SAXTON: Chicago Street Race was a blast, again

CHICAGO — Young kids in race caps, groups of college-aged coeds with colorful NASCAR T-shirts, families dressed in race gear taking in the sights and sounds — big smiles and unmistakable enthusiasm were everywhere in Chicago’s famed Grant Park and all along the city’s famed downtown waterfront throughout the NASCAR race weekend.

Thousands showed up for “Bubba’s Block Party,” hosted by NASCAR Cup Series star Bubba Wallace of 23XI Racing, at the (second-annual) Chicago Street Race. Many in the crowd there enthusiastically attending their first race weekend.

The Mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, spoke at the NASCAR Cup Series pre-race drivers’ meeting and shared how much of a positive impact the two-year event has had on the city. He was so enthusiastic about the race he even wore a driver’s suit standing on the grid before the race — the towering, iconic skyline in the background.

All week, local Chicago newscasts led with weather reports specific to the race with the news anchors and reporters excitedly talking about sneaking over to Grant Park to watch the action themselves.

This was the second time around for the event. There’s a reason the Sports Business Journal already had proclaimed last year’s inaugural race the 2023 national sporting “Event of the Year,” beating out the Super Bowl and the Las Vegas Formula One race among other big-ticket sports events.

This year, not even rain and a red flag delay mid-race could dampen the enthusiasm in Chicago for this one-of-a-kind NASCAR doubleheader on the downtown streets during the July 4 weekend., with festivities partially moved to Douglass Park.

Sure, the mid-race rain delay was disappointing, but judging by the reception shown by this audience of largely new — and apparently loyal — NASCAR fans, the weekend was a win-win. Grandstands throughout the circuit were full once the race re-started.

Popular New Zealander Shane van Gisbergen won the NASCAR Xfinity Series race and Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman dramatically took the lead — on wet weather tires no less — with eight laps remaining to claim his first win of the year and end an 80-race winless streak in Sunday’s Grant Park 165 NASCAR Cup Series race.

“From a fan perspective, from where I was sitting in a dryer place, it makes for a great show,’’ Hendrick Motorsports executive and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon said.

“I thought other than just running out of time and not being able to get the full race in and having to stop, it’s a really entertaining event and I hope it does stay on the schedule,” he said. “I think this is a very important race for us because as I’m walking around the city yesterday and today, I’m hearing people, say, ‘Oh the NASCAR race is here.’ And you can just tell there are people that are here, even the hotels and restaurants, they know that NASCAR is here, they know a race is happening here and maybe a lot of those folks had never even watched NASCAR before.

“It’s a great way to show we are capable of racing at places like this, right here in the center of a major metropolitan city, which is an important market in exposure but it’s also opening the door up to a lot of new fans,’’ Gordon said. “I hope we continue to come back here and I hope we can try to experiment with some other places too.’’

It was a long but thrilling afternoon, the perfect punctuation to another weekend of well-received action. The NASCAR presence, both in the city and on-track, has been well-appreciated by fan and competitor.

“It’s nice to be back,’’ said reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion, Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney, who finished 10th in the race. “I came up here a couple months ago promoting the race and the excitement level was through the roof. … I’m happy that, you know, the city wanted us back and we decided to come back and put on even a better race than what we did last year.’’

Blaney later said of the support shown from the city and specifically, Mayor Johnson, “He just spoke to us in the drivers’ meeting and showed what he thinks of the event. He loves it.’’

Yes, there was some rain, but the atmosphere in the city and the racing on the track delivered all weekend.

Chicago sports stars, NHL Hall of Famer Chris Chelios and former Chicago Bears star Matt Forte spent time at-track and were happy to serve as race grand marshals.

And, of course, the legendary Michael Jordan is co-owner of the 23XI Racing team.

Members of country music superstar Keith Urban’s band — one of four major musical acts that played trackside over the weekend — spent the Sunday rain delay sitting on A.J. Allmendinger’s pit box.

“I came around yesterday and got to see all the behind-the-scenes on the track and a lot of work that goes into that, to set that up in the middle of a city,’’ Forte said. “That’s a big production. So, to see everybody walking around and enjoying the event and all the other activities set up, I think it’s great for the city.’’

The Chicago weekend was a must-see event for Wisconsin’s Mike and Rhonda Battuello, who can check off the Chicago track and have now proudly attended races at all but four NASCAR venues.

“The place is freaking awesome, unlike any other track we’ve ever been to, just a crazy experience downtown,’’ Mike Battuello said. “It’s amazing,’’

The weather may not have been ideal all weekend, but judging by the fans who turned out — and stayed out, the Chicago Street Race has been a welcome addition to both the city and the sport.

