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Without charters, what would happen to 23XI and FRM as open teams?

Thursday, news broke that the U.S. Court of Appeals plans to overturn the preliminary injunction that allowed 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports to compete with charters while suing NASCAR over the 2025 Charter Agreement. Should the ruling go uncontested, it will take effect on June 26th and both teams will lose their charters ahead […]

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Thursday, news broke that the U.S. Court of Appeals plans to overturn the preliminary injunction that allowed 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports to compete with charters while suing NASCAR over the 2025 Charter Agreement. Should the ruling go uncontested, it will take effect on June 26th and both teams will lose their charters ahead of the Atlanta race weekend, but what does this mean? We’re here to explain it all.

Contracts voided, qualify on time, and loss of income

The most glaring issue involves guaranteed grid spots. Chartered teams are guaranteed a spot on the grid each week while Open teams have to qualify on time. However, only one race this year has had more than a full field of entries, sending cars home (the Daytona 500). The Coca-Cola 600 was the only other race that reached the cap for field size with 40 cars starting.

Open teams will not benefit from the financial aspect of the Charter Agreement either, meaning that they will earn far less money than chartered teams every race weekend, regardless of where they finish. Part of that is revenue from NASCAR’s multi-billion dollar broadcasting deal, and only Chartered teams get a slice of that pie. While exact figures aren’t made public, it’s clearly several million dollars.

As pointed out by 23XI/FRM attorney Jeffrey Kessler, this will also compromise and void contracts with sponsors and drivers. Drivers such as Tyler Reddick can move to other teams while sponsorship deals that were locked in will suddenly be in jeopardy. There are clauses in some contract that nullify any previously existing agreements. 

With no charters, teams will have to rely heavily on sponsorship dollars and in the case of 23XI, funding from team co-owner Michael Jordan. In this situation, things would likely be tighter for a FRM team owner and restaurant entrepreneur Bob Jenkins. Either way, they will surely be operating in the red as even chartered teams have spoken about struggling to make a profit due to the cost of business. 

Michael McDowell, Front Row Motorsports Ford; Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota

Michael McDowell, Front Row Motorsports Ford; Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota

Photo by: Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Now, what it does not have an impact on is the championship. The points system is identical for both open and chartered entries. Open teams are eligible to compete in the playoffs and run for the championship. And if an open team fails to qualify for a race but is competing full-time, they do not need a playoff waiver because they attempted the race.

This won’t compromise on-track speed other than being a possible distraction, but an open entry hasn’t won a Cup race since Shane van Gisbergen’s 2023 victory in the Chicago Street Course race in Trackhouse’s Project 91 entry.

Contrary to what some mistakingly believe, losing charters does not mean a team will lose their car numbers. Charters are numbered, yes, but that is not tied directly to actual car numbers. 

What becomes of the charters

Another interesting question in this specific scenario is what becomes of the six charters the teams now hold. If this ruling holds, NASCAR could choose to just run with 30 charters, increasing the payout for the remaining teams. 

However, no one is sure what will happen in the case of the charters that helped create the third teams for both 23XI and FRM. They each purchased a charter from Stewart-Haas Racing at the end of the 2024 season, a team that has since shut down. The deal only went through because 23XI and FRM used the courts to push it through. These charters cannot be returned to SHR because SHR doesn’t exist. Gene Haas continues to race, but only as a single-car team in the Cup Series.

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Nick DeGroot

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How to watch, TV schedule, picks, predictions – NBC Sports Bay Area & California

From a road course in Mexico City to the Tricky Triangle in the Poconos. One week after its trip south of the border, the NASCAR Cup Series is on the move yet again. The world’s best stock car drivers will roll into Pocono Raceway for their annual visit to Pennsylvania. The one-of-a-kind 2.5-mile track offers […]

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From a road course in Mexico City to the Tricky Triangle in the Poconos.

One week after its trip south of the border, the NASCAR Cup Series is on the move yet again. The world’s best stock car drivers will roll into Pocono Raceway for their annual visit to Pennsylvania.

The one-of-a-kind 2.5-mile track offers a distinct challenge, with three unique corners on the triangle-shaped circuit.

