Bubba Wallace and NASCAR Coming to Chicago!

Bubba Wallace and NASCAR drivers speeding through Chicago isn’t something you would see every day. Photo by USATSI

Now this is going to be interesting. All my life as a Chicagoan this is one thing I could have never predicted. I thought Chicago was crazy with the ill-fated 2016 Olympics bid. But bringing an actual NASCAR racing event to the streets of downtown Chicago? This is even crazier and dumber. So yeah, I’m all in on this one.

It is not that I’m a NASCAR fan by any stretch of the imagination. But I’m all for quirky and innovative ideas that also make money. I also support anything that promotes Chicago in a positive light. So, bringing one of the world’s most popular sports to my hometown, most likely through the streets of downtown to further show-off our beautiful skyline, yeah, let’s do this. I mean the Bears are leaving Soldier Field anyways, so might as well have race cars doing 150 mph past the historic landmark as they head towards “The Bean.” Chicago drivers have been speeding down Lake Shore drive at neck-breaking speeds for years so you might as well let the professionals have at it.

As crazy and nutty as this idea seems, I think Chicagoans will not only go for it, but probably turn out to watch it in person. For one it means the city will actually have to pave or (gulp) resurface many arterial streets in the downtown area that have been neglected for years. Although I think it could make the race a hell of a lot more interesting if you leave the potholes in place, but we can’t have these million-dollar machines ruined by a city pothole. Plus trying to get reimbursed from the city after you hit one takes years.

Could Bubba Wallace be bringing his trademark #43 car to Chicago?

But credit NASCAR too. They obviously are trying to broaden their fanbase to include non-traditional racing fans in urban areas. Two years ago, after George Floyd’s murder and the wave of social justice protests that swept the country, NASCAR made the bold decision to ban the Confederate Flag at their events. They received a bunch of backlash from core fans, but gained the respect of so many more new fans. NASCAR also went out of its way to ramp up promotion for Bubba Wallace, the only African American driver on the circuit. To the extent there was also a Black Lives Matter paint scheme on Wallace’s #43 car, which was sleek and beautiful.

This is also a win for Lori Lightfoot, the embattled Mayor who has done little right in her three years in office. The criticism of Lightfoot is warranted as Chicago is dealing with a multitude of financial and social problems, many of which she has exacerbated. But you have to give her credit that she pulled this off. There were signs this was coming. In June of 2021, Cup Series drivers logged-on to iRacing to virtually compete on the Streets of Chicago in a televised eSport event. While little attention was given to this event, it was a precursor of what will be coming. City officials gave NASCAR permission to scan the streets in the late hours of October of 2020. The circuit in the virtual race was conducted over that two-mile scanned area, which included Lake Shore Drive, Grant Park and Michigan Avenue. How cool will it be to see race cars flying past the newly restored lions at the Art of Institute, the spot that used to be home to the Columbus statue in Grant Park and along the streets that usually host Taste of Chicago during the summer?

I’m sure NASCAR will also take the opportunity to create several events throughout the city to teach people about the sport. There will be tens of thousands of curious onlookers and novices to the sport.  An idea would be to do things similar to what the NFL does in Super Bowl hosting series, with interactive displays people can participate in throughout the city. This can provide an opportunity for Chicago Public School students to use the STEM lessons they are learning and apply it to what goes into building race cars and for those interested in the auto technology field, the chance to see how pit crews work in person.  

The city and NASCAR have scheduled a press conference for 2:30 p.m. on July 19th where more details are expected. Pretty soon we may be hearing something in Chicago we never thought we would hear. “Gentlemen, start your engines!”