Motorsports

Joey Logano Coca-Cola 600 Media Availability – Speedway Digest

Joey Logano, driver of the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Team Penske, stopped by the Charlotte Motor Speedway infield media center before qualifying to talk about this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600. JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse – YOU HAD AN EVENT ON TUESDAY WITH JORDAN DAVIS IN CONCERT. HOW DID […]

Published

4 weeks ago

May 24, 2025

Your Sports Nation

JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse – YOU HAD AN EVENT ON TUESDAY WITH JORDAN DAVIS IN CONCERT. HOW DID THAT GO? “It was incredible. It was our third annual concert for charity. We had Jordan Davis down there, who is an incredible artist. An awesome guy, by the way. A very normal person. You meet celebrities sometimes and you wonder what they’re gonna be like and he is really normal. So, it was great to have that. We packed the house down there with close to 2400 people showing up. I’m proud of the effort from the team to be able to put on an event like that. It’s a lot of work to put on that type of stuff, but obviously it’s worth it. We were able to raise a lot of money to help foster care in the North Carolina region and it was good. You have two missions when you go there. One, is to obviously raise money for foster care, but the other is to hopefully inspire people to make that leap of faith. If they’re on the fence thinking about should we become foster parents or not, hopefully you can push them over the edge a little bit to take that next step. Those were the goals and hopefully we achieved two of them. It was great timing. Everyone knows this week is so busy with so many different events. Every night it seems like there’s an event to go to and something to do. Our community does a cool job of making the Charlotte race weeks like Speedweek in a way. There’s always something to do every night and obviously with the Truck race last night and what we see tonight with the Xfinity cars as well.”

HOW DO YOU PROCESS WHAT HAPPENED WITH YOUR INDY CAR TEAMMATES THIS PAST WEEK AND WHAT THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH? IS THERE A CONCERN OF ANY TYPE OF RESIDUAL IMPACT WITH THE CHANGES HAVING AN EFFECT ON THE NASCAR SIDE OF TEAM PENSKE? “We’re all one team. That’s the way I’ve always viewed it. That’s why we love to support what the Indy Car guys are doing every week and vice versa. We’re in the same building, so there are some shared pieces there. When we go to whatever manufacturing, engineering, those type of things, there are some shared people there. When we see something like that, yeah, does it impact us? Obviously, it’s going to. I think Roger’s comments during the sitdown with Jamie (Little) was everything we needed to hear. Roger came down to visit all of us. He visited drivers and crew chiefs, but then visited the whole team in a Roger type was as you would expect. At this point, it’s unfortunate, but we’ve got to move forward. It’s something that happened and we’ve got to stay out the windshield as Roger always says.”

HOW DOES THIS TRACK COMPARE TO OTHERS AND WHAT MAKES IT GREAT FOR DRIVERS? “It’s become a great racetrack again. It was great and there was a moment in time where everyone was kind of ‘eh’ about it, and that’s really why the Roval started. Now, it’s kind of like, ‘I don’t know if we need the Roval.’ The oval is fantastic. The racing that we see on this racetrack has been great. You look at the start of the Truck race last night, I was up in the booth, and it was like, ‘These guys are racing the heck out of each other,’ and it was really fun to watch. They’re not wrecking each other. It’s not like cautions every five laps like some tracks. It was a really fun race to watch. I expect the same here today with the Xfinity cars and the Cup cars have put on a good race here the last few years as well. It’s challenging. You brought up the surface. It’s definitely on a landfill. It’s bumpy out there. Three and four, it’s rough. It shakes the heck out of you and you do that for 600 miles you don’t feel too good afterwards, so it’s definitely a physical racetrack at this point.”

WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT THE ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR A DRIVER WHO WINS THIS RACE? “You want to win every race. All the wins, especially at the Cup level, all of them mean a lot because it’s hard to do. Everyone is so good and our season, if you can have a five-win season, that’s a pretty good season so you lose a lot. You don’t really care where you get your wins. Obviously, when you think of the Coca-Cola 600, maybe there’s a little extra there. It’s kind of like you look at this as one of the top three biggest races of the year that we have, just from a prestige and historic standpoint. This is a really special one to win. I’d like to be that guy. We’ve been close before, but haven’t quite gotten the old Coca-Cola fridge that they hand out to the winners. I get a picture sent to me before every race here because as a Coca-Cola driver they send me a picture of it and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I know. I got it. I want to go get it. I understand. Message delivered.’”