So, what’s in store for Pocono this year? What’s the TV schedule for the weekend? And who could contend for the win on Sunday? Here’s everything you need to know for The Great American Getaway 400:

When is the NASCAR race in Pocono?

The Great American Getaway 400 is set for Sunday, June 22, at 2 p.m. ET.

Before the race, there will be practice and qualifying on Saturday. The 37 drivers will be split into two groups, with each group getting 25 minutes of free practice. For qualifying, each driver will get one lap to set the starting order based on speed.

NASCAR TV schedule this weekend for Pocono

This weekend marks the fifth and final race streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video before TNT takes over.

Adam Alexander (play-by-play), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (analyst) and Steve Letarte (analyst) will be on the call for Prime, with Danielle Trotta, Carl Edwards and Corey LaJoie providing pre- and post-race coverage.

Here’s the full schedule for Pocono:

Saturday, June 21 (Amazon Prime Video)

Sunday, June 22 (Amazon Prime Video)

Who is racing in Pocono? Here’s the entry list

Thirty-seven drivers will race at Pocono — the 36 full-timers, plus one “open” entries.

Brennan Poole, a 34-year-old Xfinity Series regular, will jump up to the Cup Series for his 43rd career start in NASCAR’s top division for NY Racing Team. It will be Poole’s first Cup start since 2023.

Here’s the full entry list for Pocono:

Car number Driver Team Sponsor
1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Busch Light
2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Menards
3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Bass Pro Shops
4 Noah Gragson Front Row Motorsports MillerTech
5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports HendrickCars.com
6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing BuildSubmarines.com
7 Justin Haley Spire Motorsports Dorman
8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Zone
9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports NAPA Auto Parts
10 Ty Dillon Kaulig Racing Sea Best
11 Ryan Truex Joe Gibbs Racing Progressive
12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Wabash
16 AJ Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Celsius
17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Nexletol
19 Chase Briscoe Joe Gibbs Racing Bass Pro Shops
20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Rheem
21 Josh Berry Wood Brothers Racing Eero
22 Joey Logano Team Penske Shell/Pennzoil
23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing McDonald’s
24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Valvoline
34 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Grillo’s Pickles
35 Riley Herbst 23XI Racing Monster Energy
38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Long John Silver’s
41 Cole Custer Haas Factory Team Haas Tooling
42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Pye-Barker
43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Family Dollar
44 Brennan Poole NY Racing Team Members First FCU
45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Monster Energy
47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Martin’s Potato Rolls
48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Ally Best Friends
51 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Parts Plus
54 Ty Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing Monster Energy
60 Ryan Preece RFK Racing Kroger/Scott
71 Michael McDowell Spire Motorsports Gainbridge
77 Carson Hocevar Spire Motorsports Delaware Life
88 Shane van Gisbergen Trackhouse Racing Safety Culture
99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Very Good Ventures
2025 The Great American Getaway 400 entry list

NASCAR picks, predictions, favorites for Pocono

Three organizations have dominated the win column over the first 16 weeks of the 2025 season, and that should continue at Pocono.

Joe Gibbs Racing, with six wins, is primed for another strong weekend. Denny Hamlin, who missed last week due to the birth of his son, has more Pocono wins than any driver ever. Christopher Bell has three straight top-12s at Pocono, while Ty Gibbs was on the pole last year and finished fifth in 2023.

Team Penske, with three wins, should rally around one driver this weekend: Ryan Blaney. The 2023 Cup champion scored his first career win at Pocono eight years ago, and he added another victory last summer. The defending champion Logano was quietly fifth last year, too.

Get to know NASCAR driver Ryan Blaney.

Hendrick Motorsports, with four wins, has four legitimate chances to win at Pocono. Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman are both past winners at the track, and each scored a top-five finish last week in Mexico. Kyle Larson has led at least 15 laps in five Pocono starts, while William Byron has the best average finish among active drivers (9.4 in 11 career starts).

If anyone can challenge the big three, look toward a pair of upstart teams — RFK Racing and 23XI Racing.

Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher have won at Pocono, and they combined to lead 39 laps last year for RFK (20 for Keselowski, 19 for Buescher). For 23XI, Tyler Reddick has four straight Pocono top-10s (including two runner-ups) and Bubba Wallace has four straight Pocono top-11s.

