NASCAR Returns to Chicago… Following the success of the inaugural event, NASCAR returns to the streets of Chicago this weekend. The NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series will compete on a temporary 2.2 mile, 12-turn street course. The 2023 NASCAR Chicago Street Race’s Grant Park 220 was the most watched NBC race broadcast since 2017 and was the most-streamed NASCAR race in NBC Sports history (163,500).
More Than a Race… Race weekend in Chicago will also feature a variety of musical acts, including The Chainsmokers, Keith Urban, The Black Keys, and Lauren Alaina.
NASCAR Racing in Chicago… NASCAR has a rich tradition in Chicago, with the Cup Series competing at five different tracks dating back to 1954 at Santa Fe Speedway. Other tracks to host NASCAR’s premier series include Soldier Field (1956-1957), Chicago Motor Speedway (2000-2001) and Chicagoland Speedway (2001-2019) and the Chicago Street Race (2023)
RCR: A Winning Tradition in the Windy City… Richard Childress Racing racked up seven victories across four NASCAR series at Chicagoland Speedway. Kevin Harvick won the inaugural Cup Series race at the 1.5-mile track, his second career win and added another Cup victory in 2002. Harvick won twice in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (2005 and 2007) while Elliott Sadler added a NXS win in 2012. In 2011, both Austin Dillon (Truck Series) and Ty Dillon (ARCA) were victorious at Chicagoland Speedway.
Catch the Action… The Loop 110 at Chicago Street Course will be televised live on Saturday, July 6 beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Follow Sunday’s Action at the Chicago Street Course… The Grant Park 165 at Chicago Street Course will be televised live on Sunday, July 7 beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Get Bioethanol Chevrolet at the Chicago Street Race… The NASCAR Cup Series is headed to Chicago for the second time on the city’s street course. At the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series event in 2023, Dillon had a strong top-five race going before a late-race accident ended his day.
Road Course Experience… Dillon has racked up 36 NASCAR Cup Series starts on road courses with a pair of top-10 finishes at Circuit of the Americas and the Charlotte ROVAL in 2022.
Delivering Performance on the Track and For the Planet… Dillon will race the Get Bioethanol Chevy at the Chicago Street Race, showcasing the performance benefits of racing with earth kind and engine-smart bioethanol blended fuel, Sunoco Green E15. Whether it’s delivering cleaner and cooler high-octane on the racetrack or a more affordable option for summer road trips, plant-based bioethanol makes a positive impact on our planet. NASCAR drivers have now officially raced 23 million NASCAR miles driven on Sunoco Green E15, a notable milestone for the environment as NASCAR’s partnership with Get Bioethanol has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent across its three national touring series while also increasing horsepower on the track. Learn more about bioethanol at getbioethanol.com.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
What are your thoughts on going back to the Chicago Street Race?
“The Chicago Street Race was entertaining for sure last year. The weather conditions were treacherous. We had a pretty good opportunity at that race. We were able to get to the front at the end, and coming down to the closing laps, I was running down Justin Haley and clipped the last corner there. Running behind somebody on a street course is tough. It’s easy to try and grab a little extra track that’s not there. Our No. 3 Get Bioethanol Chevrolet team learned a lot in 2023. Qualifying is going to be the toughest session we have all season because the course is so tight, and it will be harder to pass than it is on other road courses we go to. You will want to be at the front as much as possible and I’m confident we will be bringing a fast Camaro this weekend.”
Kyle Busch and the No. 8 zone Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at the Chicago Street Race… Kyle Busch will make his second start on the streets of Chicago. Busch scored a fifth-place finish last year at Chicago, one of 10 top-five finishes he would claim during the 2023 season. The Las Vegas, Nev., native will be making his 55th career NASCAR Cup Series road course this weekend. Busch has four victories in 54 previous road course events, winning twice at Sonoma Raceway (2008 and 2015) and twice at Watkins Glen (2008 and 2103). Busch also has two pole positions in road course competition, both at Watkins Glen (2011 and 2017). He has been remarkably consistent in road course events, piling up 29 top-10 finishes (a top-10 finish in 53.70 percent of his starts). Busch has led 429 laps on road courses. and has been running at the finish in 51 of 54 starts.
