The Chicago Street Race has quickly become one of the most thrilling visual spectacles in the NASCAR Cup Series, and the 2025 Grant Park 165 on Sunday will also serve as the second round of the first-ever NASCAR In-Season Challenge. Shane van Gisbergen won the first Cup race on the Chicago Street Course in 2023. Now, the road-racing specialist is the +210 favorite in the 2025 Grant Park 165 odds after winning three weeks ago in Mexico City. Then in 2024, it was Alex Bowman who won the Grant Park 165 and he’s listed at +1900 in the NASCAR at Chicago odds and you can also find him for as high as +270 in the latest NASCAR props from DraftKings.

The green flag drops at 2 p.m. ET and the race is scheduled for 75 laps around the 12-turn, 2.2-mile circuit winding through the streets of Chicago. Before entering any 2025 Grant Park 165 picks, NASCAR DFS lineups on sites like DraftKings and FanDuel, or locking in NASCAR props on sites like PrizePicks, Sleeper Fantasy, and Underdog Fantasy, be sure to see the latest 2025 NASCAR Chicago Street Race predictions from SportsLine’s proven projection model.

Developed by daily Fantasy pro and SportsLine predictive data engineer Mike McClure, this proprietary NASCAR prediction model simulates every race 10,000 times, taking into account factors such as track history and recent results.

The model began its 2025 season by calling Chase Elliott to win for a +300 payout at the Clash at Bowman Gray and was also high on Byron as a +2000 longshot at Daytona. Then it predicted Kyle Larson’s win in Miami for a +350 payout, Christopher Bell’s +600 triumph in the NASCAR All-Star Race, Denny Hamlin’s +650 victory in Michigan, Shane van Gisbergen’s +330 victory in Mexico and Elliott’s win in Atlanta for a +1500 return. In 2024, it nailed Larson to win in Las Vegas for a 21-5 sports betting payout and predicted Denny Hamlin’s wins in Bristol at 5-1 and Richmond at 17-4.

It also impressively nailed five of Larson’s wins during his historic season in 2021. All told, the model has nailed a whopping 24 winners since 2021. Anyone who followed its lead on betting apps and sportsbooks on those NASCAR picks could have seen huge returns. New users also have the opportunity to take advantage of the latest Bet365 promo code, BetMGM promo code and Fanatics Sportsbook promo code.

Now, the model simulated the 2025 Grant Park 165 10,000 times. Head to SportsLine to see the complete projected NASCAR at Chicago leaderboard.

Top 2025 Grant Park 165 predictions

For Sunday’s 2025 Chicago Street Race, the model is high on Chris Buescher, even though he’s a +2200 longshot in the latest 2025 NASCAR at Chicago odds from FanDuel. He’s a target for anyone looking for a huge payday and first-time users can also get up to $150 in bonus bets if their first $5 bet wins with this FanDuel promo code.

After a breakout three-win season in 2023, Buescher missed the NASCAR playoffs entirely last season, but did manage to collect his sixth career victory in the NASCAR Cup Series during the postseason. He’s yet to win in 2025, but he’s in a solid position on points, as he’s sitting ninth in the NASCAR standings entering the week and has a 52-point lead over first man out Ryan Preece. However, with that bubble shrinking in each of the last three weeks, he won’t want to leave his playoff fate to chance.

Buescher has 17 career top-10 finishes in 39 starts on street courses and road courses in the NASCAR Cup Series, including a win at Watkins Glen last season. He also finished 10th in the inaugural Chicago Street Race and was top 10 in both of the road races that have taken place so far this season.

The model has also revealed a shocking NASCAR prop for Sunday: AJ Allmendinger finishes top 10 for a +120 payout. He’s a potentially a strong value pick for your Chicago NASCAR prop bets.

The 43-year-old is facing a pretty significant points deficit with eight races to go in the regular season, as he’s 59 points behind current bubble boy Bubba Wallace. However, he’s an established road racer and the Chicago Street Race is a huge opportunity to make up ground. All three of Allmendinger’s NASCAR Cup Series victories have come on road courses and he’s also had nine of his 21 career top-fives and 22 of his 84 career top-10s in road races. See which other drivers to avoid and the rest of the projected NASCAR leaderboard at SportsLine.

How to make 2025 NASCAR Chicago Street Race picks

The model is also targeting two other drivers with Chicago NASCAR odds of 22-1 or longer to make a serious run at the checkered flag. Anyone who backs these drivers could hit it big. You can see all of the model’s NASCAR picks, props, and projected leaderboard over at SportsLine.

So who wins the 2025 Grant Park 165, and which longshots are must-backs? Check out the latest 2025 NASCAR at Chicago odds below, then visit SportsLine now to see the full NASCAR Chicago Street Race projected leaderboard, all from the model that has nailed 24 winners, and find out.