The winning pick for Pocono is Byron, who gets his first win since the Daytona 500 in February and finally visits victory lane in Pennsylvania.

NASCAR past winners, race history for Pocono

Eight of the 37 drivers in the field are past winners at Pocono.

Hamlin holds the track record with seven victories (2006, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2019, 2020, 2023). Behind him, the active drivers with multiple wins include Busch (2017, 2018, 2019, 2021) and Blaney (2017, 2024). The one-time winners at Pocono are Keselowski (2011), Logano (2012), Buescher (2016), Bowman (2021) and Elliott (2022).

NASCAR pit stops are a sport themselves with how much planning goes into a perfect pit stop. Here’s what you need to know about what happens during a pit stop.



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Dale Earnhardt Jr. comes to JR Motorsports’ rescue after suspenion – Motorsport – Sports

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is stepping in to support his JR Motorsports team in a surprising yet fitting way this weekend. With crew chief Mardy Lindley sidelined due to a one-race suspension over loose lug nuts at Nashville Superspeedway, Earnhardt Jr. will don the headset for the No. 88 car driven by young phenom Connor Zilisch […]

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. is stepping in to support his JR Motorsports team in a surprising yet fitting way this weekend. With crew chief Mardy Lindley sidelined due to a one-race suspension over loose lug nuts at Nashville Superspeedway, Earnhardt Jr. will don the headset for the No. 88 car driven by young phenom Connor Zilisch at Pocono Raceway. The move comes shortly after Dale Earnhardt Jr. brought up his father in a bold Carson Hocevar verdict following a NASCAR incident, showing how deeply involved he still is in the sport on and off the track.

JR Motorsports confirmed the role change on X: “This weekend, @DaleJr will be filling in for Mardy Lindley as crew chief of the No. 88 as Lindley serves his one-race suspension for loose lug nuts following the NXS race in Nashville two weeks ago.”

The suspension stems from post-race inspections after Nashville’s Xfinity Series event on May 31, where inspectors found two loosely fastened lug nuts on Zilisch’s Chevrolet. As a result, team owner Lindley received both a $10,000 fine and the race-day suspension, although NASCAR deferred the crew chief ban to Pocono instead of enforcing it immediately after Nashville. This comes as Teresa Earnhardt’s massive net worth, inherited after Dale Sr.’s passing, continues to spark discussion about the Earnhardt family’s evolving legacy in NASCAR.

Despite the penalty, the decision drew attention — and criticism — from within the racing community, with some questioning whether JR Motorsports’ stature and Earnhardt’s ownership influenced NASCAR’s call to delay the suspension.

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For Earnhardt Jr., who is already serving as an analyst for the Cup race broadcast on Prime Video, this marks a fresh challenge and a rare return to hands‑on team leadership. A two-time Xfinity champion with 24 wins and 26 Cup victories, including two Daytona 500s, Dale Jr. brings both deep experience and a unique dual perspective as part‑owner and media figure.

Connor Zilisch, only 18 years old and racing in just his rookie Xfinity season, currently sits fifth in the standings and recently scored a career-best P2 finish at Nashville. Earnhardt’s guidance atop the pit box could be invaluable as Zilisch navigates Pocono’s tricky, 2.5-mile triangular layout for the first time.

Earnhardt Jr.’s decision to jump behind the scenes demonstrates his commitment to JR Motorsports and its driver development ethos. Since its founding in 1998 under Earnhardt’s lead, the team has become a staple of the Xfinity Series, aiming not only to win races but also to nurture future talent.

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From a broader lens, the situation highlights the strict enforcement of technical regulations in NASCAR — no matter the team’s fame or ownership. Loose lug nuts are considered both a safety hazard and a competitive risk, and NASCAR’s swift response reflects its growing rigor. That said, the deferred suspension did spark debate about consistency: while Lindley must sit out Pocono, some believe the delay benefits JR Motorsports.

All eyes will be on Earnhardt Jr. this weekend, as he balances broadcasting duties with crew chief responsibilities. His deep well of racing knowledge, passion for the sport, and relationship with Zilisch could pay dividends, potentially delivering a strong performance at Pocono — and reinforcing JR Motorsports’ position as a powerhouse in developing NASCAR talent.