IN WHAT WAYS IS THE COCA-COLA 600 STILL A TEST OF MAN AND MACHINE? “A lot of ways. It’s just long, but the track itself has become more challenging, which makes it even more physical for the driver and also the car. Getting shook around things come loose, things happen, things can break. There are a lot of pit stops, lots of them. There are a lot of opportunities for mistakes throughout the event, so it’s just trying to keep your head in the game and keep grinding it out throughout the whole event. You can get knocked down and you have time to get back up and get all the way back through. In today’s day and age, that’s really hard to do at most races because the cars are all so similar and speeds are so similar it’s hard to make your way back through the field, but here there are opportunities to pass, opportunities to recover and when you have a track that is this challenging, where cars are running the very, very top at the wall, the bumps create a lot of opportunities for people to have these big moments and get loose or spin out, wreck. The teams that can just keep going, just keep grinding it out and keep going, you can eventually find yourself back to the front.”

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF YOUR TEAM AS YOU MOVE FORWARD? “I think we’re in a pretty good spot right now. I thought at the beginning of the season our speed was pretty good, but our execution wasn’t there. Now I feel like our execution has become better and our speed is still there. The last few weeks it seemed like we were able to put everything together. Since Talladega on, we’ve been top 10, top 5 car and putting ourselves in position to win multiple times, whether that’s obviously Texas, Kansas, we got ourselves to the front. We needed more speed there, but Wilkesboro last week, obviously the car was really fast there, so I feel like we’ve cleaned up a lot of execution issues that we’ve had, and now I feel like we’re back to where we typically see the 22.”

WHEN YOU GO TO MICHIGAN AND WHAT THAT PLACE MEANS FOR YOUR TEAM AND FORD, HOW MUCH OF AN EMPHASIS IS PUT ON THAT RACE? “No more emphasis than any other race. We try to win them all. It’s not like we say, ‘Ah, this one doesn’t matter. We’ll just coast this one through.’ That’s not who we are. We don’t do that because every race matters, especially with the playoff format we have. Every win, every playoff point that you can get can be the difference at the end of the day, so we don’t really put more into any of them. I will say though that the manufacturers take pride in that trophy that they hand out there to the winning manufacturer, so it’s always a topic of discussion. We go up there early more times than not and go visit Ford headquarters and it’s a topic that comes up. They want that trophy in their main lobby, so when people walk in they can walk by it.”

WE HAVE THREE INTERMEDIATE TRACKS IN THE NEXT THREE WEEKS, IS IT AN IMPORTANT STRETCH FOR TEAMS TO HONE IN ON WHAT YOU HAVE FOR THE POSTSEASON, OR DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE AND THERE’S NOTHING LEFT TO LEARN? “There’s always something to learn. You never get it figured out. Everyone over time with this Next Gen car has honed in on specific things that they know are needle movers with their car setup and fine-tuning it, but you can see how the field is getting closer and closer and closer. We’ve had the same rule package for awhile and the teams have had this Next Gen car for awhile and team members have gone from team to team to team bringing their notebooks, so everyone eventually ends up running something fairly similar and I think we’re kind of at that point. With that said, are there still things to learn? Yes. Are we still trying to find the next little bit? We’re always going to be doing that, but we’re definitely on the fine point stuff, the very small little needle that is a little better. You’ve got to stack up 20 of those to really matter at this point, but it’s not like you get to go test much and go learn any other way, so once you get past this stretch of races, the next time you go to a mile-and-a-half you’re gonna be looking back at Kansas, Charlotte, Michigan – Nashville is kind of it’s unique area of what that really falls into – but you’re gonna be looking at those tracks saying, ‘OK, where do we need to build our setup off of?’”

