Fans descend on Grant Park for third NASCAR Chicago Street Race
Grant Park buzzed with energy Saturday morning as tens of thousands of attendees descended on the park grounds for the third NASCAR Chicago Street Race amid rising temperatures and a blazing sun. The third and final race weekend of NASCAR’s three-year deal with the city brought fans from throughout the country, with first-time race attendees […]
Grant Park buzzed with energy Saturday morning as tens of thousands of attendees descended on the park grounds for the third NASCAR Chicago Street Race amid rising temperatures and a blazing sun.
The third and final race weekend of NASCAR’s three-year deal with the city brought fans from throughout the country, with first-time race attendees and seasoned fans flooding through the gates. The city and NASCAR could extend the contract for two more years of races if both parties agree to do so, but the race in Chicago faces a murky future.
When asked if the event would return in 2026, Chicago Street Race President Julie Giese said, “We’ll have those conversations after the race, but right now our focus is on this weekend.”
Katie Wylie, 35, visited her hometown of Chicago this weekend to give her twin sons, 7-year-olds Jack and Ben Wylie, their first in-person NASCAR experience. Her partner, Ben Trueblood, joined them for the trip from Nashville, where the family now lives.
Katie Wylie walks with her twins, Jack Wylie (left) and Ben Wylie, at Butler Field before the NASCAR Chicago Street Race on Saturday.
“They’re big race fans, so we’re excited for them to experience their first in-person race,” Katie Wylie said, adding that she was most excited for the opportunity to be in the city and experience the energy of race weekend.
The family made the most of their visit, catching the Cardinals-Cubs game at Wrigley Field on Friday and planning to wrap up their Saturday night with fireworks at Navy Pier before heading home Sunday.
As for the NASCAR festivities, Wylie said she was impressed with the atmosphere. “It’s really great. I honestly didn’t know what to expect,” she said. “They did a great job with curating the environment of the grounds and this village here.”
Aaron Moy and sister Amy Moy wear NASCAR-themed accessories and outfits at Grant Park on Saturday.
Aaron Moy, 54, originally from Chicago, traveled from his new home in Minnesota to attend this weekend’s NASCAR Street Race. A longtime fan, Moy said he has previously attended NASCAR races in Joliet from 2006 until 2015, when his favorite driver, Jeff Gordon, retired.
Since the Chicago street races began, Moy made it a point to attend. This year, he’s attending both days of racing and hopes to catch a glimpse of some of his favorite drivers. “We’re trying to see our favorite drivers: Jeff Gordon, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott,” he said. “Secondly, we want to see our drivers win the race.”
Like many fans, Moy is keeping a close eye on the weather forecast after rain put a damper on the event the last two years. “The last two races were rain-impacted. And the forecast isn’t great tomorrow,” he said of Sunday’s races.
Sunday’s high is expected to be in the low- to mid-80s with chances of storms, according to the National Weather Service.
When asked what he did during last year’s weather delays, Moy explained that although it’s tempting to seek shelter at a nearby business, he’s previously chosen to stay near the track area.
“You never know when they’ll say, ‘OK, drivers to your cars’ and then we gotta rush back in,” Moy said.
Moy came prepared for another round of possible showers this year. He said he packed a poncho to wear because umbrellas are not permitted on the race grounds, and he was also sporting what he called an “Anti-Rain Vortex” hat in hopes of keeping the rain away.
NASCAR fan Aaron Moy wears an “Anti-Rain Vortex” hat that he hopes will keep the rain away during the NASCAR race at Grant Park.
For some attendees, it’s hard to ignore a street race in their backyard.
Loop residents were among the tens of thousands venturing to Grant Park on Saturday.
“It’s right down the street from me,” said 73-year-old Clarissa Hinton, who lives in a condo less than 10 minutes away.
It’s probably safe to assume Hinton would have traveled farther; the 10-year NASCAR fan was decked out in a black checkered racing suit accentuated with a necklace made of toy race cars and a purse to match.
Besides rooting for Shane van Gisbergen, the winner of the inaugural Chicago race two years ago, Hinton was enjoying the atmosphere of the two-day event, which also features local food vendors, a kids’ zone and live entertainment.
