to be carrying bad news for everyone from NASCAR to fans and the drivers.

Chicago braces for another rain-soaked event

The Chicago race has now become one of the most anticipated races of the season. Everything about the race is extra, from the budget and the crowd to the hype. And not to forget NASCAR did spend around $3.5M! Hence, the management has a lot riding over the shoulders and they need everything to go as planned. However, a wrench seems to be there. Race Weather recently updated the situation on X: “#NASCAR is heading to the Windy City for the #GrantPark165! Once again, the NASCAR Drought Buster ™️ will be in effect, with chances of rain in the forecast every day.”

The clash of two low-pressure systems is what will create thunderstorms on Friday and it will touch the Xfinity race on Saturday too. As for the Sunday race, it looks rather gloomy. A shortwave trough and cold front may bring showers and storms, potentially turning the Chicago Street Race into a soggy mess. This spells trouble not only for drivers but also for NASCAR, which is counting on a successful event to impress fans and secure a long-term presence in the city. With a three-year deal initially proposed, this year’s race must be a success, lest it might become a relic of the past, as suggested by Bob Pockrass.

Pockrass said at GoPRNLive, “It should really bring out people to come and watch, not just images of cars sliding into barriers because it was wet. I’m certainly looking forward to it, and I think NASCAR is looking forward to it. Originally, it was a three-year deal to have this race, and what happens this weekend will go a long way in determining whether that third year happens or not.”

This race sure has a lot riding on its shoulders, not just for NASCAR but for the drivers as well. Their struggles were quite visible last year whilst Shane van Gisbergen dominated. This time too, all bets seem to be on him!

Shane van Gisbergen looking for another win at Chicago this season!

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Last year, Shane van Gisbergen looked like a duck among the cats at the rain-soaked race! He was like a boss, splashing around the tight city streets while the other thirty-six cars were slow and cautious. And this year too he is up for that competition and he seems to be a fan favorite. He opened with 10-to-1 odds at the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas. Moreover, he’s now had plenty of experience racing at NASCAR and has four cup starts. He’s had two wins in the Xfinity races, both on road courses. So, undoubtedly, he seems to be more at ease than he was a year ago. And as we know, a comfortable driver is a fast driver! Couple that with the fact that this type of racing is his specialty, he is better than anybody else currently in the field.

Moreover, most drivers are under pressure to perform well since the playoffs are knocking on the doors. We all saw how Joey Logano, a two-time championship winner, was screaming at the top of his lungs after winning at Nashville to make it to the playoffs. Well, why shouldn’t he? The competition is tough. Furthermore, drivers are not sure that the Kiwi driver could be beatable. 

In fact, Ryan Blaney said in New Hampshire, “I don’t know. It’s going to be interesting to see. Obviously, he’s really talented. I’ve been enjoying watching his inaugural Xfinity season. He’s a good guy. I’ve gotten to talk to him a good bit, and he loves the sport and really enjoys it. I don’t know if he’ll have as much of an advantage this year because everyone was kind of in the same boat last year as far as the first time there, but he raced on a lot of street courses, and the V8 stuff and the rain and all that craziness that went on. He probably had a little bit of a leg up on everybody and it showed, and he took advantage of it and won the race. Hopefully, we can all draw a little bit closer to him at that place to where he doesn’t embarrass us like he did last year. We’ll see, though.”

We will indeed have to see! Given that everything is going as per SVG’s strong areas, he very well could win the race. What do you think?