LOOKING TO MEXICO CITY. WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO EXPERIENCE WITH THAT RACE? “I hope the fans enjoy it. I hope it’s a good turnout. I think there’s no doubt that a lot of times when you step outside of your comfort zone it’s uncomfortable. There’s risk involved, but there’s also high reward for our sport by doing this. Stepping out of what we typically do here in America and going international, it’s kind of a scary thing to do. Let’s be honest. I think everyone in here probably has some concerns of how are we gonna get there? Where are we gonna go? What do we do? I don’t know how to speak Spanish. I don’t know about you guys. I’ll only hang out with Suarez as much as I can (laughing). I don’t know where to go, so I think there’s just the unknown factor is at its all-time high when we go there. I hope it’s all worth it because it definitely is a lot of work. I was at the NASCAR building the other day and they had meetings with the truck drivers and going over logistics on how they’re gonna get everything there. They don’t do that for any other race. This is a very specific thing. I think it could be great. I think NASCAR is doing a good job so far from what I can tell and is covering their bases on making sure that there’s no surprises when we get down there. We’ve got to have our faith in them that they’re doing their job and it all ends up going well. I’m sure it will. I think everyone has been down there enough and talked about things enough that it will go well. Hopefully, the fans enjoy NASCAR racing. That’s what I hope.”

HOW HAVE YOU AS A DRIVER ADAPTED TO THE FORMAT OF THIS RACE AS IT HAS CHANGED TO STAGES? IS IT EASIER NOW WITH THOSE BUILT-IN BREAKS? “I still look at this race and I say, ‘Geez, if you can have a fast car in Charlotte for the Coke 600, there are more points available than any other race you go to.’ So, a fast car pays a bigger dividend throughout an event than anywhere else you go, so if you get that special car, that one that is just lights-out, you can really stack them in. If you have a bad day, you double down on that too. You hope that you’ve got a good car from that standpoint. There are obviously added cautions in comparison to what there used to be. That represents an opportunity for strategy when it comes to you, depending on where the caution ends up – if it’s a few laps before the end of a stage, one of those type of things, or just playing the stage cautions however you flip those or whatever you do. It presents an opportunity to stay more on the lead lap because there are more cautions. Typically, a race this long you’d probably have less cars on the lead lap, where the stages present the opportunity to wave are get more lucky dogs, those type of things. The recovery factor is a little bit higher than it used to be.”

Ford Performance PR

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Motorsports

1,000HP McLaren P1 GTR-X MADMAC Drift Car Coming To Monterey Motorsports Festival

Monterey Car Week is hosting a truly insane drift build. Anticipated across the globe by the world’s community of car enthusiasts and collectors, Monterey Car Week brings some of the world’s rarest, most prestigious, coveted, expensive, and exclusive vehicles to the stunningly idyllic destination of Monterey Bay, California for the event of a lifetime. However, […]

Published

8 minutes ago

June 20, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Monterey Car Week is hosting a truly insane drift build.

Anticipated across the globe by the world’s community of car enthusiasts and collectors, Monterey Car Week brings some of the world’s rarest, most prestigious, coveted, expensive, and exclusive vehicles to the stunningly idyllic destination of Monterey Bay, California for the event of a lifetime. However, this year’s Monterey Car Week is set to be even more special, as the Monterey Motorsports Festival is going to bring a spectacle to the week’s festivities that is a far cry from the prestigious concours and displays of pristine classics and ultra-rare exotics.

That spectacle will be a display from Mad Mike Whiddett, a professional drifter, car builder, and Red Bull athlete, and specifically the MADMAC, a ludicrous drift car created from a McLaren P1 GTR, one of the world’s most exclusive and legendary racing hypercars. With incredible power and dedicated drifting ability, the supercar is turned into one of the most intriguing veritable drifting machines.

The custom drift car features a 1,000-horsepower turbo rotary engine, which will be fired up as part of a showcase of the car’s incredible theatrics at the upcoming Monterey Motorsports Festival. With much of Monterey Car Week featuring displays of some of the world’s most carefully maintained and restored classics and prestigious exotic cars, the dynamic showcase of a roatary-powered, 1,000-horsepower drift car made from one of McLaren’s most exclusive hypercars brings a new facet to the event that is incredibly exciting.

