The current contract between NASCAR and the City of Chicago ends with this year’s Grant Park 165 Chicago Street Race (2 p.m. ET Sunday on TNT, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
There’s a two year mutual option that could extend the event, if both NASCAR and the city deem it worthwhile to do so.
As of yet, nothing has been decided.
“We have those two option years, and we’ve had great conversations with the city,” said Chicago Street Race president Julie Giese. “Our focus is on July 5 and 6 (this year).
“We have some time after the race to have those conversations, so we’re just going to focus on having the best street race we possibly can.”
Denny Hamlin, pole winner for the inaugural race, advocated for the return of the event next year.
“I personally would like to see them do everything they can to keep it here,” Hamlin said. “I’d like to see the city rally behind this race. I could just tell you that non-racing fans at the hotel I’m staying at are talking about the race. I think that it’s certainly got some sort of economic impact to the city itself.
“We’re certainly exposing some new fans to this. I think it’s very important. I think you try everything you can to get this thing back here in Chicago, because I believe it is an important place for us. I still would like to see Chicagoland (Speedway), not as a substitute for this race. I’d like to see us run both.”
Chicagoland, a 1.5-mile intermediate speedway in Joliet, Ill., last hosted a NASCAR Cup Series race in 2019.
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