NASCAR Chicago Street Race will not return in 2026, could come back in 2027

CHICAGO (WLS) — The NASCAR Chicago Street Race will not return in 2026, but it could come back in 2027, officials said.

After three years of Fourth of July weekend racing, NASCAR is hitting the brakes on 2026, telling Mayor Brandon Johnson in a letter that it needs time “to explore a new potential race date… and to develop a plan that further optimizes operational efficiencies,” saying its “goal is for the Chicago Street Race to return in 2027.”

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NASCAR announced Friday the Chicago Street Race will “hit pause” next year as they assess future options for bringing racecars back to the streets of downtown Chicago. An announcement was made on social media.

Construction and deconstruction and the street closures schedule for the NASCAR races were shortened this year compared to the last two events. The impact on Grant Park and the surrounding area is a big consideration for some downtown alders in determining their support for bringing the race back in the future.

READ MORE | With 3-year contract over, will NASCAR Street Race return to Chicago?

“To ask for more time actually is appropriate,” 2nd Ward Alderman Brian Hopkins said. “There’s a lot of complexity to this decision especially when we’re trying to find a date that works for us.”

Ald. Hopkins is among a number of Chicago City Council members who don’t want the race on Fourth of July weekend, citing disruption to downtown residents.

“It’s probably the worst possible weekend of the summer to close Grant Park a month before and month after,” Hopkins said.

NASCAR estimates the race’s economic impact to the city at more than $100 million a year, but 34th Ward Alderman Bill Conway wants NASCAR to reimburse the $5-6 million the city spends to host the event. This year, NASCAR paid the city a little more than $2.5 million, in addition to the city’s cut of concessions and merchandise sales.

“I hope that we can have this race in the future on a weekend that is not July 4th, and in a way that makes financial sense for the city,” Conway said.

But finding new dates may not be that easy with events in Grant Park almost every summer weekend, and concerts like Lollapalooza and Sueños requiring weeks of setup and tear down.

Alderman Bill Conway of the 34th Ward shared the following full statement:
“It’s disappointing that negotiators haven’t been able to move this event off the July 4th weekend-especially given how NASCAR has provided Chicago the opportunity to shine on the world stage. Over the past two years, NASCAR has made meaningful efforts to reduce disruptions for residents and businesses along the race route, streamline setup and takedown, and maintain open lines of communication with our community. I hope parties return to the table with a commitment to making this event work even better for Chicago, both logistically and financially.”