Image Source: Monterey Motorsports Festival

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Motorsports

Aitken puts Cadillac ahead in first Watkins Glen practice

Cadillac Whelen led the opening Free Practice session for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen with the two Acura Meyer Shank Racing cars in second and third. Jack Aitken set the fastest time in the red No. 31 Cadillac V-Series.R; coming off a disappointing final result at the Le Mans 24 Hours, Aitken set […]

Published

26 minutes ago

June 20, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Cadillac Whelen led the opening Free Practice session for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen with the two Acura Meyer Shank Racing cars in second and third.

Jack Aitken set the fastest time in the red No. 31 Cadillac V-Series.R; coming off a disappointing final result at the Le Mans 24 Hours, Aitken set a 1m34.584s to go within four-tenths of the GTP lap record.

Nick Yelloly in the No. 93 Acura ARX-06 set a 1m34.966s to go second fastest, only a few milliseconds quicker than Tom Blomqvist in the blue No. 60 Acura.

GTP championship leader Nick Tandy set the fourth-best time in the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963, ahead of Louis Deletraz in the No. 40 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac.

The fastest of the two BMW M Hybrid V8s was the No. 25 Team RLL car of Marco Wittmann, who was within a second of the top. Meanwhile, the No. 23 Aston Martin THOR Team Valkyrie was 10th ahead of the returning No. 63 Lamborghini Squadra Corse SC63 in 11th.

As LMP2 cars returned to IMSA action, early championship co-leader Felipe Fraga set the quickest time in the No. 74 ORECA 07-Gibson, at 1m35.798s. But with 30 minutes left, the orange and blue No. 74 Riley machine stopped along the back stretch, bringing out a very brief red flag, the first of two stoppage in the 90-minute practice session.

The second was brought out after John Farano spun and stalled coming out of Turn 9 in the No. 8 Tower Motorsports ORECA. Otherwise the session was littered with procedural penalties – several drive-throughs were handed out for track limits violations, pit lane infringements, and powertrain parameter compliance.

The No. 22 United Autosports USA ORECA went second fastest in LMP2, ahead of the No. 99 AO Racing Spike car with its new gold-plated tail, and the No. 8 Tower Motorsports car.

Andrea Caldarelli and Pfaff Motorsports recorded the fastest time in GTD PRO, as the plaid No. 9 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 set a 1m45.912s to top the session.

Ben Barnicoat spent no time getting back up to speed in his first competitive session since returning from a mountain biking accident in March: He was second fastest in GTD PRO, back aboard the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3. Then it was Laurin Heinrich in third driving the No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R, and his former teammate Sebastian Priaulx in the No. 64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Mustang GT3, in fourth.

However, the best time across both GT classes was set in GTD, by Scott Andrews in the No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3. The Australian turned in a 1m45.867s to go quicker than Caldarelli’s best GTD PRO time.

The No. 36 DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R was second quickest in GTD, then, it was the returning No. 44 Magnus Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3, third quickest with its humorous new “Virtual Energy” sponsorship. In fourth was the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus.

One car that didn’t set a representative time was the No. 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports car. It only posted three installation laps, then underwent a gearbox change as a precaution after the team diagnosed a faulty sensor and saw unpleasant fluid temperature and pressure readings.

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship cars return to the track tomorrow for Practice 2 starting at 9:00am ET, followed by qualifying, which starts at 2:20pm ET.

RESULTS

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Motorsports

Brad Pitt drives F1 car for the first time at private McLaren test in Austin

Brad Pitt may play a Formula 1 driver in his upcoming summer blockbuster, but he’s never gotten behind the wheel of a real F1 car – until now. McLaren held a private test at the Circuit of the Americas earlier this week, allowing the A-lister to take one of its previous cars for a drive, […]

Published

47 minutes ago

June 20, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The reigning constructors’ champions hinted at the test on social media, sharing an image of driver overalls carrying Pitt’s initials, with the caption, “It’s a Sonny day in Austin.”

