photo credit: Instagram/@aussie.rob
 

NASCAR’s Chicago Street Course race delivered a memorable mix of on-track moments and a unique atmosphere in Grant Park.

The first thing you notice about NASCAR’s Chicago Street Course is how bold and almost unbelievable the whole setup feels. Grant Park transforms into a racetrack that feels almost unreal the moment you walk in. You realize right away this is anything but a typical race weekend. Standing behind the barriers with your camera, watching forty stock cars weave through Grant Park, the scene is truly unique. Skyscrapers rise above tight corners, and the familiar feel of traditional tracks disappears. Daytona and Charlotte carry their own legacy, but Chicago is a different animal. Concrete walls stand in place of SAFER barriers, and the skyline presses close at every turn.

With fewer than ten laps remaining, the tension peaked. Alex Bowman spun Bubba Wallace with six laps to go. Their confrontation on pit road afterward reminded everyone that motorsports is about people as much as it is about speed. Then came Cody Ware’s crash into the Turn 6 barrier. NASCAR waited before calling a caution, which allowed Shane van Gisbergen to hold on and secure victory under yellow. NASCAR’s Chicago Street Course race featured early accidents, strategic pit stops, and intense final laps, creating a memorable event that might be the last of its kind at Grant Park.

Take a look at 50 photos that capture some of the action and scenes from NASCAR’s Chicago Street Course race.

[This is an excerpt of the original article “Inside NASCAR’s Chicago Street Course: How the City Shaped a One-of-a-Kind Race” that was published on RacersandRiders.com.]

Tags Chicago Street Race Nascar NASCAR Chicago NASCAR Cup Series Shane van Gisbergen