“It’s a lot of fun!” she said.
Clarissa Hinton wears a checkered flag outfit and carries a bag decorated with toy cars during NASCAR events Saturday in Grant Park. She’s been a fan of NASCAR for 10 years and is rooting for Shane van Gisbergen.
Sam Eddy, 24, of Mundelein, has been a NASCAR fan for years, attending races in Joliet and Phoenix and spending childhood summers at Illinois’ now-closed Rockford Speedway. This weekend marks his family’s first time at the NASCAR Chicago Street Race.
Eddy attended Saturday’s event with relatives including his mother, Angela Eddy, 55, who noted the family’s longstanding ties to the sport. “We’re a NASCAR family. My uncle was a famous NASCAR driver back in the day: ‘Tiger’ Tom Pistone,” she said. “He was a very famous racecar driver when they used to race at Soldier Field in the ’50s.”
Both mother and son said they were excited to finally experience the Chicago street race for the first time after missing the last two years.
The Eddys said they planned to attend both days of the event, with VIP passes in hand, while also keeping an eye on Sunday’s forecast. “We’re going to see how it plays out,” Angela Eddy said.
Cooper Lawrence, 26, of the Loop is a NASCAR newcomer who wanted to see what the event had to offer.
“It’s pretty nice,” he said. “I’ve got a good viewing area over here. Everything’s pretty reasonably priced. It’s not like other sporting events.”
He said it was worth the nearly 90-degree heat, especially for the opportunity to see a street race format, rather than cars running on “a boring oval.”
He planned to stick around for the Zac Brown Band show Saturday evening, but Lawrence said he primarily came for the street race, but said the Zac Brown show was a “bonus.” Lawrence said he’d welcome another year of NASCAR in Chicago.
“I’d be back,” he said.
Also in attendance Saturday was Ray McElroy, 52, a West Chicago resident and former NFL player for the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions and Indianapolis Colts. The event was McElroy’s first NASCAR race, which he said came about as part of an effort to bring more young people of color into the sport.
McElroy was there on behalf of his nonprofit, A Ray of Hope on Earth, which works to provide youth mentoring opportunities. “We got introduced to an official with NASCAR that’s looking to expand NASCAR’s diversity with young people of color,” McElroy said. “And since we have a nonprofit that we work with a lot of young people, we wanted to expose some of our young men to this opportunity.
“We’re really excited about an opportunity to expose some of our young men to the opportunities that NASCAR has to provide,” he added.
Beyond the community work, McElroy said he was looking forward to the thrill of the live racing experience. “To see how fast these friggin’ things roll down Lake Shore Drive. It’s got to be incredible,” he said. “You see it on television, but it’s totally different than seeing it live.”
McElroy said he and his organization also had special access to certain areas “Just to kind of see the guys put the cars together and all of the ins and outs of racing, behind the scenes, is also very exciting,” he said.
Other attendees traveled well over an hour from Illinois’ suburbs.
For the last three years, 61-year-old McHenry resident Georgene Sergeant has made it her mission to bring others along with her to experience the “excitement, speed, loudness and fun” of the event.
This time, she recruited Amber Rausch, a friend she met at a St. Patrick’s Day event.
“I think it draws in people that might not be NASCAR fans and then they become fans,” said Sergeant, who works for Sunoco, which is NASCAR’s official fuel.
“We just don’t have NASCAR up here. So, I think it’s an experience for people who don’t normally have that option.”
Sergeant said she was most looking forward to the Zac Brown Band concert and wished event organizers hadn’t pared down the number of musical acts this year. “I’m disappointed,” she said.
Still, her new pal, Rausch, was content to take in the general atmosphere.“Everybody’s fun and friendly and ready to party,” said Rausch, 36, of Woodstock, after snapping a selfie in front of Buckingham Fountain. “It’s just a happy day.”
Watch: Unexpected Pit Crew Fight Breaks Out During NASCAR Cup Race at Sonoma
An unexpected fight broke out between the pit crews of RFK Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing at the end of Stage 2 of the NASCAR Cup Series race at Sonoma after Ty Gibbs and Brad Keselowski pitted. The unexpected clash was caught on camera, which helped NASCAR look into the incident. The pit stalls of […]
An unexpected fight broke out between the pit crews of RFK Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing at the end of Stage 2 of the NASCAR Cup Series race at Sonoma after Ty Gibbs and Brad Keselowski pitted.