The Hollywood heavyweight, who stars as fictional ex-racer Sonny Hayes in the F1 movie, travelled to Texas after the film’s glitzy New York City premiere on Monday night.

McLaren racer Lando Norris also flew to the United States Grand Prix venue after the star-studded event in the Big Apple, while Oscar Piastri skipped the movie premiere altogether and headed straight to the Lone Star State for the TPC test. Pitt is believed to have taken to the track in the McLaren MCL60, the team’s 2023 car, after Norris showed him the ropes.

It’s curious that his first F1 outing took place with McLaren rather than Mercedes, as the Silver Arrows was the F1 team most heavily involved in the film’s production. In the film, Pitt and his co-star, Damson Idris, drive F2 cars that were modified by the German team.

Lando Norris, McLaren MCL60

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images

Mercedes was heavily involved in all aspects of the movie – by way of co-producer Lewis Hamilton – with multiple staff members earning off-screen credits, and Toto Wolff making an on-screen appearance.
The fictional APX GP car even carries a swath of Mercedes’ real-life sponsors, including IWC and Tommy Hilfiger (though the clothing brand has since been replaced by Adidas as a Mercedes sponsor).

Of course, Hamilton headed to Ferrari in the midst of the movie’s production, but it’s clear Pitt has still maintained a strong relationship with the likes of Wolff and George Russell.

Back in 2023, before cameras had even started rolling at the British Grand Prix, the Mercedes team principal revealed he had been involved “early on” and even sent Pitt to driving school in France to work his way up from Formula 4 machinery.

“We also tried to be helpful with the garages and the pit wall, all of it, and give them the designs so they could be as realistic as possible,” he said of the team’s involvement in helping get APX GP get race-ready.

“I spoke to the director [Joe Kosinski] a few weeks ago and said, ‘Where are you?’ expecting him to tell me he’s in Hollywood – but he said ‘I’m in my apartment in Brackley,’ so it’s not all great being a movie director,” Wolff joked.

‘F1’ will arrive in cinemas in the United States on June 27.

Motorsports

23XI and Front Row Motorsports Officially Ask Appeals Panel to Reconsider Charter Decision

What’s Happening? 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports’ legal team has requested that a federal appeals panel revisit a Jun. 5 ruling that will strip the two teams’ six NASCAR Cup Series cars of charter status. As expected, 23XI/Front Row have asked for appeals panel to reconsider or all of the judges of US Court […]

Published

1 hour ago

June 20, 2025

Your Sports Nation

What’s Happening?

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports’ legal team has requested that a federal appeals panel revisit a Jun. 5 ruling that will strip the two teams’ six NASCAR Cup Series cars of charter status.

As expected, 23XI/Front Row have asked for appeals panel to reconsider or all of the judges of US Court of Appeals 4th Circuit to hear injunction appeal. This will delay them losing the charters until seven days after the decision not to hear it again or a rehearing/decision. pic.twitter.com/ICrR9sjPis

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) June 20, 2025

On Jun. 5, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled on a May 9 appeal hearing to overturn a Dec. 18 judgment that awarded 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, the two teams suing NASCAR, charter status for the duration of their ongoing lawsuit.
This ruling meant that the teams would lose the three charters (six between the two teams) that they each own; as a result, the two would lose out on automatic qualification for NASCAR Cup Series points races and valuable revenue sharing for each chartered entry, among other grim implications. Following this ruling, the teams had 14 days to petition for a rehearing, something that they have now done.
In a statement, the two teams’ lawyer, Jeffery Kessler, said, “If upheld, the ruling would set a dangerous precedent, allowing monopolists to shield themselves from legal challenges simply by requiring release language as a condition of doing business with the monopoly.”
There is now a stay of mandate on the Jun. 5 ruling, meaning that the teams will maintain charter status for now and should the court decide not to rehear the appeal, seven days after that decision. If the court goes forward with the rehearing, the hearing will be in front of a full panel rather than the three-judge panel from May 9.
We have covered all angles of this lawsuit extensively via the timeline linked below.