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NASCAR’s Mexico City Race: How a Historic Event Overcame Skepticism and Delays

By Jenna Fryer AP Auto Racing Writer MEXICO CITY (AP) — Despite the handful of industry insiders too scared to leave their hotels in Mexico City, NASCAR’s first international Cup Series race of the modern era was a cultural experience that brought new fans to the series and provided its competitors with a chance to enjoy […]

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By Jenna Fryer 
AP Auto Racing Writer

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Despite the handful of industry insiders too scared to leave their hotels in Mexico City, NASCAR’s first international Cup Series race of the modern era was a cultural experience that brought new fans to the series and provided its competitors with a chance to enjoy a new country.

The event had its detractors — rumors persisted for months that it would be canceled over security concerns or the escalating tensions between the United States and Mexico — and some NASCAR team members remained critical all the way through Sunday’s race.



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Levy to Drive New Food, Beverage and Hospitality Experience for NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race – Speedway Digest

The NASCAR Chicago Street Race has partnered with Chicago-based Levy to wave the green flag on new Windy City flavors across Grant Park, July 5-6, 2025. The partnership taps into Levy’s local restaurant roots, sports and entertainment leadership, and motorsports expertise. Returning to Chicago’s historic Grant Park for the third year, the street race which […]

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The NASCAR Chicago Street Race has partnered with Chicago-based Levy to wave the green flag on new Windy City flavors across Grant Park, July 5-6, 2025. The partnership taps into Levy’s local restaurant roots, sports and entertainment leadership, and motorsports expertise.

Returning to Chicago’s historic Grant Park for the third year, the street race which has been dubbed “Event of the Year” by Sports Business Journal, will feature an expanded collection of Chicago’s favorite restaurants and menus curated by Levy.

“We are thrilled to partner with another Chicago-based culinary powerhouse like Levy to ensure that we continue to shine a spotlight on the local Chicago food scene,” said Julie Giese, NASCAR Chicago Street Race President. “With visitors coming from all 50 states and more than two dozen countries around the globe, this partnership allows us to both highlight Levy’s own world-class hospitality and also showcase even more local, family-owned Chicago neighborhood restaurants to our race attendees this Independence Day Weekend.”

“As a Chicago-lifer, I’m definitely biased, but I truly believe there is no city with more energy than Chicago during the summer,” said Andy Lansing, CEO of Levy. “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.”

This year’s festivities will debut a new food and beverage lineup across concessions and premium hospitality spaces featuring a deep roster of favorite Chicago restaurants. That includes two of Levy’s own restaurants in Chicago – Jake Melnick’s Corner Tap and River Roast – alongside local, independently-owned staples Mr. Beef, Bronzeville Winery, Lexington Betty Smokehouse, Robinson’s Ribs, and Josephine’s Southern Cooking, with more to be announced closer to race weekend. 

Across the Grant Park course, Levy and NASCAR will build on their existing sustainability programs with a renewed commitment to scaling up reusable products. Beverage locations across all areas of the event this year will use reusable cups.

Levy, which has grown from a delicatessen in Chicago’s Water Tower Place into a global hospitality leader, remains headquartered on Michigan Avenue in Chicago’s Gold Coast and has deep-rooted relationships across the city. The company leads the food, beverage and hospitality experience at nearly 20 locations around Chicagoland, along with marquee racing events like the DAYTONA 500 and Coca-Cola 600, and many other NASCAR Cup Series events.  

Look for more detail about the food and beverage experience at the 2025 NASCAR Chicago Street Race over the coming month.  

NASCAR PR



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Stenhouse-Hocevar feud could boil at Pocono

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. drives during a qualifying session for the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Hermanos Rodriguez race track in Mexico City, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) Ricky Stenhouse Jr. walks to his car before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., Sunday, June 8, 2025. […]

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Ricky Stenhouse Jr. drives during a qualifying session for the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Hermanos Rodriguez race track in Mexico City, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

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It will be interesting to see if the feud between Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Carson Hocevar reaches the boiling point this weekend at Pocono Raceway.

Three weeks ago at Nashville, Hocevar got into the back of Stenhouse, causing his car to spin into the outside wall. The crash ended Stenhouse’s day and caused him to finish last (39th). There were hard feelings, but the two drivers talked in the week after and appeared to smooth out things.

