When it comes to NASCARs upcoming return to downtown Chicago , Julie Giese has a long list of responsibilities. The track president is monitoring an ambitious construction schedule for the street course, to go along with everything else that goes into the busy weekend.
What happens next is going to have to wait.
The future of NASCAR in Chicago is murky going into its third edition on the first weekend in July. The three-year contract between the motorsports organization and the city that was announced in 2022 has two mutual options, and their fate is unclear.
Giese said there have been good conversations between NASCAR and the city, and there is time to work on the possibilities beyond the event.
So really right now the focus is on lets execute a really great 2025, Giese said. Well continue to have the conversations with the city. But right now, honestly, the more consistent conversations are the planning conversations.
Messages were left by The Associated Press seeking comment from Mayor Brandon Johnsons office. Johnsons predecessor, Lori Lightfoot, was in charge when the original agreement between NASCAR and the city was finalized.
The Athletic reported on June 18 that NASCAR was nearing an agreement to put a street race in the San Diego area next year . An announcement could come as soon as July.
Asked if she had spoken with NASCAR or anyone in the San Diego area about a Southern California street race, Giese said her focus is on Chicago. She also said she feels there is room for multiple street courses on NASCARs calendar.
We have multiple road course races on the schedule, she said. So I mean Ive not ever heard where it has to be one or the other. I mean there is room. This event, we went into it that first year knowing full well it was a proof of concept. And we showed that it is possible.
The Xfinity and Cup Series races in Chicago held on a 12-turn, 2.2-mile course against the backdrop of Lake Michigan and Grant Park are the main events in a festival-like weekend that also includes music and entertainment options.
It is geared as much to a new audience in one of NASCARs most important regions as it is to the most ardent racing fans. NASCAR used to race at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, a 45-mile drive from downtown, but it pulled out after the 2019 season.
This is a top-three market for us, worldwide frankly, for NASCAR fans, NASCAR executive Ben Kennedy said when the Chicago event was announced in 2022.
There was some concern for drivers and their teams about the course ahead of the first weekend, and it wasnt exactly warmly received by local businesses and residents because of the street closures in a heavily trafficked area for tourists in the summer .
But organizers have shrunk the construction schedule from 43 days in 2023 to 25 this year. Based on input from fans, they also have made adjustments to the race viewing areas and moved the concert stage to the start-finish line. Admission is free for kids 12 and under on Saturday and Sunday this year.
The weekend also has won over at least some people inside of NASCAR.
This was very different. But now its fun to see and hear from people in the industry that are coming in early, and theyre going to just enjoy the city for a few days, Giese said. The one piece that I hear from our drivers, especially, is they love just staying right at a hotel right across the street. Theyre walking across Michigan Avenue and theyre at the course.
Quite often with an umbrella. Wet weather had a major effect on each of the first two editions. Heavy rain nearly scuttled the inaugural weekend, and last years Cup Series race was shortened because of a rain delay and fading sunlight.
When the drivers were on the course, the racing was compelling. Shane van Gisbergen outdueled Justin Haley and Chase Elliott on his way to a historic Cup victory in 2023, and Alex Bowman stopped an 80-race drought with his victory last year.
I think theyve been up against it as far as conditions are concerned, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin said. The track has been good, its been racy and has passing zones and the scenery is fantastic as far as the backdrop we are racing in. Theres a lot of positives for the Chicago Street Race.
It will probably move around in the future, but its in the mold in which I would like to see any street race they continue to implement in the future.