What’s Happening?

The 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports lawsuit will continue for some time. However, many developments will occur along…

What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

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Motorsports

Hyak Motorsports fires NASCAR Cup spotter Tab Boyd

Hyak Motorsports has parted ways with spotter Tab Boyd, who worked with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and the No. 47 Chevrolet. Weekend rosters show that Clayton Hughes will be atop the spotter’s stand for Pocono, replacing Boyd. Stenhouse confirmed the news on Friday morning in a SiriusXM NASCAR interview, saying: “That’s an unfortunate deal. The team […]

Published

1 hour ago

June 20, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Stenhouse confirmed the news on Friday morning in a SiriusXM NASCAR interview, saying: “That’s an unfortunate deal. The team let Tab Boyd go this week, and we got Clayton Hughes to come fill in. I’ve never worked with Clayton.”

No reason was given for the firing of Boyd and while Motorsport.com reached out to the team for clarification, we have not yet heard back from team representatives.

Mexico controversy

However, Boyd has been in the news this week for sharing a post on X (formerly Twitter) where he expressed his displeasure with Mexico during NASCAR’s recent visit – the first points-paying Cup race outside of the United States since 1958.

Boyd has since deleted his account after pushback online, but the original post read as follows: “I’m ready to go home, screw this place, people can talk it up all they want. Can’t even walk out the front door of the hotel without getting hustled and money snatched in less than five minutes. Good area my ass.”

Boyd was apparently the victim of scammers and while he will not be working the Cup race this weekend, he is still listed as the spotter for Ryan Ellis and the No. 71 DGM Racing Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, as well as for Luke Baldwin and the No. 66 ThorSport Ford in the NASCAR Truck Series.

Boyd is a veteran spotter with years of experience, previously working with Hendrick Motorsports and William Byron on the No. 24 Chevrolet. He joined Stenhouse and the No. 47 team three years ago in 2022 and together, the duo won the 2023 Daytona 500.

This situation follows Spire Motorsports’ decision to fine their own driver, Carson Hocevar. On Tuesday, the team announced that Hocevar was fined $50,000 following an internal investigation into comments he made on a Twitch live-stream, calling Mexico a “s***hole.” The money will go to various Mexican charities and Hocevar will have to undergo mandatory cultural-sensitivity and bias-awareness training.

Motorsports

Levy Takes Over NASCAR Street Race Food And Drink As Street Closures Begin

DOWNTOWN — As NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race approaches, a new hospitality group has taken over food operations and rolling street closures have begun Downtown. Levy, a Chicago-based hospitality company, has been named the official food and beverage partner for July’s NASCAR Street Race, the racing organization announced this week. The race is July 5-6 in […]

Published

1 hour ago

June 20, 2025

Your Sports Nation

DOWNTOWN — As NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race approaches, a new hospitality group has taken over food operations and rolling street closures have begun Downtown.

Levy, a Chicago-based hospitality company, has been named the official food and beverage partner for July’s NASCAR Street Race, the racing organization announced this week. The race is July 5-6 in Grant Park.

Levy, which operates at venues such as Soldier Field and Wrigley Field, replaces Lettuce Entertain You, which handled operations the past two years.

Levy will bring two of its restaurants — Jake Melnick’s Corner Tap and River Roast — to race weekend concessions, along with locally owned restaurants including Mr. Beef, Bronzeville Winery, Lexington Betty Smokehouse, Robinson’s No. 1 Ribs and Josephine’s Southern Cooking. More restaurants will be announced closer to the race, according to a news release.

“As a Chicago-lifer, I’m definitely biased, but I truly believe there is no city with more energy than Chicago during the summer,” Levy CEO Andy Lansing said in a statement. “The NASCAR Chicago Street Race highlights our city and the sport in a totally unique way, and it’s been incredible to see fans rally behind it. We’re so excited to help elevate an already wonderful event with a new level of food, beverage and hometown hospitality.”