Did You Know? Since 2022, the No. 8 team at Richard Childress Racing has scored two wins (Road America and Indianapolis), seven top-five finishes, and has led 102 laps in road course competition.
Points Update… Busch enters this weekend 17th in the NASCAR Cup Series Driver Standings, 104 points below the Playoffs cutline.
KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:
What was your experience like last year at the Chicago Street Race?
“The Chicago Street Race last year was pretty exciting. I know we had the weather there and it kind of held up the start of things. I didn’t think we were going to race. I thought it was flooded, but it stopped raining, they got it kind of dried up, the standing water removed, and we were out there as it was still drying, running our wet tires. It was a challenging racetrack already with how narrow it was and how slick it was on city streets. Throw in the rain and wet aspect into it and it totally changes it for us. We struggled a little bit there early in the race, but we were able to turn it around. Our strategy worked really well, some breaks fell our way, and we were able to score a top-five.”
Last year you went nose first into the tire barrier but were able to bounce back and score a fifth-place finish. Were you surprised the car didn’t have more damage?
“I was thankful that the car didn’t have more damage than what it did. I was able to continue racing and was able to score a top-five finish, which was really good for us. I felt like we had a top-five car, so we achieved the finish that we should have so that was pretty good.”
Would you be okay with adding another street race to the schedule? If so, what would be a good location?
“I would say that another street circuit would be a pretty good idea. If we’re going to do it, we should go to an area that we’re not currently racing in. I wouldn’t change racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to run on the streets of Las Vegas. Let’s go somewhere different.”
Austin Hill and the No. 33 United Rentals Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at the Chicago Street Race… Austin Hill will make his inaugural NASCAR Cup Series start at the Chicago Street Course this Sunday. While Hill has not raced in the premier series at the 12-turn, 2.2-mile circuit, the 30-year-old has made one career NASCAR Xfinity Series start on the street course, earning a fifth-place result in 2023.
Turns for Troops… Through their Turns for Troops program, United Rentals will make a $50.00 donation for each lap that Hill completes in his United Rentals Chevrolet Camaro during the Cup Series race at the Chicago Street Course. Funds from the Turns for Troops program support military veterans and their families through Operation Homefront.
About United Rentals… United Rentals, Inc. is the largest equipment rental company in the world. The company has an integrated network of 1,504 rental locations in North America, 38 in Europe, 23 in Australia and 19 in New Zealand. In North America, the company operates in 49 states and every Canadian province. The company’s approximately 26,300 employees serve construction and industrial customers, utilities, municipalities, homeowners, and others. The company offers approximately 4,800 classes of equipment for rent with a total original cost of $20.66 billion. United Rentals is a member of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, the Barron’s 400 Index and the Russell 3000 Index® and is headquartered in Stamford, Conn. Additional information about United Rentals is available at unitedrentals.com.
AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:
This will be your first road or street course start in the Cup Series. Do you think the Cup Series car will drive differently than the Xfinity Series car?
“I do think the Cup car will be different. One of the biggest things I will have to manage on Saturday when going between the Xfinity car and the Cup car is that the brakes are bigger on the Cup car. I will be able to drive into the corner deeper, so whatever my lift point is in the Xfinity car, I should be able to go a few car lengths further in the Cup car. I don’t know how big that will be yet until I make laps in the Cup car during practice. Another thing I’ll have to manage is wheel hop. In the Xfinity car, you have to worry about wheel hop because the rear of the car can get out of the track very easily. When compared to the Cup car, wheel hop doesn’t seem to be an issue, but those cars can get loose under braking. It will have different feelings that I’ll figure out over the course of the weekend.”
Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Aerospace Technologies (WAT) Chevrolet Camaro SS at the Chicago Street Race… Jesse Love will make his first career NASCAR start at the Chicago Street Course this Saturday. As a current Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender, Love did not participate in last season’s inaugural event on the streets of Chicago. To prepare for the 12-turn, 2.2-mile circuit, the 19-year-old spent time in the simulator at the GM Tech Center in Concord, N.C.
One for One… Love has driven the WAT Chevrolet one prior time this season, earning his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory in an overtime finish at Talladega Superspeedway.