However, Sunday at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, the two got together again. Hocevar, running one lap down, had his car lose traction on lap 90 of 100 and slide into the path of Stenhouse’s car, making contact and causing it to spin. Although both cars continued the race, the incident likely cost Stenhouse a solid finish; he wound up 27th. Hocevar placed 34th.

After the race, an angry and frustrated Stenhouse approached Hocevar’s car with Hocevar still in it. He leaned into the driver’s side window and, despite Hocevar trying to apologize, began shouting at him.

“I’m going to beat your (expletive) when we get back in the States,” Stenhouse was heard saying on audio from the in-car camera.

Round 3 could take place Sunday at Pocono in The Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA.COM. It is part of a NASCAR tripleheader weekend at the 2.5-mile triangular track in Long Pond that includes the Craftsman Truck Series Miller Tech Battery 200 on Friday and the Xfinity Series Explore the Pocono Mountains 250 on Saturday.

Before heading to Mexico City, Stenhouse spoke about running at Pocono.

“(Turns) 1 and 2, I feel really good there. It’s got more banking,” Stenhouse said. “Turn 3 is actually a little flatter. I probably struggle a little more in Turn 3. It’s just all about getting your car filled and the balance where you feel comfortable at to be able to push the throttle down.”

In 21 Cup Series starts at Pocono, Stenhouse has an average finish of 22.3 with a seventh place in 2023 being his best effort. Last year, he got collected in a crash between Kyle Busch and Corey LaJoie and finished 33rd.

“Pocono is an odd race track, obviously totally different than a lot of race tracks we go to,” Stenhouse said. “We’ve had some recent success, some recent speed. It’s a race track where strategy comes into play. If you’re leading and fast enough to win, obviously it makes your strategy easier. But I feel like there are a lot more ways to get a good finish now.”

Case in point: his run at Pocono in 2023.

“We were struggling for speed and then people started pitting and because I got clean air and track position, I started running really fast lap times,” Stenhouse said. “So my crew chief was like, ‘Man, we’re just going to stay out because you’re running faster than guys who pitted.’ Then we ended up just doing two tires, so a shorter pit stop, got back out in clean air, stayed and ran good.

“So the way our cars are right now, if you’re in the 15th-to-20th area, you can stay out, start in the front and stay up there because we’re all so close. It was three-tenths of a second from first to 30th (at Michigan) in qualifying.”

Because of drafting, Stenhouse said it is critical to get a good run coming off Turn 3.

“That front straightaway is very important at Pocono for good lap times,” Stenhouse said. “You don’t want to be side-by-side with anybody. You want to get in line. Turn 3 is the most important corner on the race track still.”

Through 16 races, Stenhouse has two top-10s — fifth at Atlanta, sixth at Texas — and an average finish of 19.1 in the No. 47 Chevrolet for Hyak Motorsports, which was rebranded from JTG Daugherty Racing this season. The 37-year-old driver from Olive Branch, Mississippi, has 312 points and is 61 points in back of Chris Buescher for the 16th and final cutoff spot for the playoffs over the final 10 races.

Stenhouse drives for one of the few single-car teams in NASCAR. He said sometimes there are advantages to that. For example, when drafting you don’t have to worry about waiting for your teammate to come with you.

For the most part, though, Stenhouse wishes he had a teammate.

“It is difficult on a weekend when you’re struggling,” he said. “There are race tracks we go, we’ll go practice and even if my car is good, we’ll run 15-20 laps, come in and make a pretty big adjustment on our car to see what that does. That’s mainly just to get another data point because we can’t phone-a-friend and ask how our teammate is driving and what adjustments they made. So we’re at a disadvantage in the grand scheme of things.

“At least we have a better focus. We’re not trying to get a car to drive good for two different people; we’re trying to get a car to drive the way I need to drive. So all our notes are good for us, same driver, same team, same kind of car over the years. So we’re building our notebook, but I would much rather have a teammate.”

Practice and qualifying for The Great American Getaway 400 is scheduled for Saturday. The 160-lap race is scheduled for Sunday at 2 p.m. and will be streamed on Amazon Prime. All camping sites at the track are sold out and limited grandstand tickets remain.