The unexpected clash was caught on camera, which helped NASCAR look into the incident. The pit stalls of both drivers in question were next to each other. Just as Keselowski’s crew was waiting for his arrival, Gibbs arrived before him and drove through the RFK Racing stall, grazing tire changer Telvin McClurkin.
McClurkin quickly approached crew members from JGR before things escalated to a fight. The video shows other JGR members eventually joining. McClurkin confirmed later that Gibbs made contact with the tire in his hand as he passed by.
NASCAR officials reportedly intervened but decided to clear Gibbs of any penalties, despite Keselowski’s team putting forward their case with the footage offering an overhead view of the incident. However, NASCAR did not accept RFK’s argument. Reports suggest the sport may levy a penalty after revisiting the clips of the incident by Tuesday.
Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Delta Ford, Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, and Ty Gibbs, driver of the #54 SAIA LTL Freight Toyota, race during the NASCAR Cup Series… Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Delta Ford, Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, and Ty Gibbs, driver of the #54 SAIA LTL Freight Toyota, race during the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on July 13, 2025 in Sonoma, California.
Chris Graythen/Getty Images
NASCAR’s Todd Gordon and Kyle Petty sided with the sport’s decision not to levy a penalty on Gibbs, hinting that the tire changer should have left some space in front of him. Gordon said:
“I see two cars coming to green flag pit in some of the shortest boxes we’ve got on pit road. I always talk about pit crew guys: you’re playing in traffic and that’s where you’re at here.
“One tire carrier has to carry two tires and he’s standing kind of sideways and that leaves his tires out, exposed… Ty comes through, makes a little contact with the outboard tire. It kind of spins the tire carrier’s wrist around and puts him a little behind.
“I think the tire carrier actually could stand to not be so wide, understanding that he’s got the car that’s in the box in front of him coming in right in front of his car. He’s got to make himself a little skinnier so that he isn’t put behind in that situation.
“As most everybody does, the carrier that carries two tires, you’re allowed to have two feet in the box, but you’ve got to be close to the wall. You’ve got to be in a position that’s as close to the wall as you can be but be down in the box. That’s where he was.
“But he was standing looking down pit road and he’s two tires wide, which is half a pit box. And Ty Gibbs is trying to get in and get close to his fueler. The boxes are short, so you’ve got to kind of use up the box behind you to get yourself pointed in the right direction.”
Petty said that the crew members have to adjust to a small pit box. He added:
“People get bumped, people get moved, people have to adjust. And I think it’s just the timing. It’s the perfect storm here. Ty had to be in his pit box, had to get in straight. When you’ve got a short pit box, the only way to get in your pit box straight and close for fueling and give the tire guys room is to come in the back door, to come in that back line completely straight. And when you see Ty come in, he comes through the 6’s box and into his box straight.
“No, I don’t have an issue with what Ty did. Now, I don’t really have an issue with what the tire carrier did either because he’s a little upset. He should have maybe kept his tire out of the way.”
23XI, Front Row seek urgent court order to retain charters
The two race teams suing NASCAR over antitrust allegations filed for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction Monday to be recognized as chartered organizations for the remainder of 2025. 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are locked in a lengthy legal battle over the charter system, which is the equivalent of the franchise model […]
The two race teams suing NASCAR over antitrust allegations filed for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction Monday to be recognized as chartered organizations for the remainder of 2025.
23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are locked in a lengthy legal battle over the charter system, which is the equivalent of the franchise model in other sports. 23XI, owned by retired NBA great Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and Front Row, owned by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, last September rejected NASCAR’s final proposal on extensions and instead filed an antitrust suit.
The case is winding its way through the court system but now with urgency: the teams are set to lose their charters Wednesday and in the latest filing, they allege NASCAR has indicated it will immediately begin the process of selling the six tags that guarantee entry into every race as well as monetary rewards and other benefits.
Should the teams have their six combined charters revoked, the drivers would have to qualify on speed to make each week’s race and would receive a smaller percentage of the purse. They may also have to refund money paid out through the first 20 races of the year.