谈及NASCAR即将重返芝加哥市中心，朱莉·吉斯（Julie Giese）肩负着多项重任。作为赛道总裁，她正在监督街道赛道的紧张施工进度，同时还要统筹这个繁忙周末的所有其他事务。
接下来发生的事只能暂且搁置。
随着七月的第一个周末迎来第三届赛事，NASCAR（纳斯卡）赛车在芝加哥的未来仍不明朗。这项由赛车运动组织与芝加哥市政府于2022年宣布签订的三年期合同包含两项双向选择条款，但它们的最终走向尚不明确。
吉赛表示，NASCAR与市政府之间已进行了'卓有成效的对话'，且仍有时间就该赛事之外的合作可能性展开探讨。
吉泽表示：“当前的重点确实是确保2025年的计划能够出色执行。我们将继续与市政府保持沟通，但坦白说，现阶段更持续的对话是关于规划方面的讨论。”
美联社已留言请求芝加哥市长布兰登·约翰逊办公室置评。约翰逊的前任洛丽·莱特福特在任期间，纳斯卡赛车公司与芝加哥市政府达成了最初协议。
据《The Athletic》6月18日报道，美国纳斯卡车赛（NASCAR）即将达成协议，计划明年在圣地亚哥地区举办街道赛。相关公告最早可能于7月发布。
当被问及是否曾与NASCAR或圣地亚哥地区的相关人员讨论过在南加州举办街道赛时，吉赛表示她目前专注于芝加哥赛事。她还认为，NASCAR赛历中仍有空间容纳多条街道赛道。
“我们的赛程中包含多条公路赛道赛事，”她说道，“我的意思是——我从未听说过必须二选一。实际上两者都有发展空间。这项赛事在第一年启动时，我们就很清楚它是一次概念验证。而事实证明这是可行的。”
芝加哥Xfinity系列赛和杯赛在密歇根湖与格兰特公园背景下举行，赛道全长2.2英里（约3.54公里），共设12个弯道。作为这个音乐娱乐嘉年华周末的重头戏，两项赛事与各类文娱活动共同构成了节庆般的盛大场面。
这项赛事既面向纳斯卡最重要地区的新观众，也面向最狂热的赛车迷。纳斯卡曾在美国伊利诺伊州乔利特的芝加哥兰速赛道举办比赛，该赛道距市中心约45英里（约72公里），但在2019赛季后便退出了该地区。
纳斯卡高管本·肯尼迪在2022年芝加哥赛事发布会上表示：“坦率地说，这里是我们全球范围内纳斯卡车迷数量排名前三的市场之一。”
在首个周末赛事来临前，车手及其团队对赛道状况存在一定担忧；而由于夏季旅游高峰期间封闭交通繁忙区域的街道，当地商户和居民对此也并未表现出热烈欢迎。
但主办方已将搭建周期从2023年的43天压缩至今年的25天。根据观众反馈，赛事方还调整了观赛区域布局，并将音乐会舞台移至起终点线附近。今年周六和周日，12岁及以下儿童可免费入场。
这个周末也赢得了NASCAR内部至少一部分人的青睐。
吉斯表示："这与以往大不相同。但现在看到业内人士提前到来，并打算在这座城市享受几天时光，这很有趣。" "尤其从我们的司机那里听到的是，他们很喜欢住在街对面的酒店。只需步行穿过密歇根大道，就能直达赛场。"
人们常常带着伞。潮湿的天气对前两届赛事都产生了重大影响。首届比赛周末因暴雨险些取消，而去年的杯赛系列赛也因降雨延误和暮光渐暗被迫缩短赛程。
车手们在赛道上的角逐扣人心弦。谢恩·范吉斯伯根在2023年一路力克贾斯汀·哈利和蔡斯·埃利奥特，斩获具有历史意义的杯赛冠军；而亚历克斯·鲍曼则以去年的胜利终结了自己长达80场比赛的冠军荒。
乔·吉布斯车队车手丹尼·哈姆林表示："就比赛条件而言，我认为他们确实面临挑战。但这条赛道表现优异，充满竞速激情且设有超车区域，沿途背景风光更是美不胜收。芝加哥街道赛有诸多亮点值得称道。"
未来这条赛道或许会有所调整，但它完全符合我对他们今后继续举办的任何街道赛事的期待标准。
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