NASCAR crews make final preparations for 2025 Chicago Street Race in Grant Park
For weeks, Chicago has been revving up for race day, and it's almost here as NASCAR returns for its third annual Chicago Street Race in Grant Park.
NASCAR teams were making their final preparations on Friday, as the city prepares to host the race for what could be the final time.
The race is in the third year of a three-year deal between the city and NASCAR, although the contract includes an option to extend the race for 2026 and 2027. City leaders are still weighing whether to keep it going beyond this year, but either way, organizers have been looking forward to this weekend's race.
"It's a huge sports town, and we're racing on the streets in downtown Chicago, so it's massive," said Rich Heinrich, the product manager for NASCAR at Goodyear.
Before the street race, there's the race behind the scenes run by guys like Henrich, to get the track, grandstands, cars, and other preparations ready for the main event.
"Once the gates open, teams all come running in. It's kind of like the Oklahoma land rush. You know, you got people that are getting ready to go to work," he said.
Heinrich makes sure every NASCAR team has enough rubber to meet the road.
"We brought a total of almost 3,000 tires," he said. "The Cup Series is allowed seven sets for the weekend. The Xfinity is allowed six sets."
As NASCAR teams rushed to get ready on Friday, merchandise was moving fast.
"It's very hectic. It'll be sea of people out here and just crazy busy all day," said Matt Cooling, a cashier who will be at the register all weekend. Well – most of it.
"We might sneak out and see a few laps of the race," he said.
The 2.2-mile course through Grant Park will test drivers at every turn – all 12 of them.
"You've got a combination of sidewalks, you've got asphalt, you've got concrete. There's a lot of variation, because you're racing really on the streets where people normally drive or walk," Heinrich said.
The past two years, the bigger challenge wasn't the track, but the weather, as rain cut short festivities in 2023 and 2024.
"Sunday's kind of the question mark right now, but hey, I have faith. I have faith," Henrich said.
Faith – and wet weather tires – might be all that a driver needs when the real race starts right after the one behind the scenes.
"Just waiting for the cars to get out on the racetrack," Heinrich said.
Even if the rain holds off this weekend, drivers will have to contend with the heat.
Temperatures on Saturday could reach about 95° in Chicago. One driver said when it's that hot, it can feel like 130° to 140° behind the wheel.
The Loop 110 Xfinity Cup race is Saturday at 3:30 p.m., and the Grant Park 165 Cup Series race begins at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