2025 NASCAR Chicago odds, drivers, lineup

See the full NASCAR at Chicago picks at SportsLine

(odds subject to change)
Shane van Gisbergen +210
Christopher Bell +750
Kyle Larson +900
Ty Gibbs +1200
Tyler Reddick +1200
Chase Elliott +1400
William Byron +1600
Alex Bowman +1900
Will Brown +2200
Chris Buescher +2200
AJ Allmendinger +2200
Michael McDowell +2300
Ross Chastain +2800
Chase Briscoe +3100
Daniel Suarez +3100
Kyle Busch +3400
Ryan Blaney +4000
Carson Hocevar +4000
Denny Hamlin +4000
Austin Cindric +5000
Joey Logano +10000
Ryan Preece +11000
Justin Haley +11000
Brad Keselowski +11000
Corey Heim +11000
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. +12000
Bubba Wallace +14000
Todd Gilliland +14000
Austin Dillon +14000
Cole Custer +14000
Zane Smith +14000
John Hunter Nemechek +14000
Erik Jones +21000
Noah Gragson +25000
Josh Berry +25000
Austin Hill +25000
Riley Herbst +30000
Josh Bilicki +34000
Ty Dillon +34000

Revolutionary Racer Toni Breidinger Makes Headlines with Unique Sponsorship Deals

Toni Breidinger, the trailblazing racer from TRICON Garage, is causing a stir in the racing world with her unconventional sponsorship deals. The Victoria’s Secret model recently announced a groundbreaking two-race sponsorship deal with luxury fashion brand Coach, showcasing their signature black and white colors on her #5 Toyota Tundra. But that’s not all – Breidinger turned heads by sipping coffee out of a Coach sneaker during a promotional shoot, pushing the boundaries of traditional sponsorships.

This isn’t the first time Breidinger has made waves with her partnerships. She previously featured in Coach’s Soho Sneaker campaign, where she starred in a promotional video filmed on the bustling streets of New York City. The young racer shared a behind-the-scenes clip from the shoot, revealing her innovative use of the Soho sneaker as a cup holder, adding a touch of glamour to the racing world.

Despite some ups and downs on the track, including an 18th-place finish at Rockingham Speedway, Breidinger remains a force to be reckoned with. While her TRICON Garage teammate Corey Heim dominates the drivers’ standings, Breidinger continues to break barriers and challenge the status quo with her unique collaborations and fearless attitude.

In another groundbreaking move, Breidinger recently announced a partnership with iconic restaurant chain Dave and Buster’s, marking their debut in NASCAR sponsorship. As the official summer ambassador for Dave and Buster’s, Breidinger will proudly display the company’s branding as the primary sponsor on her #5 Toyota in the upcoming New York race on August 8. Fans can also look forward to the launch of her custom fire suit during the same weekend, adding a dash of excitement to the racing event.

Reflecting on the innovative collaboration, Breidinger expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “I’ve been a fan of Dave & Buster’s for as long as I can remember. I always stop in when I’m on the road. I love the games and energy, so getting to partner with a brand I genuinely enjoy is really exciting for me.” The partnership promises an interactive experience for fans, with the announcement of Dave & Buster’s Leaderboard Challenge offering exclusive rewards such as VIP access to NASCAR tickets and even a brand new car.

As Breidinger gears up for her 16th Truck Series start at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, the racing world is abuzz with anticipation. Fans can catch all the action on Friday, July 25, at 8 p.m. ET, as this fearless racer continues to break barriers and redefine the world of motorsports.

As part of Microsoft’s sweeping job cuts this week, it’s been reported that Forza Motorsport developer Turn 10 Studios has lost almost 50% of its staff – and according to a former worker, the losses are even more significant than that.

Fred Russell — former content coordinator at Turn 10 — has posted out to Facebook that the Forza Motorsport team has been “shuttered” and “is no more”. Xbox content creator Klobrille has also jumped on this news, going on to speculate that Turn 10 may now be a support team for Forza Tech & Forza Horizon moving forward.

Fred Russell:
“Turn 10 Studios has shuttered the Forza Motorsport space and the team is no more. A very sad day for one of the best car racing video games. I loved my time there.”

Now, it’s worth noting that Russell hasn’t been at the Xbox developer for a good number of years now, so there’s every chance that assumptions are being made based on what’s been circulating publicly. However, there’s also a big chance that the former Forza dev still has connections with those recently working on the game – and there’s more evidence of major changes at Turn 10 as well.

Another Facebook post, this time from a senior design director at Microsoft who’s worked on Forza Motorsport since the beginning, talks about a major job loss on their end too. Scott Catlin has taken to the social media platform to reminisce about their time working on the franchise – adding that they “had a good run” making Xbox’s premiere racing series since 2005.

Scott Catlin:
“After nearly a quarter century, I was laid off from Microsoft and Turn 10 Studios on Wednesday. I’m still unpacking the effect it will have on me and my family – they have only ever known me as the husband and father that worked at Xbox, making racing games and playing with cars. I met some amazing people, friends that I’ll cherish for ever. We had a good run. FORZA!!”

At the time of writing, Microsoft hasn’t made a public statement on the future of Turn 10 and its Forza Motorsport series, but all signs are pointing towards Xbox’s long-time sim racer beginning to wind down. What we do know is that another Forza game of some sort is planned for 2026; widely believed to be the next entry in the Horizon series from Playground Games.

