CHICAGO: NASCAR has changed its tune considerably since 2001, when the Cup Series first raced at Chicagoland Speedway.
Gone is the “If you build it, they will come” mentality That gave rise to a flurry of tracks in relatively remote areas across the country—including the intermediate track at Joliet, some 50-plus miles from Lake Shore Drive.
NASCAR’s newest visionaries believe in taking the racing to the people. And that concept is alive and well at the Chicago Street Course, a 2.2-mile circuit nestled near the shore of Lake Michigan.
“Like the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, we seized an incredible opportunity to add an unprecedented element to our schedule and take center stage in the heart of another major metropolitan market,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing development and strategy.
“This is the ideal setting for the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series street race. The NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen cars will race along the shores of Lake Michigan in downtown Chicago, marking a truly historic moment for our sport.”
The vistas around the 12-turn course crisscrossing Grant Park are breathtaking, starting with the entry to Turn 1. The first of seven 90-degree turns opens up to Buckingham Fountain on the left. Heading to Turn 2, a massive stage at Lakefront Green comes into view. The Chainsmokers will headline Saturday’s entertainment, followed by Miranda Lambert on Sunday.
South Lake Shore Drive features the fastest segment of the circuit followed by two quick right-hand transitions—Turns 4 and 5—which exits onto South Columbus. Following the length of four city blocks, drivers will make a sharp left-hander (Turn 6) onto East Balbo Drive and then right through Turn 7 onto Michigan Avenue.
A quick right-hander through Turn 8 into Turns 9 and 10 features the circuit’s only chicane, through Congress Plaza. Drivers pass Eagle Fountain along with landmark sculptures known as The Spearman and The Bowman before entering Turn 11 onto East Jackson Boulevard around to Turn 12 and the finish line.
Temporary grandstands and pop-up luxury suites pepper the course—offering fans a variety of experiences over the two-day event. Along with Cup and Xfinity Series regulars, 2009 F1 champion Jenson Button is making his stock car return this weekend behind the wheel of the No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford.
“It’s pretty exciting to be here at the first-ever street race in Chicago,” Button said. “I flew in from L.A. I live in L.A. My wife’s from California, and we flew yesterday into Chicago. Humidity is the first thing that hits you when you just get off the plane, which we’ll definitely have to deal with this weekend. But, it’s so cool—racing within a city.
“There aren’t many racing drivers that get that opportunity. I’ve had the opportunity at Monaco and in Singapore, but not in a stock car. So, this is a new and exciting opportunity. For me, I think the racing is going to be out-of-this-world and exciting.”
The 43-year-old Brit made his Cup debut at Circuit of the Americas in March. He started 24th and finished 18th. While many of the participating competitors are not sure what to expect on Sunday, Button believes there will be plenty of options for passing on the course. Despite some naysayers, he feels there’s potential to put on a great show.
“We’re here to get the best out of whatever we race on, right? It shouldn’t be dictated by what we think is best for us in the car,” Button said. “We should deal with what is put in front of us. The 90-degree corners: It definitely gives us some opportunity to pass. Not every 90-degree corner is going to give you that opportunity. I think Turn 1, Turn 2, Turn 5 and the last corner are the main overtaking places.
“Other sections of the track are too narrow, like Turn 9 – that long left-hander. It’s quite a narrow section, but that has its own challenges: First of all, keeping our car out of the wall, but also trying to thread the needle to go through that section. It’s going to feel extremely quick.The speeds won’t be extremely high, but when the barriers are that close, it feels unbelievably fast. It feels like they are narrowing in on you throughout the race. So, it’s a challenging track.”
Cup champion and team owner Brad Keselowski applauds NASCAR for taking a chance on a new venue—the 177th track in the sport’s history.
“At some point you just have to go and do things,” Keselowski said. “You can talk about what is and isn’t going to work and talk yourself out of a lot of things going down that path. But it’s important to be fresh and new.
“I don’t know if this weekend is going to work. I hope it does. I’ve got a lot invested in it, personally, like a lot of others do. There are a couple of good indicators: really good sentiment and an excited town as we were pulling in. Of course, there will always be concerns.
“But I think it’s really important for the sport to try different things—to not be scared to fail. We will not grow at all as a sport if we’re overly scared of failing. That doesn’t mean that you want to fail. You don’t want to take reckless chances but this seems like a pretty calculated maneuver and a good piece of energy for our sport that’s always looking for something fresh to move it forward.”
Follow Lee Spencer on Twitter @CandiceSpencer or email her at: leespencer@catchfence.com.