WAT Flying High… For this weekend’s event at the Chicago Street Course, Love will trade in his standard red-and-white Whelen Engineering colors for the black-and-yellow Whelen Aerospace Technologies (WAT) brand. Whelen Aerospace Technologies is the global leader in high-end lighting products for the aerospace industry. Their experienced staff designs, engineers, and manufacturers high-quality products that provide safety, visibility, and recognition for aircraft across all platforms. The design engineers work closely with OEM and service provider networks to design high-performance products that enhance the pilot experience, as well as provide safety of flight. As an FAA-approved production holder, WAT owns hundreds of STCs for aircraft landing, taxi, anti-collision and position lights. The in-house composite shop produces a wide variety of STC and PMA approved speed modifications for a number of general aviation aircraft. The expansive product line is sure to provide a solution for pilots and owners alike, based on their individual needs.
About Whelen Engineering… Whelen Engineering is a family-owned company with a pioneering spirit and a passion to protect the lives of those who protect and serve others. The company mission is to provide industry-defining safety solutions around the world, while creating a community of problem-solvers who are inspired to push boundaries and continue our legacy of delivering ground-breaking innovation. As a global leader in the emergency warning industry, Whelen has been trusted to perform since 1952, when George Whelen III invented the first rotating aviation beacon. Whelen now encompasses two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space and the largest design staff in the industry. Every part of every Whelen product is proudly designed and manufactured in America. We embrace quality as our foundation, we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce.
JESSE LOVE QUOTE:
Entering the Chicago Street Race, what are your thoughts on the course and overall experience?
“This will be my first street course race, so I’m not 100% sure what to expect. As I normally do each week, I’ve put in a ton of preparation to be as ready as possible. Between watching film and in-car from last year’s races and making laps in the simulator, I’ve done everything besides being in the actual race car. I’m happy that we get a full practice session on Saturday morning, so I can make as many laps before the race starts. The No. 2 boys have been bringing fast cars to the track each week, and it’s nice to have the WAT scheme back. We had success getting those colors into Victory Lane at Talladega earlier this season, so hopefully it brings some luck with it again.”
Austin Hill and the No. 21 Dow Coatings Chevrolet Camaro SS at the Chicago Street Race… With the NASCAR industry returning to the streets of Chicago for the second time in league history, Austin Hill will make his second start at the 12-turn, 2.2-mile circuit. Last year in the inaugural NASCAR Xfinity Series event, Hill qualified in fifth place, battled through torrential rain conditions, and finished in the fifth position as the race was made official with just 25 laps complete. In preparation for The Loop 110, the Winston, Georgia native has spent time completing laps on the simulator at the GM Tech Center in Concord, N.C.
Dow Brings a Science and Engineering Crew, Driven by Limitless Curiosity, to the RCR Team… As a longstanding partner of Richard Childress Racing, Dow Coatings will make their debut on the No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro SS on the Chicago Street Course. The team is supported by Dow’s materials science expertise and technologies. Backed by the power of data analysis and virtual modeling, Dow develops and manufactures high-performance components and materials custom-made for RCR. Dow and RCR’s partnership have expedited innovation and shortened testing time in the automotive industry by recreating in the lab one of the most extreme environments – the racetrack. After 10 years of collaboration, Dow scientists and RCR engineers are continuing to work together to make the cars faster, safer, and more precise. Stay up to date with Dow’s exciting developments at dow.com/sports and follow on X @DowSports.
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AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:
Returning to the Chicago Street Race for a second year, what did you learn in year one that can be applied to this weekend?
“Street racing is definitely a different experience. We didn’t get to complete the full race last season, so I’m hopeful that we get all the laps in this year and can see how the entire race plays out. We were decent last year, finishing fifth, but realistically should have been closer to third. You have to have a different mindset going into a street course. Traditionally on a regular road course, I look two or three corners ahead. But with this street course having walls on both sides of you, you can’t see ahead which changes the way you perceive things on the track. Hitting your marks consistently and making the apex of the corner is a little tougher since I can’t see as far forward as I would like to. The course itself has a decent amount of elevation change and is rough. I like that part and hope that it’s as rough as it was last year, because that fits into my driving style. When the track is rougher and the car is uneasy and moving around, it promotes the drivers who can get through the bumps better.”
