CHICAGO (AP) — Before NASCAR raced in the Los Angeles Coliseum in 2022, Kevin Harvick thought it was going to be a disaster. It didn't take very long for the event to win him over.
Heading into the Cup Series' first street race, Harvick is keeping an open mind.
“Going through all these new types of events kind of changes your mindset to how you approach it,” he said, “because you see the enthusiasm, right, like you can feel it, you can see it.”
After months of hype and curiosity, the NASCAR Cup Series hits the streets of downtown Chicago on Sunday at the end of a big weekend for the sport that includes concerts and other entertainment.
The 12-turn, 2.2-mile course includes seven 90-degree turns. There are lots of ways to get into trouble, including manhole covers, and transitions from concrete to asphalt and back. Getting in and out of pit road in front of Buckingham Fountain could become an issue, and restarts also could be an adventure.
“It's obviously narrow in sections. I think that's going to be a hot topic of things to talk about,” said Chase Elliott, who is still looking for his first win of the season. “I do think it's going to be difficult to pass once everybody gets up to pace come race time. But I hope that we're able to mix it up and do different things.”
As the drivers tested out the course Saturday in practice and qualifying, and the Xfinity Series raced in The Loop 121, the noise from the stock-car engines rumbled past the skyscrapers around Grant Park. Smiling passersby on Michigan Avenue stopped and used their phones to record some of the action through a fence.
The spectacle of racing in downtown Chicago was exactly what NASCAR was hoping to create when it announced the event a year ago.
“I think they told us that over 80% of the fans here this weekend will be people who have never watched a NASCAR race,” Harvick said. “If you’re gonna grow the sport, you’re gonna have to do stuff like this.”
NASCAR Cup Series
Chicago Steet Course – Chicago, IL
Grant Park 220 – July 2, 2023
Sunday's Starting Line Up
Pos Car Driver Team Time Speed
1. 11 Denny Hamlin Yahoo! Toyota 88.435 89.557
2. 45 Tyler Reddick Monster Energy Toyota 88.479 89.513
3. 91 Shane Van Gisbergen Enhance Health Chevrolet 88.588 89.403
4. 20 Christopher Bell CRAFTSMAN Racing For A Miracle Toyota 89.224 88.765
5. 99 Daniel Suarez Worldwide Express Chevrolet 89.322 88.668
6. 34 Michael McDowell Chicago Pneumatic Compressors Ford 89.328 88.662
7. 5 Kyle Larson HendrickCars.com Chevrolet 89.512 88.480
8. 15 Jenson Button Mobil 1 Ford 89.571 88.421
9. 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford 90.219 87.786
10. 16 A.J. Allmendinger Bath Plant by BCI Acrylics Chevrolet 90.283 87.724
11. 19 Martin Truex, Jr. Bass Pro Shops Toyota 89.404 88.587
12. 54 Ty Gibbs # Interstate Batteries Toyota 89.613 88.380
13. 48 Alex Bowman Ally Chevrolet 89.617 88.376
14. 23 Bubba Wallace McDonald’s Toyota 89.667 88.327
15. 17 Chris Buescher Fastenal Ford 89.687 88.307
16. 14 Chase Briscoe Mahindra Tractors Ford 89.687 88.307
17. 12 Ryan Blaney Menards/Dutch Boy Ford 89.756 88.239
18. 8 Kyle Busch 3CHI Chevrolet 89.805 88.191
19. 7 Corey LaJoie Celsius Chevrolet 89.859 88.138
20. 6 Brad Keselowski Elk Grove Village Ford 89.878 88.119
21. 43 Erik Jones DRAIVER Chevrolet 90.046 87.955
22. 24 William Byron Valvoline Chevrolet 90.169 87.835
23. 42 Noah Gragson # Wendy’s Chevrolet 90.225 87.781
24. 10 Aric Almirola Smithfield Ford 90.232 87.774
25. 38 Todd Gilliland gener8tor Skills Ford 90.235 87.771
26. 9 Chase Elliott Hooters Chevrolet 90.283 87.724
27. 78 Josh Bilicki(i) Zeigler Auto Group Chevrolet 90.331 87.678
28. 41 Ryan Preece Operating Engineers Ford 90.408 87.603
29. 3 Austin Dillon Get Bioethanol Chevrolet 90.521 87.494
30. 51 Andy Lally Camping World Ford 90.575 87.441
31. 2 Austin Cindric Discount Tire Ford 90.718 87.304
32. 21 Harrison Burton Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford 90.759 87.264
33. 77 Ty Dillon Chicago White Sox Chevrolet 90.799 87.226
34. 1 Ross Chastain AdventHealth Chevrolet 90.856 87.171
35. 4 Kevin Harvick GEARWRENCH Ford 90.980 87.052
36. 47 Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. Mariano’s/SunnyD Chevrolet 0.000 0.000
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series
WDUN will carry live MRN Radio coverage of Sunday's completion of the NASCAR Xfinity Series The Loop 121 from the Chicago Street Course beginning at 11 am on 102.9 FM and streaming live on AccessWDUN. WDUN will also carry live coverage of Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 220 from the Chicago Street Course beginning at 4:30 pm on 102.9 FM, AM 550 and streaming live on AccessWDUN.
