在格兰特公园举办第三届独立日周末赛事两周后，美国纳斯卡车赛（NASCAR）决定取消2026年芝加哥街道赛，但为次年择期回归保留了可能性。
美国纳斯卡车赛（NASCAR）周五在致市长布兰登·约翰逊的信函中表示，赛事将暂停举办，因需更多时间重新安排赛程，并进一步缩短临时赛道的搭建与拆除时长，以回应该市持续表达的关切。
NASCAR芝加哥街道赛总裁朱莉·吉斯（Julie Giese）在信中表示："我们的目标是让芝加哥街道赛在2027年回归，通过优化赛事安排进一步升级居民与游客的体验。我们将共同推进新拟议日期、缩短筹备周期并新增旅游吸引点。"
吉塞（Giese）表示，NASCAR芝加哥办事处将继续开放，他们将与市政府**协同合作**，重新安排街道赛事的日程，进一步优化赛事筹备的**运营效率**，并可能寻找提升该活动作为旅游吸引力的方法。
吉赛表示，尽管暂停了芝加哥站的实体赛事，纳斯卡赛车协会仍承诺明年将继续积极开展社区参与活动。
芝加哥市长办公室发言人在声明中表示：“我们感谢纳斯卡对芝加哥市的奉献精神，以及他们持续开展社区参与活动的承诺，特别是对我市青少年STEM教育的支持。我们期待就纳斯卡芝加哥街道赛可能于2027年回归一事重启讨论。”
该市刚刚结束了与美国纳斯卡车赛（NASCAR）为期三年的街道赛主办协议，这项赛事于2023年夏季首次举办。这份在前市长洛丽·莱特富特任期内达成的协议，包含为期两年的续约选项。
约翰逊市长在第三次比赛后明确表示，出于减轻执法压力等多方面考虑，市政府希望将赛事从繁忙的独立日周末移开。
根据原始协议条款，美国纳斯卡车赛（NASCAR）向芝加哥公园管理局支付了2023年50万美元、2024年55万美元以及今年60.5万美元的许可费，同时每张门票还需缴纳2美元费用，并对赛事期间售出的食品、饮料和商品支付递增佣金。此外，纳斯卡还同意从2024年起额外支付200万美元用于城市相关支出。
除更改赛事日期外，该市还在寻求更有利的财务安排，并加快临时赛道的搭建与拆除速度。这条赛道全长2.2英里（约3.5公里），设有12个弯道，贯穿格兰特公园，沿杜萨布尔湖滨大道向南延伸，再折返至密歇根大道。
该赛事造成的混乱一直是当地居民和企业争论的焦点。今年，纳斯卡赛车（NASCAR）优化了搭建流程，减少了主要街道的封闭时间，并提前两天于周六全面开放了最后一条道路——哥伦布大道与杜萨布尔湖滨大道之间的巴尔博路（Balbo）。
NASCAR历史上首场街道赛历经重重挑战：前两年因暴雨多次延期，且赛事为城市带来的净效益至今仍存争议。
根据芝加哥旅游局下属机构"选择芝加哥"委托的一项研究显示，去年的街道赛共产生1.28亿美元经济收益，吸引53,036名独立观众到场。另据一份补充报告披露，这场全美电视转播的杯赛系列赛事还为芝加哥创造了4360万美元的媒体价值。
尽管该赛事的现场观众人数尚未公布，但尼尔森数据显示，7月6日举行的杯赛系列格兰特公园165赛事电视收视率连续第三年下滑，在TNT有线频道的平均观众人数为210万。另据尼尔森统计，7月5日举行的Xfinity系列赛在其新转播平台CW广播电视台的平均收视人数为110万。
肖恩·范吉斯伯根（Shane van Gisbergen）继2023年赢得首届杯系列赛后，今年再度摘得桂冠，并同时夺得Xfinity系列赛冠军。这是芝加哥街道赛举办三年以来首次未受降雨干扰。
除暂停2026年芝加哥站赛事外，据报道纳斯卡正就明年在圣地亚哥举办街道赛进行谈判。此举是作为芝加哥站的补充还是替代，仍有待观察。
rchannick@chicagotribune.com
Two weeks after its third annual Fourth of July weekend run through Grant Park, NASCAR has made the decision not to hold the Chicago Street Race in 2026, leaving open the door to return on a different date the following year.
In a letter Friday to Mayor Brandon Johnson, NASCAR said it is pausing the race because it needs more time to reschedule the event and further reduce the buildout and breakdown time of the pop-up racecourse in response to ongoing concerns expressed by the city.
Our goal is for the Chicago Street Race to return in 2027 with an event that further enhances the experience for residents and visitors alike, as we work together towards a new potential date, shorter build schedule, and additional tourism draws, Julie Giese, NASCAR Chicago Street Race president, said in the letter.
Giese said the NASCAR Chicago office will remain open as they work collaboratively with the city to reschedule the street race, further optimize operational efficiencies on the buildout and potentially find ways to enhance the events appeal as a tourism draw.
NASCAR also pledges to remain active in its community engagement efforts next year, despite pausing the actual Chicago race, Giese said.
We appreciate NASCAR’s dedication to the City of Chicago and their commitment to continuing their community engagement efforts, particularly their support of STEM education for our city’s young people,02 a mayors office spokesperson said in a statement. We look forward to resuming discussions around a potential return of the NASCAR Chicago Street Race in 2027.
The city just completed its three-year agreement with NASCAR to host the street race, which made its inaugural run in the summer of 2023. The deal, struck during former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration, included a two-year renewal option.
Mayor Johnson made it clear in the wake of the third run that the city wants to move the race away from the busy Independence Day weekend to reduce the strain on law enforcement, among other concerns.
Under the terms of the original agreement, NASCAR paid the Chicago Park District a $500,000 permit fee in 2023, $550,000 in 2024 and $605,000 this year, as well as a $2 fee per admission ticket and an escalating commission for food, beverage and merchandise sold at the event. NASCAR also agreed to pay an additional $2 million for city expenses beginning in 2024.
In addition to a different date, the city is looking at a more favorable financial arrangement and speeding up the setup and breakdown times for the temporary race course, which plies a 12-turn, 2.2-mile circuit through Grant Park, down DuSable Lake Shore Drive and up Michigan Avenue.
The disruption wrought by the event has been a point of contention for residents and area businesses. This year, NASCAR streamlined the buildout and reduced major street closings, fully opening up the last road Balbo between Columbus and DuSable Lake Shore Drive on Saturday, two days ahead of schedule.
The first street race ever produced by NASCAR has weathered challenging conditions, including significant rain delays the first two years, and ongoing debates about the net benefits for the city.
Last year, the street race generated $128 million in total economic impact and drew 53,036 unique visitors, according to a study commissioned by Choose Chicago, the citys tourism arm.02The nationally televised Cup Series race also generated $43.6 million in media value for Chicago, according to a companion report.
While attendance figures for the event have yet to be released, TV ratings for the Cup Series Grant Park 165 on July 6 were down for the third consecutive year, averaging 2.1 million viewers on cable channel TNT, according to Nielsen. The Xfinity race on July 5 averaged 1.1 million viewers on its new TV home, the CW broadcast network, according to Nielsen.
Shane van Gisbergen, who won the inaugural Cup Series event in 2023, took the checkered flag once again this year, and also won the Xfinity race, as rain stayed away for the first time in the Chicago Street Race’s three-year history.
Beyond the Chicago pause for 2026, NASCAR is reportedly in negotiations to hold a street race in San Diego next year. Whether that’s in addition to, or perhaps a replacement for Chicago, remains to be seen.
rchannick@chicagotribune.com
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