Two weeks after its third annual Fourth of July weekend run through Grant Park, NASCAR has made the decision not to hold the Chicago Street Race in 2026, leaving open the door to return on a different date the following year.

In a letter Friday to Mayor Brandon Johnson, NASCAR said it is pausing the race because it needs more time to explore rescheduling the event and ways to speed up the build-out and breakdown of the pop-up racecourse in response to concerns from the city.

“Our goal is for the Chicago Street Race to return in 2027 with an event that further enhances the experience for residents and visitors alike, as we work together towards a new potential date, shorter build schedule, and additional tourism draws,” Julie Giese, NASCAR Chicago Street Race president, said in the letter.

Giese said the NASCAR Chicago office will remain open and “work collaboratively” with the city to reschedule the street race, further optimize “operational efficiencies” on the build-out and potentially find ways to enhance the event’s appeal as a tourism draw.

NASCAR also pledges to remain active in its community engagement efforts next year, despite pausing the actual Chicago race, Giese said.

“We appreciate NASCAR’s dedication to the City of Chicago and their commitment to continuing their community engagement efforts, particularly their support of STEM education for our city’s young people,” a mayor’s office spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “We look forward to resuming discussions around a potential return of the NASCAR Chicago Street Race in 2027.”

The city just completed its three-year agreement with NASCAR to host the street race, which made its inaugural run in the summer of 2023. The deal, struck during former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration, included a two-year renewal option.

Mayor Johnson made it clear in the wake of the third run that the city wants to move the race away from the busy Independence Day weekend to reduce the strain on law enforcement, among other concerns.

Under the terms of the original agreement, NASCAR paid the Chicago Park District a $500,000 permit fee in 2023, $550,000 in 2024 and $605,000 this year, as well as a $2 fee per admission ticket and an escalating commission for food, beverage and merchandise sold at the event. NASCAR also agreed to pay an additional $2 million for city expenses beginning in 2024.

In addition to a different date, the city is looking at a more favorable financial arrangement and speeding up the setup and breakdown times for the temporary race course, which plies a 12-turn, 2.2-mile circuit through Grant Park, down DuSable Lake Shore Drive and up Michigan Avenue.

The disruption wrought by the event has been a point of contention for residents and area businesses. This year, NASCAR streamlined the build-out and reduced major street closings, fully opening up the last road — Balbo Drive between Columbus and DuSable Lake Shore Drive — on July 12, two days ahead of schedule.

Ald. Bill Conway, whose 34th Ward intersects the temporary racecourse, has long advocated that the event be moved away from July 4 to give Chicagoans access to Grant Park during the busy holiday weekend.

“It’s disappointing that negotiators haven’t been able to move this event off the July 4th weekend — especially given how NASCAR has provided Chicago the opportunity to shine on the world stage,” Conway said in a statement Friday. “I hope parties return to the table with a commitment to making this event work even better for Chicago, both logistically and financially.”

The first street race ever produced by NASCAR has weathered challenging conditions, including significant rain delays the first two years, and ongoing debates about the net benefits for the city.

Last year, the street race generated $128 million in total economic impact and drew 53,036 unique visitors, according to a study commissioned by Choose Chicago, the city’s tourism arm. The nationally televised Cup Series race also generated $43.6 million in media value for Chicago, according to a companion report.

While attendance figures for the event have yet to be released, TV ratings for the Cup Series Grant Park 165 on July 6 were down for the third consecutive year, averaging 2.1 million viewers on cable channel TNT, according to Nielsen. The Xfinity race on July 5 averaged 1.1 million viewers on its new TV home, the CW broadcast network, according to Nielsen.

Shane van Gisbergen, who won the inaugural Cup Series event in 2023, took the checkered flag once again this year, and also won the Xfinity race, as rain stayed away for the first time in the Chicago Street Race’s three-year history.

Beyond the Chicago pause for 2026, NASCAR is reportedly in negotiations to hold a street race in San Diego next year. Whether that’s in addition to, or perhaps a replacement for Chicago, remains to be seen.

rchannick@chicagotribune.com

Originally Published: July 18, 2025 at 4:06 PM CDT

Granite State De-Icing Supply has elevated its sponsorship status with Spencer Boyd, shifting from an associate role to become the primary sponsor for Boyd’s No. 76 truck in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. This marks a milestone as it will be Granite State’s first time showcasing their logo on a NASCAR truck. The partnership reflects both the company’s commitment to engaging with local communities and Boyd’s enthusiasm for representing their brand on the racetrack. The NASCAR event at New Hampshire Speedway will also feature a fan engagement opportunity at the NE Public Works Expo, highlighting this collaboration further.

By the Numbers

• This marks Granite State De-Icing Supply’s first time as a primary sponsor in NASCAR.
• Spencer Boyd will debut a new paint scheme on the No. 76 Chevrolet Silverado during the race.

State of Play

• The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race is scheduled for September 20, 2025, at New Hampshire Speedway.
• Boyd will be available for autographs and interactions with fans at the Royal Plaza Trade Center before the race.

What’s Next

Expect increased brand visibility for Granite State De-Icing Supply throughout the season as they leverage their primary sponsorship and fan engagement activities, including potential giveaways on social media. The impact of this collaboration may boost both brands in the competitive landscape of motorsports marketing.

