Chicago Street Course

Track Info

Location	Chicago, Illinois (Grant Park / downtown)
Type	Street Course
Length	2.2 miles (3.540 km)
Turns	12
Surface	City streets (asphalt and concrete)
Capacity	~50,000+ (temporary grandstands plus standing areas)
Opened	2023 (NASCAR debut)

Track Characteristics

The Chicago Street Course represents one of the boldest moves in NASCAR history - bringing stock cars to the streets of a major American city. The circuit winds through the iconic Grant Park area near Lake Michigan, passing by landmarks like Buckingham Fountain and the Chicago skyline. The combination of heavy, powerful stock cars on bumpy city streets creates a unique racing spectacle unlike anything else on the schedule.

Street circuits present challenges that purpose-built tracks do not. The surface is rough and inconsistent, with manhole covers, storm drains, and expansion joints disrupting grip in unexpected places. The concrete barriers leave zero margin for error, and the narrow streets mean passing requires either outbraking a competitor or forcing an opening. Rain has been a factor at Chicago, and wet streets with stock cars create absolute chaos.

The tight, 90-degree street corners are connected by short straights where drivers attempt to build speed for late-braking passes. The combination of a temporary course layout with the unpredictability of street racing has produced some of the most memorable moments in recent NASCAR history, including rain-soaked finishes and dramatic bumper-to-bumper battles through the downtown streets.

Getting There

Nearest Airport	Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) - approximately 20 miles northwest. Chicago Midway (MDW) is about 12 miles southwest.
Nearest City	Chicago, IL. The course is in downtown Chicago near Grant Park, Michigan Avenue, and the lakefront. Easily accessible by CTA trains and buses.

Series That Race Here

• NASCAR Cup Series
• NASCAR Xfinity Series

2026 NASCAR Event Info

Cup Race	Grant Park 220
Date	July 5, 2026
TV	NBC

Track Records

Note	Street course records are still being established. The circuit debuted in 2023 and configurations may change year to year.

Notable Past Races

• 2023 Inaugural Race: Shane van Gisbergen, the Australian Supercars champion, stunned the world by winning in his Cup Series debut on rain-soaked streets, immediately becoming a NASCAR fan favorite.
• 2024: The second running of the Chicago street race continued to generate excitement, with the downtown setting providing a spectacular backdrop for stock car racing.
• 2025: The event continued to grow in popularity, establishing Chicago as one of the marquee events on the NASCAR calendar.

Track Facts

• The Chicago Street Course is one of only two street circuits on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, bringing stock car racing to a truly urban environment.
• The course layout passes near several Chicago landmarks, including Buckingham Fountain, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Museum Campus.
• Shane van Gisbergen's debut win in 2023 was the first time a driver won a Cup race in their debut since Johnny Isley in 1950.
• The race weekend includes a major entertainment component, with concerts and events in Grant Park that turn it into a full festival experience.
• Chicago's public transit system makes this one of the most accessible races on the NASCAR calendar, with CTA trains stopping within walking distance of the circuit.

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