The River North restaurant Mr. Beef, which originally inspired the show written by Chris Storer, a childhood friend of Christopher Zucchero (who now owns Mr. Beef). Credit: Alex Wroblewski

Some street closures around Grant Park started earlier this week, including Balbo Drive from Columbus Drive to DuSable Lake Shore Drive. “No parking” restrictions are now in place along northbound and southbound Columbus Drive between Jackson and Balbo drives.

NASCAR has a three-year contract with the city that is set to expire after this year. The agreement allows for a two-year extension, though NASCAR and city officials have not said whether it will be renewed.

The race slashed ticket prices for its third year, with single-day general admission passes starting at $99 — down from $150 last year — and free general admission tickets for kids 12 and younger Saturday and Sunday with a ticket-holding adult.

The cost for a two-day general admission ticket is $150. Reserved seating starts at $200, with Frontstretch Premium Reserved seats priced at $350.

Crews work on Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47)’s car during the Grant Park 165 race of the NASCAR Chicago Street Race series in Grant Park on July 7, 2024. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

Last year, NASCAR generated $128 million in total economic impact for the city, a 17 percent increase from 2023, according to a Temple University study commissioned by the city’s tourism bureau, Choose Chicago.

But total attendance at the 2024 race was down from the inaugural year, when heavy rain forced delays and the cancellation of some races.

Here’s the schedule of rolling street closures through race weekend:

Pre-Race Activity In Grant Park

Friday: Beginning 12:01 a.m.: Curb lane closure on northbound and southbound Columbus Drive between Jackson Drive and Balbo Drive.
Monday: Beginning 12:01 a.m.: Full closure on Ida B. Wells Drive from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive. Westbound lanes between Congress Plaza Drive and Michigan Avenue will remain open; eastbound lanes will be closed.
Monday: 10 p.m. Monday-6 a.m. Tuesday: Temporary closure of northbound Michigan Avenue between Congress Plaza Drive and Jackson Drive.
Wednesday: 10 p.m. Wednesday-5 a.m. Thursday: Temporary closure of northbound Columbus Drive between Balbo Drive and Jackson Drive.

Street Closures

Thursday: Beginning 10 p.m.: Closure of Jackson Drive between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive.
June 27: Beginning 12:01 a.m.: Closure of Balbo Drive from Columbus Drive to Michigan Avenue.
June 28: Beginning 10 p.m.: Closure of Congress Plaza Drive.
June 30: Beginning 12:01 a.m.: Closure of Columbus Drive from Jackson Drive to Roosevelt Road.
July 2: Beginning 10 p.m.: Closure of westbound and eastbound Roosevelt Road from Michigan Avenue to DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
July 3: Beginning 12:01 a.m.: Closure of southbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive between Randolph Street and McFetridge Road.
July 3: Beginning 10 p.m.: Closure of northbound and southbound Michigan Avenue from Roosevelt Road to Jackson Drive, and northbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive between Randolph Street and McFetridge Road.

Race Weekend Street Closures – July 5-6

Southbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive from Randolph Street to McFetridge Drive
Northbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive from McFetridge Drive to Randolph Street
Northbound Michigan Avenue from Roosevelt Road to Monroe Street
Southbound Michigan Avenue from south of Monroe Street to Eighth Street
Monroe Street from Michigan Avenue to DuSable Lake Shore Drive
Columbus Drive from Roosevelt Road to Monroe Street
Roosevelt Road from DuSable Lake Shore Drive to Michigan Avenue
Jackson Drive from Michigan Avenue to DuSable Lake Shore Drive
Balbo Drive from Michigan Avenue to DuSable Lake Shore Drive
Ida B. Wells Drive from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive
Congress Plaza Drive from Harrison Street to Van Buren Street
Northbound Indiana Avenue from Roosevelt Road to 13th Street
Post Place: Entrance and exit of Lower Wacker Drive
Garvey Court: Entrance and exit of Lower Wacker Drive

Reopening — July 6-14

Select streets will begin reopening following the conclusion of the event July 6. Priority streets to reopen are DuSable Lake Shore Drive and Michigan Avenue.

Northbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive will begin reopening 6 a.m. July 7.
All NASCAR-related demobilization is expected to conclude by the end of the day July 14.