Inside the NASCAR Chicago Street Race: A Fan’s Guide to the Track, Tips & What to Expect
This post may contain affiliate links wherein we earn a small commission if you purchase or subscribe to a product from one of our links (at no extra cost to you!). Read our full Privacy Policy here.
NASCAR brought street course racing to life on the city streets of Chicago for the first time ever back in 2023. The Chicago Street Race ran from 2023 – 2025 and is rumored to the return to the city in the summer of 2027! In the interim, NASCAR is running the 4th of July weekend race at the Chicagoland track for the 2026 season.
We were lucky to be able to attend the street race in Chicago in 2025 (which is the only one of the three not cut short by crazy Midwest weather). It was such a unique racing experience with an incredible city used as a backdrop.
If you’re a NASCAR fan looking for some insight on what it was like to attend the Chicago street race, this post gives an overview on our experience and what you might expect to see at similar street courses in the future.
Looking for things to do in the city for any NASCAR Chicago race? Be sure to check out our full Chicago Race Weekend Travel Guide for where to stay, eat, and explore the best things to do in Chicago.
Location
The NASCAR Chicago Street course was plotted out on the city streets around Grant Park right in downtown Chicago.
Because of the race location, staying in the downtown area meant no worries about parking. The race was easy to reach by foot (we stayed at the Hyatt Regency) or ride share/taxi!
Seating: Grounds Pass vs. Reserved
I think it can be said that any street course is going to give spectators a limited view of what’s happening on the track. For that reason, I would highly recommend getting a reserved seat for a street race.
We went with the General Admission (aka the Grounds Pass) due to pricing. However, if we had a do-over, we would most definitely opt to splurge for reserved seats in one of the stands. I can confirm that Grounds Pass tickets did not give many good options for viewing the actual race unless we were standing right against the track.
Do note that if they bring the street race back to Chicago in 2027, the layout could look completely different as NASCAR and the city work to optimize the track for a better fan experience and for local Chicagoans who work and live in the city.
Trackside Eats
There were quite a bit of food vendors scattered around different parts of the track serving iconic Chicago foods (Chicago dogs, Italian beef, and deep dish), along with foods from other local Chicago restaurants like BBQ and tacos.
Here are a few food vendors that stood out to us, with a full list on the NASCAR Chicago website here.
Lexington Betty’s & Tacotlan
Located next in Fan Plaza was Lexington Betty’s Smokehouse serving hearty BBQ, including pulled pork and brisket sandwiches with hot honey cornbread. Just next to it was Tacotlan with steak tacos and quesabirrias.
The Original Mr. Beef
Italian beef sandwiches are a quintessential Chicago food and Mr. Beef is one of the most recognized brands in Chicago (thanks to being featured on The Bear TV show).
A hot Italian beef from Mr. Beef was our food of choice at the race – something I had planned in advance knowing they were going to be there!
This iconic Chicagoan sandwich was delicious – salty and savory with a nice crunch from the giardiniera. The bun was a little on the stale side though, but it was at least nice to have a solid Chicagoan staple as our race-day meal.
Prices were a little inflated for the race, i.e. our Italian beef set us back $17+, which is definitely several dollars more than what you’d pay for at the flagship restaurant in the city. However, that’s kind of to be expected for events like these.
Be sure to check out more Italian beef recommendations when visiting Chicago in our Chicago Travel Guide.
Lou Malnati’s
Another Chicago classic is deep dish pizza, and Lou’s is one of the best in the city! We had plans to visit a Lou’s restaurant the following day, so we didn’t end up stopping by here. If I had to guess, they probably were selling smaller, pre-made and simplified versions of their pizza.
We So Corny
Another spot that caught my eye was We So Corny (probably because they had a display of all the foods on the menu). This stand had a bunch of different corned-themed dishes, including nachos, tacos, and a seafood boil.