NASCAR accused 23XI and Front Row of filing “a third motion for another unnecessary and inappropriate preliminary injunction” and noted it has made multiple requests to the teams “to present a proposal to resolve this litigation.
“We have yet to receive a proposal from 23XI or Front Row, as they have instead preferred to continue their damaging and distracting lawsuit,” NASCAR said in a statement. “We will defend NASCAR’s integrity from this baseless lawsuit forced upon the sport that threatens to divide the stakeholders committed to serving race fans everywhere.
“We remain focused on collaborating with the 13 race teams that signed the 2025 charter agreements and share our mutual goal of delivering the best racing in the world each week, including this weekend in Dover.”
Later Monday, Rick Ware Racing and Legacy Motor Club had a scheduled court date in North Carolina over their fight for a charter. Legacy, owned by seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, contends it had an agreement with RWR to lease one of its two charters in 2026.
RWR contends the agreement was for 2027 and it already has a contract with RFK Racing to lease that team a charter next season.
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Jake Finch making Xfinity Series debut with Hendrick Motorsports at Dover
This weekend is a big one for Jake Finch. The 20-year-old is going to make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Dover Motor Speedway. Finch is suiting up for Hendrick Motorsports in the No. 17 car in a somewhat surprising move. Jake Finch has a history at Dover. He won the 2023 ARCA East race […]
This weekend is a big one for Jake Finch. The 20-year-old is going to make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Dover Motor Speedway. Finch is suiting up for Hendrick Motorsports in the No. 17 car in a somewhat surprising move.
Jake Finch has a history at Dover. He won the 2023 ARCA East race at the track. Finch also has an ARCA national series win from Talladega in 2024. But he’s mainly driven Toyotas up to this point.
Finch’s father, James Finch Sr., was the owner of Phoenix Racing. His family has experience at the highest levels of NASCAR. Now, Jake is getting a major opportunity at a track where he’s had success. Hendrick Motorsports has had Corey Day primarily in the 17 car this season. Now, Finch takes over for a week.
Jake Finch is a bit of an unknown. He has done well in ARCA competition. But we haven’t seen anything that jumps off the page. Even though he races in Venturini equipment most of the time, he hasn’t had the strength of a Jesse Love, William Sawalich, or Connor Zilisch.
This is a very interesting pairing. It could also be risky for Finch. Hendrick Motorsports won’t be the ones to blame if Finch has a poor showing at Dover. No one is expecting him to win, but if he can’t at least have a decent finish in this car, then it could do more harm than good.
Dover is a really challenging track. When Finch won that race, William Sawalich was still 16. Landen Lewis was 17. Luke Fenhaus was 19. Big names like Jesse Love were not in the race that week, and Finch took advantage of that to win.
Dale Jr. spilled Jake Finch Hendrick Motorsports news
All the way back in April, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was talking about the Hendrick Motorsports Xfinity Series program. It was after Kyle Larson had raced in the Xfinity Series race at Bristol. While talking about that team, he let it slip that Jake Finch was going to have a start in the 17 car.
So far, Earnhardt has been accurate. He also mentioned Rajah Caruth at the time.
“Hey, he’ll [Larson] tell us, ‘Well, the Hendrick car’s full – they got Day, Rajah, Finch, they got a season full.’ Well, there’s other Chevrolets out there,” Earnhardt explained. “He won’t be in that sweet, sweet Hendrick equipment carrying him around that racetrack, but hey, he’s the difference maker, right?
“And the CARS Tour would love for him – that’s one box he ain’t checked. He went to the CARS Tour and raced our car, a good car, at Caraway and finished 7th. So, there’s some mountains he ain’t climbed yet.”
Rajah Caruth races in the No. 71 Chevy for Spire Motorsports in the Truck Series. He won earlier this season at Nashville, his second career win. Caruth has raced in the 17 car before. He finished P14 at the Phoenix season finale in 2023. If I had to guess, Caruth could race this Hendrick Motorsports car at Gateway or Kansas later this season.