“I’ve gone to a lot of races and this is so unique in so many ways,’’ said Jack Brinson, 29, who travelled from Atlanta to attend the Chicago race. “The energy has been great. And it’s been nice seeing the interest in the sport, alone, and seeing it grow like it has. This weekend is an example of that.’’

Dark, tragic cloud still hovered

We all loved the roar of the engines and the burnout smoke at the Chicago Street Race. But this year’s event came with a sinister storm cloud hanging above. Remember Duane Tabinski, the audio engineer who died from electrocution last year while setting up the race that witnessed a staggering 3.35 inches of rainfall on Sunday? His widow, Kristin, sued NASCAR, the Chicago Park District, and a few private contractors for $50,000 in damages.

The lawsuit says there were exposed wires, missing safety equipment and, basically, everything that could turn a workday deadly — meaning someone dropped the ball, big time.

An official statement by the lawyer read: “My client came into contact with a high-energy wire that was uninsulated and unprotected. And we know that the only thing he would deal with as a sound guy was low-voltage wire. So somewhere along the line, whoever was in charge allowed this condition to happen.”

It certainly is a concerning incident.

Now, NASCAR and the Park District are staying tight-lipped. But some of those contractors, particularly Malko Communications, United Rentals, and Tyler Scenic, are saying it wasn’t their fault, and that it was Tabinski himself who “carelessly failed to exercise reasonable care for his own safety.”

Speaking of carelessness, OSHA closed its investigation without any citations, which, if we’re being honest, makes you wonder just how exactly the justice system functions.

Moreover, this guy wasn’t any self-employed roadie. He was a true NASCAR fan who even invented a “turnkey, rentable service for full range audio across the entire track” called the TracPac, and managed to see it used at the event before his death. Indeed, that must sting his family even more.

Love for the sport and a tragic loss all tangled up together. This is one story that’s far from over, folks.

International NASCAR race a matter of ‘when’

Questions have continued to circulate about a NASCAR Cup Series race in an international market. The 2025 schedule is not yet set, but the possibility of a race in Mexico or Canada seems to be on the way. My thinking is that NASCAR should be working harder at improving the racing they present. The events should not turn into fuel economy runs and demolition derbies.

“I don’t think it’s an issue of, ‘Are we going to eventually get the Cup Series outside of the US,’” Chad Seigler, vice president and chief international officer at NASCAR, said on Tuesday of last week at the NASCAR Production Facility. “It’s more of a matter of when. … We had seven different countries in Daytona this year that were just wanting to learn a little bit more.”

International races are nothing new for lower-tier series. Xfinity teams competed in Mexico City and Montreal during the Nationwide days. Craftsman Truck Series teams raced at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2013-19.

Cup teams also took part in exhibition races in Japan in 1996-98.

NASCAR has an interest in taking its top series to an international market in full force, especially considering the spikes in interest when Daniel Suarez and Shane van Gisbergen perform at a high level. However, there are some logistical issues to work through.

As Seigler explained, the first hurdle is finding a spot on the schedule for an international race. There are 38 race weekends, so where would an international race fit so that the extra travel does not become an issue?

Mexico and Canada alleviate some of these concerns as North American countries. The teams can transport cars and equipment with haulers like normal. Other destination markets like Brazil or countries in Europe are a different matter entirely.

“Brazil, it’s a long trip, but the positive of a place like Brazil is you’ve got water access and the time zone is only one hour difference than the US,” Seigler said. “So there’s some positives, but I think it’s more of us looking at the North America stock first before you expand somewhere.”

Taking on an international market is not a simple challenge, but it is one NASCAR will embrace. There is an understanding within the sanctioning body that it needs to reach other markets around the world while still keeping its core domestic audience happy.

NASCAR simply sees a big opportunity based on the response to the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, the NASCAR Mexico Series, the NASCAR Canada Series, and the NASCAR Brasil Series.

“We raced at Brands Hatch which is an obviously historical venue right outside of London,” Seigler said. “And two years ago, we set an attendance record there for 43,000 people. And you start to look at those numbers and you say, ‘Look, that’s some Cup-level numbers at some tracks.’”

At a time when race teams are complaining about increasing costs, why would NASCAR want to force even higher expenses on the teams?

Ernie Saxton is an auto racing contributor for MediaNews Group. He co-founded the Eastern Motorsports Press Association, served as public relations director for Grandview Speedway for 47 years, and is in multiple halls of fame for his promotion and journalism related to the sport. He has announced races at more than 100 tracks, and he is the only person to have announced a race at Madison Square Garden. Email him at ESaxton144@aol.com.