NASCAR AT POCONO SCHEDULE

Friday: Craftsman Truck Series practice, 12:35-1:30 p.m.; qualifying, 1:40-2:30 p.m.; Miller Tech Battery 200, 5 p.m.

Saturday: Xfinity Series practice, 10-10:55 a.m.; Xfinity qualifying, 11:05 a.m.-noon; Cup Series practice, 12:35-1:35 p.m.; Cup qualifying, 1:45-2:30 p.m.; Xfinity Explore the Pocono Mountains 250, 3:30 p.m.

Sunday: Cup Series, The Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA.COM, 2 p.m.

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Mr. Beef, River Roast, Jake Melnick’s at Chicago Street Race

We don’t know who will take the checkered flag at next month’s NASCAR Chicago Street Race, but we do know who will be behind the checkered tablecloths. Chicago-based Levy was named Wednesday as the new food and beverage provider for the third annual pop–up race in Grant Park, bringing a refreshed lineup of restaurants to […]

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We don’t know who will take the checkered flag at next month’s NASCAR Chicago Street Race, but we do know who will be behind the checkered tablecloths.

Chicago-based Levy was named Wednesday as the new food and beverage provider for the third annual pop–up race in Grant Park, bringing a refreshed lineup of restaurants to the July Fourth weekend event, from concessions to the premium hospitality clubs and suites.

Levy replaces Chicago-based Lettuce Entertain You, which handled food and beverages during the first two Chicago Street Races.

“We are thrilled to partner with another Chicago-based culinary powerhouse like Levy to ensure that we continue to shine a spotlight on the local Chicago food scene,” Julie Giese, NASCAR Chicago Street Race president, said in a news release Wednesday.

Launched 47 years ago from a Chicago delicatessen, Levy has evolved into a leading sports and entertainment hospitality company with more than 300 venues in North America. Chicago-area sports venues served by Levy include Wrigley Field, United Center, Rate Field and Now Arena in Hoffman Estates.

Levy is no stranger to big sporting events. Last year it provided the food and beverage service for Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, its sixth Big Game appearance in the new millennium. It also handles the hospitality at NASCAR’s marquee race, the Daytona 500.

A unique event on the NASCAR calendar, the third annual Chicago Street Race features an Xfinity Series race on July 5, and the nationally televised Grant Park 165 Cup Series race on July 6.

For this year’s Chicago Street Race, Levy will debut new offerings throughout the Grant Park footprint, including from its own Chicago restaurants, Jake Melnick’s Corner Tap and River Roast. It will also bring a number of locally owned favorites to the race weekend, including Mr. Beef, Bronzeville Winery, Lexington Betty Smokehouse, Robinson’s Ribs and Josephine’s Southern Cooking.

Review: Lexington Betty Smokehouse barbecue in Pullman is not only resilient, but resoundingly good

“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,” Andy Lansing, CEO of Levy, said in the release. “We’re so excited to help elevate an already wonderful event with a new level of food, beverage and hometown hospitality.”

The Chicago Street Race will once again feature a 12-turn, 2.2-mile course through Grant Park, down DuSable Lake Shore Drive and up Michigan Avenue, which will be closed and lined with fences, grandstands and hospitality suites. But a relocated concert stage will replace the Skyline, a temporary structure along Columbus Drive that last year housed the most expensive suites overlooking the start/finish line at Buckingham Fountain.

Southern rockers the Zac Brown Band, scheduled to perform after the Xfinity Series race, are the only musical headliners on the bill for year three. But NASCAR is planning to add a miniature golf course and other family-friendly activities to the festivities.

Street closings will begin this week for Chicago’s NASCAR street race. Here’s what to know.

Major street closings for the streamlined buildout have been reduced to 18 days. The first shutdown is set for Thursday — nine days later than last year — with Balbo Drive closing from Columbus Drive to DuSable Lake Shore Drive. All streets are scheduled to be reopened by July 14.

Single-day general admission passes start at $99 — a third less than last year — while premium grandstand reserved seats are priced at a nearly 50% reduction. Children 12 and under are free both days, with an accompanying adult.

rchannick@chicagotribune.com

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