NASCAR in-season tournament bracket down to 4 drivers after Sonoma
SONOMA, Calif. — The NASCAR Cup Series’ in-season tournament bracket is down to four drivers after the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway. Tyler Reddick vs. Ty Gibbs Photo: Dominic Aragon/TRE Photo: Dominic Aragon/TRE With a sixth-place finish at Sonoma, Tyler Reddick eliminated Ryan Preece from the NASCAR in-season tournament. Preece finished 12th. Ty Gibbs […]
Ty Dillon literally moved Alex Bowman out of the NASCAR in-season tournament in the final corner at Sonoma. Dillon bumped Bowman, boosting himself to a 17th-place finish and dropping Bowman to 19th and continuing his miracle run in the tournament.
John Hunter Nemechek finished 28th, one spot ahead of Legacy Motor Club teammate Erik Jones in 29th. Jones finished 1.779 seconds behind Nemechek.
After Sonoma, Nemechek and Dillon will face off at Dover.
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick’s final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen’s stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers’ stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com
UAB Medicine is the title sponsor of the GT World Alabama, benefiting Teal Wings of Hope
UAB Medicine will serve as the title sponsor of the UAB Medicine GT World Alabama, scheduled for Sept. 5-7 at Barber Motorsports Park. The event will feature the GT World Challenge America racing series and aims to support Teal Wings of Hope, a Birmingham-based nonprofit organization focused on education, awareness and advocacy for individuals affected […]
UAB Medicine will serve as the title sponsor of the UAB Medicine GT World Alabama, scheduled for Sept. 5-7 at Barber Motorsports Park. The event will feature the GT World Challenge America racing series and aims to support Teal Wings of Hope, a Birmingham-based nonprofit organization focused on education, awareness and advocacy for individuals affected by ovarian cancer.
“We’re thrilled to welcome UAB Medicine as the presenting sponsor for GT World Alabama,” said George Dennis, president of Zoom Motorsports. “As one of the nation’s leading academic medical centers, UAB is a vital part of the Birmingham community. Their support, alongside the impact of Teal Wings of Hope, brings an even deeper purpose to a weekend that already offers world-class racing and family-friendly entertainment.”
Through UAB Medicine’s sponsorship, proceeds from the event will benefit Teal Wings of Hope. The three-day event will include motorsports activities and opportunities to contribute to the organization’s mission.
“Teal Wings of Hope was founded in memory of my wife, Babs, with the goal of improving ovarian cancer care so that future generations of women won’t have to endure what she did,” said Bob Barrett, chairman emeritus of Teal Wings of Hope. “This partnership with UAB is incredibly meaningful. And with September being Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, the timing couldn’t be more fitting. We’re truly excited and look forward to working with everyone involved.”
The event will showcase vehicles from such manufacturers as Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, BMW, Mercedes-AMG, Acura and McLaren. Activities will include races, interactive fan zones, autograph sessions and other entertainment options.
“I’m extremely grateful and excited about this endeavor. Our work with the community is what drives us to do what we do,” said Warner Huh, M.D., chair of the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. “The most important thing for me is making sure that we provide access and high-quality care to all individuals in the state of Alabama who are seeking really top-notch world-class care and gynecological oncology.”
Tickets and additional event information are available at barberracingevents.com.
F1 Power Rankings: Austrian GP Shake-Up Before British Grand Prix!The Austrian Grand Prix flipped the F1 Power Rankings upside down! From Lando Norris’ dominant win to Max Verstappen’s rare DNF, we break down the top 10 drivers heading into the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Don’t miss the drama, surprises, and standout performances! Subscribe for […]
F1 Power Rankings: Austrian GP Shake-Up Before British Grand Prix!The Austrian Grand Prix flipped the F1 Power Rankings upside down! From Lando Norris’ dominant win to Max Verstappen’s rare DNF, we break down the top 10 drivers heading into the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Don’t miss the drama, surprises, and standout performances! Subscribe for more F1 coverage and visit sportsnaut.com for all the latest race updates.
UAB Medicine will serve as the title sponsor of the UAB Medicine GT World Alabama, scheduled for Sept. 5-7 at Barber Motorsports Park. The event will feature the GT World Challenge America racing series and aims to support Teal Wings of Hope, a Birmingham-based nonprofit organization focused on education, awareness and advocacy for individuals affected by ovarian cancer.