As the pinnacle of two wheels, MotoGP is a force for positive change – on track and off. At a recent panel called the “Voice of Innovation 1: Sustainable Fuel in Motorsports”, representatives from the most exciting sport on Earth took to the stage to share their thoughts.

Ferran Juncar, Global Sponsoring Director at MotoGP, and Daniel Carrera, Director of ESG at Dorna Group – the commercial rights holder of MotoGP – joined the panel to explore how motorsport has such power to create change at the same time as ensuring there is no compromise on performance – something equally important in real-world applications when these innovations reach real customers on the street.

They underscored the need to move beyond fossil fuels, highlighting how trackside innovations can fast-track sustainable mobility on a broader scale extending to roads – with collaboration being key to achieving this.

Across all classes in MotoGP, fuel must now be of a minimum 40% non-fossil origin. In MotoGP, teams and factories work with their suppliers, and in Moto2™ and Moto3™, Petronas are the sole, official fuel supplier. In 2027, fuel for all classes must be 100% non-fossil origin – an exciting prospect as performance continues to impress. From development in MotoGP, innovation then reaches real customers on the street – and around the world.

B.J. McLeod made his third start of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series for Live Fast Motorsports, the team he co-owns, at Atlanta Motor Speedway this past weekend, and it went fairly well for the team known to run toward the back, to say the least.

McLeod took full advantage of the “equalizer” nature of superspeedway racing, stayed out of any sort of significant trouble, and finished in 16th place, which is the third best finish in the history of the organization and best since McLeod secured their top finish ever, seventh, at Daytona International Speedway in 2022. He also finished in ninth at Daytona in 2021.

Live Fast Motorsports are set to make their second consecutive Cup Series appearance, but McLeod will not be behind the wheel of the No. 78 Chevrolet on the streets of Chicago, Illinois this weekend.

Instead, Katherine Legge is set to make her third appearance of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Legge, who made her much-maligned Cup Series debut at Phoenix Raceway in March, returned for the recent road course race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez and finished in 32nd place. Now she is set to return for Sunday afternoon’s Grant Park 165 at the Chicago Street Course.

However, she is not actually guaranteed to compete, as there are five non-chartered (open) cars going for the last four spots in the 40-car field, meaning that for the first time since the race at Texas Motor Speedway in November 2018, there will be somebody who fails to qualify for a non-Daytona 500 race.

The others are the No. 13 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, the No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, the No. 66 Garage 66 Ford, and the No. 67 23XI Racing Toyota, which are set to be driven by Will Brown, Austin Hill, Josh Bilicki, and Corey Heim, respectively.

Legge must beat at least one of those four drivers to get into the race. With three of them set to drive for teams that also run multiple full-time entries, the battle for the 40th and final spot could very well come down to Legge and Bilicki.

Joe Gibbs transformed what he honestly called “a dream on a sheet of paper” into one of NASCAR’s most successful racing empires. The Hall of Fame football coach built Joe Gibbs Racing from a modest 17-person startup in 1992 into a championship powerhouse. It has now captured five Cup Series titles and redefined excellence in motorsports.

The journey from NFL sidelines to NASCAR victory lane began with an unlikely partnership between a legendary football coach with zero NASCAR experience and a battery company executive willing to take an unprecedented gamble on a team that existed only as a concept.

Joe Gibbs’ Leap of Faith: From Football to Racing

The transition wasn’t born from a midlife crisis but from deep automotive roots planted in his teenage years. Growing up in Southern California during the late 1950s and early 1960s, Gibbs was immersed in hot rod culture.

“I grew up born here in North Carolina and spent my first 15 years here. I had nothing to do with cars. It was all football, basketball, and baseball,” Gibbs explained.

“But I moved to California when I was 16, and everybody in the southern California late 50s and early 60s it was hot rods and drag racing. And man, I had every kind of hot rod you can think of, none of them expensive, obviously. I think the most I ever paid for one was 800 bucks.”

The catalyst came when his eldest son J.D. graduated college with an unexpected proposition. “When JD graduated from college, he said, ‘Dad, I’d rather do something in racing. Could we do something in racing?’” This conversation sparked what would become a racing dynasty.

Joe Gibbs’ Bold Gamble: Building Something from Nothing

With characteristic honesty, Gibbs admitted they started with virtually nothing. “We didn’t have enough time to try and find a sponsor. We’ll just put a dream on a sheet of paper,” he said.

The pivotal moment came during a meeting with Interstate Batteries CEO Norm Miller. “Showed up on Norm Miller’s doorstep, Interstate Batteries. I still remember the meeting. And he goes, ‘Now, who’s your driver?’ And I went, ‘We don’t have one.’ He goes, ‘Now, where’s your race shop?’ And I said, ‘We don’t have one.’ He goes, I said, ‘Norm, this is a dream on a sheet of paper.’”

Miller’s decision to partner with Gibbs was unprecedented. “Norm is the only CEO with enough guts to step out and go racing with a football coach,” Gibbs noted.

That leap of faith became NASCAR’s longest-running sponsorship partnership and one of motorsports’ greatest success stories. Today, Joe Gibbs Racing employs over 500 people and has over 200 Cup Series victories, proving that sometimes the most audacious dreams can become reality.