Trackside Drinks
For drinks, some of the choices included Liquid Death (water), Bud Light beers and seltzers (I’m actually a fan of their black cherry seltzer!), and Jack Daniels Ginger Ale.
Trackside Facilities
Grant Park is quite large and there were so many different areas to explore. They still have the interactive maps on the NASCAR Chicago site. These helped greatly with showing the layout of the track and where to find all the different food vendors, seats, and amenity tents.
Fan Plaza
Fan Plaza was designated around the Buckingham Fountain, which included food and drink tents and photo ops with NASCAR signs, and the merch tent.
Merch Tent
There was a large merch tent set up to buy souvenirs, including t-shirts, magnets, mugs, and other miscellaneous race-related gear. Of course, everything costs a pretty penny in here but we did get a couple of shirts and our friends bought us a magnet for our travel collection!
Toilets
Ample porta potties were set up around the track with accompanying hand washing stations. There were plenty of stations spread out around the park, so we didn’t have to wait in line long to use the restroom.
TV Viewing Areas
General admission for street courses doesn’t get you the greatest views of the track. Thankfully, there were a few spots in the park with large TVs to get better coverage of the race. We grabbed our Italian beef sandwiches and sat in front of one on the grass while we ate.
Chicago Race Weekend Weather
Midwest weather is very interesting and actually took us a little by surprise!
- It can get very hot and muggy in the summer (something we had to clue about – it was our first time to Chicago!)
- Summer in the Midwest also means chance of thunderstorms
As evidenced by the 2023 and 2024 street races, thunderstorms can definitely be a factor, causing race delays and fans to get wet. In 2025, we also had thunderstorms looming but they thankfully held off until the end of the race.
What to Pack
Considering the potential for summer thunderstorms in Chicago, being be prepared for the possibility of rain showers was important. We packed light rain jackets just in case (and thankfully didn’t have to use them).
Bag Policy
The Chicago Street Race had pretty strict size limitations on bags – they had to be clear if larger than a 6 x 6 (which is obviously very restrictive – I can’t even fit my phone in bag this size!).
I brought a small, clear crossbody that I was able to stuff my thin rain jacket in and fit a few other items like my phone, wallet, and a couple of personal items. Thankfully, I didn’t need to use my rain jacket but I was glad to have it just in case! This bag could easily fit a thin, folded poncho too.
More on their entry policy here.
Our Standard Race Day Packing List
- Comfortable shoes: With any race track, you’re going to do a lot of walking. Make sure to wear comfy shoes! We recommend Vessi sneakers since they’re also waterproof. Kiziks are also comfortable with water-resistant options.
- Water resistant or waterproof backpack/purse (or small, clear bag depending on the track)
- If you prefer smaller crossbodies, this Beis sport pack is a great option
- Ear plugs (NASCAR cars generate the loudest sounds we’ve ever heard!)
- Sunscreen
- Chapstick
- Hat with your favorite driver’s number
- Sunglasses (men’s/women‘s)
- A light rain jacket (men’s/women’s) or poncho (rain can and will happen at some tracks)
- Sharpie for autographs or special activities (like signing the start/finish lines)
Other NASCAR Chicago Notes
Here are a few other comments and notes we have about the Chicago Street Race.
Fan Events
There were fan experiences scattered around the city leading up to the race (i.e. Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick were at a local McDonalds to sign autographs on the 4th of July). We happened to walk by the restaurant the day after they were there – a picture with their picture was the best we could do.
Be sure to follow your favorite teams and drivers on social media to get a heads up for these events!
Pre-Race Concert
Our tickets to the Cup race on Sunday did include admission to the Zach Brown Band concert the day prior, and I imagine any future races will do the same. We were too busy exploring Chicago to make time for the concert unfortunately.
All in all, we enjoyed our time at the NASCAR Chicago Street Race. While we didn’t get to actually see as much of the race as we wanted to, it was so fun to visit Chicago and just enjoy the vibe. I’d definitely do it again in the future!