Bottom Line

The partnership between Granite State De-Icing Supply and Spencer Boyd represents a strategic move to enhance brand visibility and community involvement through NASCAR. This initiative not only showcases the growing trend of local businesses engaging in motorsports but also sets a precedent for future partnerships in the racing world.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Rex White, who was NASCAR’s oldest living champion and a 2015 inductee into the Hall of Fame, has died. He was 95.

NASCAR and the NASCAR Hall of Fame confirmed White’s death on Friday. No additional details were provided.

“Rex epitomized the formative days of NASCAR — a true pioneer whose contributions helped shape the foundation of our sport,” NASCAR chairman Jim France said. “His hard work, dedication and talent allowed him to make a living doing what he loved most – racing cars. He was the model of consistency – finishing in the top five in nearly half of his races – and dominated the short tracks.

“On behalf of NASCAR and the France family, I want to offer our condolences to the friends and family of Rex White.”

White won the 1960 Cup Series title and 28 Cup races in a career that spanned 233 starts across nine seasons. He led the final five laps in 1958 at Champion Speedway in Fayetteville, North Carolina, to earn his first career victory and scored 13 top-five finishes in 22 starts.

White won five more races the next season, but didn’t earn his only championship until 1960, when he won six times in 44 starts. He won seven times the next year, when he was runner-up to fellow Hall of Famer Ned Jarrett in the championship standings.

White then won eight times in 1962, but finished fifth in the standings as he competed in only 37 of the 53 races that year. White never contested a complete season at a time when NASCAR ran as many as 62 times a year.

White notched a career-high six victories at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, where NASCAR this year returned after a lengthy absence. He also won three times at North Wilkesboro Speedway and two times at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia.

Born during the Great Depression and raised in Taylorsville, North Carolina, White suffered from polio as a child and that altered his gait for most of his life. He had an early interest in cars and was working on the family Model T by the time he was 8. He had learned how to drive two years earlier using a neighbors truck.

“I was unaware the car on which I labored represented hope to people around me, frustration to those trying to stop illegal moonshine,” he said. “I saw automobiles as transportation, not the symbol of an upcoming billion-dollar sport.”

White purchased his first car in 1954 when a relative of his wife helped him with the $600 needed to buy a 1937 Ford. He immediately began racing as a means to earn a living.

White ran his first race in the Sportsman division at West Lanham Speedway in Maryland. He went on to win the championship in his rookie season of the Sportsman division.

He moved up to NASCAR two years later and by the time he won the championship five seasons later, he was named both NASCAR’s most popular driver and driver of the year.

“Growing up on a North Carolina farm, Rex familiarized himself with all things mechanical and enjoyed driving anything with wheels,” said Winston Kelly, executive director for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. “Rex was among NASCAR’s pioneers who remained very visible at tracks and industry events for years. He was a dedicated ambassador who enjoyed supporting any event or activity he was requested to participate in.

“NASCAR has lost one of its true pioneers.”

___

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Copyright
© 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

Chris Knight

Chris Knight has served as a senior staff writer and news editor for CATCHFENCE.com since 2001.
In his 20-plus years with CATCHFENCE.com, he has covered NASCAR’s top three national series, often breaking news and providing exclusive at-track content, including in-depth race weekend coverage. He also offers insider coverage of the entire Motorsports platform, including the ARCA Menards Series.
In 2022, Knight became co-owner of CATCHFENCE.com.
In addition to his active duties at CATCHFENCE.com and other Motorsports-related endeavors, he is also a frequent contributor to SiriusXM Satellite Radio NASCAR Channel 90. You can follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @Knighter01 or on Instagram, Snapchat, or Threads at @TheKnighter01. He can be reached by email at [email protected].

NASCAR is hitting pause on its Chicago Street Race for a year, officials said.

In a statement, NASCAR officials said they will not be returning to the Loop for the Chicago Street Race in 2026 “to afford us the time necessary to work collaboratively with the City of Chicago.”

NASCAR said they will work with the city to find a possible new date for the race and also develop a new, more efficient plan, “with a goal to return to the street of Chicago in 2027.”

The NASCAR Chicago Street Race, officially called the Grand Park 165, has taken over the roads in and around Grant Park for the past three years, with the first race in 2023.

City and NASCAR officials have touted its power to attract thousands of fans from around the world to the city, boosting the local economy. Chicago Sports Commission Executive Director Kara Bachman said in 2024, the economic impact from the event was $128 million, which was 17.5% higher than 2023.

But not everyone is thrilled by the race; residents who live near the course and in adjacent neighborhoods have complained about the street closures, the parking restrictions, and the noise from the race.

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office released a statement on the announcement, writing, “We appreciate NASCAR’s dedication to the City of Chicago and their commitment to continuing their community engagement efforts, particularly their support of STEM education for our city’s young people. We look forward to resuming discussions around a potential return of the NASCAR Chicago Street Race in 2027.”

Ald. Bill Conway, whose 34th ward partially includes the area where the race has been held, also released a statement, saying “It’s disappointing that negotiators haven’t been able to move this event off the July 4th weekend—especially given how NASCAR has provided Chicago the opportunity to shine on the world stage. Over the past two years, NASCAR has made meaningful efforts to reduce disruptions for residents and businesses along the race route, streamline setup and takedown, and maintain open lines of communication with our community. I hope parties return to the table with a commitment to making this event work even better for Chicago, both logistically and financially.”