The world of motorsports can be full of uncertainties. The Nashville Grand Prix street race learned that lesson the hard way after being kicked out of its location to make way for the Tennessee Titans’ new NFL stadium. To salvage the race, Scott Borchetta’s Big Machine Music City GP promotions team struck a deal with Speedway Motorsports Inc. to accommodate the race in the out-of-favor Nashville Superspeedway, which turned out to be one of the best oval races of the season.

As a result of the success, Penske Entertainment has now acquired the rights and will run the event, while Borchetta will stay on as a sponsor. However, given the uncertainty regarding the ‘street racing’ format, could the Chicago street race also face a similar set of circumstances in the future?

Chicago street race has struggled to live up to expectations

The Chicago street race has divided opinions amongst the NASCAR fanbase. On the one hand, the races tend to be quite compelling but only when the conditions allow for it. However, the event has also experienced its fair share of issues, which has led many to question NASCAR’s street racing credentials. The first race at the 2.14-mile circuit in Grant Park, Illinois will forever be etched in the minds of many. After all, it’s not often that an unknown driver from a foreign land does the unthinkable and wins a Cup Series race. However, that’s exactly what Shane van Gisbergen managed to do on his debut.

However, the second iteration didn’t live up to the expectations of many. The race started late because of the weather, and when it eventually began, heavy rains forced a lengthy red-flag period, which was a mood-killer for fans. Eventually, it became a battle to beat the clock, as the street race was not equipped with a robust lighting system, which meant the event was forced to end by 8:20 pm local time. This forced NASCAR to cut short the scheduled laps for safety reasons, highlighting just how unprepared they were in terms of contingency plans.

Moreover, recurring incidents on the track resulted in plenty of yellow flags, which affected the quality of the race. Given the nature of the event, the street circuit was hard to dry after the heavy downpour, as concrete barriers and the narrow track affected the drainage. While jet dryers and vacuum trucks helped displace the water, the process was long and tedious, affecting the overall fan experience. The slippery surface was also a struggle to drive on, especially for racers who had limited experience driving in such conditions, having been accustomed to competing on dry, oval tracks.

All of these were contributing factors that culminated in a recipe for disaster. It’s not surprising that McDonald’s, one of the founding partners of the event ended its partnership after two years, despite initially agreeing on a three-year deal. The fast-food giants paid $2 million to be associated with the race, but now the event will be forced to take a substantial hit unless a new sponsor is found.

Scheduled for July 6th, the 2025 race will be the last one in NASCAR’s current deal, and it’s unclear if the sanctioning body will choose to renew the event. The street race has been full of controversy, with many locals claiming that the construction of the track leads to disruptions every year. While the Nashville Grand Prix street race could get converted to an oval event held at the Nashville Superspeedway, no such option exists for the Chicago street race. Moreover, an entity like Penske Entertainment cannot acquire the rights for the event either, but could theoretically replace McDonald’s as a sponsor.

NASCAR is noncommittal about racing in Chicago beyond 2025

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Despite the many problems, the Chicago street race last year was more profitable in comparison to the inaugural event held in 2023. According to a Temple University study commissioned by Choose Chicago, the event generated $128 million in total economic impact, a 17% increase from the first event. Moreover, the race also generated $9.6 million in state and local tax revenue, as 53,063 fans attended the event. However, despite the promising figures, NASCAR is unsure about the street race having a place on the calendar beyond the 2025 season.

Sharing his thoughts about the race, NASCAR COO Steve O’Donnell said, “For us, we’re just looking at 2025. It’ll be the third year of a three-year run, and each year we’ve wanted to build upon the momentum that we have. We’ve learned things each and every year — it’s our first street race, a lot of learnings came from that. A lot of weather challenges as well. We’ve made some tweaks to the event format and continuing to evolve that as well, so we’ll get through the event, see where things are, but concentrating on 2025 and making that event as successful as it can be.”

The sanctioning body could explore alternate locations, with San Diego being touted as a potential destination now that the Auto Club Speedway in California has shut down. O’Donnell confirmed the same, saying, “We are certainly interested in California and the Southern California market, and that will continue to be a focus for us, but nothing to confirm at this point.” The sanctioning body is also keen to expand its horizons internationally, with a Cup Series race taking place at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City later this year. Given their plans and the Chicago street race’s problems, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that the 2025 event will be the last one, with the sport exploring other options for 2026 and beyond.