The Truth About the Chicago Street Course, Separating Fact From Fiction

I have seen a lot of misinformation or just flat out assumptions from both sides of the spectrum of the Chicago Street Course debate over the last few days. Being there in person and having the type of access I had. Let's get some of the biggest talking points I've seen on social media squared away. 

Credit: CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 02: Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #91 Enhance Health Chevrolet, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 220 at the Chicago Street Course on July 02, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) via Media.NASCAR

There was no passing.      False

During the very limited Xfinity Series The Loop 121 event, there were 50 Quality Passes made (for position held) with 156 Green Flag Passes made (one transponder passes another, such as battling for a position). During the Cup Series Grant Park 220, there were 303 Quality Passes made with 1,176 Green Flag Passes made on the track. Obviously, those numbers would have been higher had both events been able to go green for their full scheduled distances. Some drivers such as Xfinity Series driver Sage Karam Tweeted, "Interesting people say it looked impossible or hard to pass at Chicago. I found it way easier to pass there than say Sonoma." 

Chicago is too dangerous for a NASCAR race.      50/50

Broken Sidewalk in Chicago. Image: Tom Luttermoser, Seriously Fast Media

Yes and no. 30 people were murdered in Chicago this weekend, this is true. Now let's look at the immediate area around the track... Not one person murdered, no violent crimes reported by fans or spectators outside the fences and no non-violent crimes reported either. Now obviously, if it wasn't reported, we don't know about it.

​But I walked around alone in the city within 2 blocks West of the Westernmost part of the course (State & Dearborn Streets) to the street to the North of Grant Park (Randolph Street) and South to Roosevelt St. I walked around until about 11:15pm and the most danger I felt in the city was some of the crumbling sidewalks and twisting my ankle. Now yes, that's just me, but I talked to many people Sunday morning including a group of younger (25+ y/o) women alone who said they closed down a bar and felt the same as me.

---

This was just a marketing gimmick to get new fans.   True

This is very true and it worked (see the next topic). This event was never intended to appeal to every old school die-hard fan. This event was to bring the sport of NASCAR to one of the largest sport markets in the country and it's fans. Yes, this was all in attempts to attract new fans to the sport. I can promise you this, they knew we were there. 

NASCAR had a 70%+ number of first time fans.       True

Curious crowd gathered outside the fences on Michigan Ave. Image: Tom Luttermoser, Seriously Fast Media

I personally spoke with dozens of fans on the ground and can back this number (personally, not everyone obviously). So many people attending had never been to or even though about a race. Tons didn't know jack about the sport.

NASCAR didn't try to get the races in.    False 

I sat no further than 2ft from NASCAR Communications during the lightning hold on Saturday and the same place Sunday when Xfinity was called through just before the Cup race went green. We were all in as much of a shock that security was pushing people out Saturday afternoon as the fans were. But the City of Chicago apparently has a rule that if there is a lightning strike within 8 miles, events have to be evacuated. This is very different than NASCAR's 30-minute, go sit under the grandstands rule. NASCAR had no say over this. None. With repeated strikes, it made restarting the race impossible until morning (or so we thought). 

The morning of the Xfinity race, there was another lightning hold and the Gates didn't even open up until 10:15 AM. But the heavy and constant rain and threat of more lightning pushed the restart of the Loop 121 further and further back until it just made more sense to end the event 2.7 laps shy of the exact halfway point. They made this decision to focus on getting the Cup cars on track with enough time to finish the race based on the forecasts with real time updates. 

The Cup Race was pushed back due to MASSIVE amounts of standing water. I can testify to this as I walked through a good 3+ inches of water on pit road (I'm sure you've seen some pics or videos by now). That wasn't the only place the standing water sat on the track and the wet weather tires are not going to help with that much water pooling on the track. 

By around lap 50, NASCAR knew that there was no way they would get all 100 laps of the event in before dark and since both halfway and Stage 2 had passed, they made the hard decision to end on Lap 75. With NASCAR overtime, the cars ran until it got too dark to run as it was, meaning, the race likely would have been forced to end within a matter of laps from where it did anyway.

Why not run Monday? Well, logistics. NASCAR needed to have at least a majority of Michigan ave and Lake Shore Drive open by Monday afternoon. The city did give NASCAR the option to run Monday, but it was by far the better decision to have the race as close to finished as possible while the fans and local, national and international media were in attendance. 

Social media was slow.     False

As far as start times and weather updates, we had everything shared with you, the fans, as soon as word came to us. NASCAR's SM did the EXACT same thing. Decisions were made and shared, we all apologize that it may not have seemed fast enough. 

The $270+ GA tickets had horrible views...    In some places, True. In some places, False

Even the late announcement of the the single day ticket was $200 for General Admission for Sunday. Yes, the tickets were supposed to include 4 full concerts plus the racing events. But the weather caused the concerts to be cancelled outside of the Black Crowes Saturday pre-race. Down below are just a few examples of what you could see with a G.A. ticket based on what I saw at the event. Some places were fantastic, some places you had to climb on Grant Parks structures and walls to get a view... Some places there was nothing to climb. 

This event was a failure.         False

NASCAR expected roughly 50,000 spectators each day. And, well they got them. Reserved seating was packed and the General Admission crowd was massive even on Sunday despite the horrific weather conditions. There were a massive number exceeding 70% of first time fans in attendance which was NASCAR's ultimate goal, to get new fans in the stands. it was never expected to reach Daytona 500 or Coke 600 numbers of attendance so naysayers, you cannot use that as a judge. The city loved it, the atmosphere was incredible beyond words. I 100% expect to return in 2024.... And you will see me there.

By: Tom Luttermoser