2024 NASCAR Chicago Street Race Still Not Confirmed
NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race is in the wind.
NASCAR included the event’s return on its 2024 schedule for the weekend of July 7, but the city has until the end of the year to cancel it.
Now, a new report from Crain’s Chicago Business (via Jayski.com) says an agreement has yet to be reached between the city and the stock car racing series.
“We would have been happy to not have an announcement and to continue working on an agreement there,” a city official said.
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“That announcement was solely based on needing to put something out there in the context of their overall schedule for 2024.â€
NASCAR signed a tentative three-year deal with the city that included a 180-day opt-out clause that both sides could activate, and a $250,000 fee paid to the city if NASCAR unilaterally decided to cancel the event after that period, according to NBC Chicago.
NASCAR has not discussed possible alternatives if the 2024 event doesn’t happen. Chicago was effectively the regional replacement for Road America on the calendar after the Cup Series visited the Wisconsin track in 2021 and 2022.
Road America was also dropped from the 2024 Xfinity Series schedule after a 14-year run at the track.
The inaugural Chicago Cup Series race was held on July 2 and hampered by storms, but became one of the most memorable in NASCAR history as first-time driver Shane van Gisbergen put on a master class to win for Trackhouse Racing.
The New Zealander is a three-time champion of Australia’s Supercars Championship series and has since signed a development contract with Trackhouse Racing that will see him compete across all of the NASCAR national series next season.