George McDonald Jr. has been drawn to the noise, speed and people involved with NASCAR for more than 30 years. The retired mechanic and South Side resident attended auto races at now-shuttered suburban tracks and later traveled across the U.S. to see his favorite drivers.
But watching a race in Chicago is an experience that stands out, he said from the viewing stands on Michigan Avenue Saturday morning alongside his brother and sister-in-law.
“Twenty minutes from home, so we can come down and enjoy it and see the city,” McDonald said as number 48, a Chevrolet driven by Parker Kligerman, sped north on Michigan Avenue with a deafening roar. “Now, that’s what I love.”
What appeared to be thousands flocked downtown Saturday for day one of the NASCAR Chicago Street Race. They were greeted with clear skies and comfortable temperatures in the morning, a welcome reprieve compared to the torrential rainfall that mired last year’s event.
Drivers weaved through closed-off streets near Grant Park for cheering fans who filled the grandstands at the starting line and pit stops near Buckingham Fountain. Other enthusiasts formed standing-room-only crowds along the rest of the route, many plugging their ears as drivers roared south between the park and yachts bobbing on Lake Michigan.
The cars zoomed past the Field Museum down to Roosevelt Road, taking sharp turns back to Columbus Drive, eventually heading north on Michigan Avenue and then accelerating past the Art Institute of Chicago on Jackson Drive.
“I got some goosebumps and chills hearing it,” said north suburban Winthrop Harbor resident Murphy Kinsella.
Kinsella’s friend, Joseph Thompson, said he watched the race on TV last year and hoped for better weather this year.
“I’ve been a fan of NASCAR since I was a kid, but this is one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” the Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin resident said.
Others enjoyed the entertainment lineup, which included Chicago blues legend Buddy Guy in the afternoon. The Black Keys and the Chainsmokers are set to perform in the evening. NASCAR also unveiled its first electric racecar downtown Saturday, with plans to put the car on the street course tomorrow for laps.
Saturday’s The Loop 110 (Xfinity Series) is 50 laps, while Sunday’s Grant Park 165 (Cup Series) is 75 laps — 25 fewer than last year to allow maximum daylight and TV broadcast time.
Kyle Larson won the pole for the Cup Series race Saturday afternoon, beating Ty Gibbs by one-hundredth of a second. Larson is going for his fourth win of the season in his 350th career Cup Series start. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has five poles this year and 21 for his career.
“This year qualifying, I mean racing, too, has been a strong suit, but qualifying, we’ve been able to execute and get five poles to this point,” said Larson, who leads the Cup Series driver standings going into Sunday’s Grant Park 165. “That’s special. So yeah, hopefully, we can keep that up and keep our speed up in the races as well.”
Later in the afternoon, Shane van Gisbergen claimed victory in the Xfinity Series, racing back into first place in the final few laps. The New Zealand driver won the Cup Series in Chicago last year when he was largely unknown in the United States.
“What a great race,” van Gisbergen said. “It was pretty wild there at the end.”
Nebraska resident Lori Vanderplow cheered on Larson, her favorite driver, who placed third in the Xfinity Series. She sat in the grandstand directly across from the lined-up racing cars and crews, calling it a picture-perfect day.
She loved the view of her Michigan Avenue hotel and the rest of the skyline, which stood out against a clear blue sky. Vanderplow drove into Chicago last night with her husband, a Navy reservist, and they planned to enjoy the city, especially its restaurants, throughout Independence Day weekend.
“I love the atmosphere, being able to take in this panorama while watching the cars and seeing the city at the same time,” she said. “Everything is better with the back view of the skyline, but we’re here for the Chicago food as well, the pizza, the hot dogs and the beef. We’re giving money to your economy. We’re supporting you guys and we get good food, so it’s a win-win.”
In the morning, 43 cars competed for 38 spots in the Xfinity Series race, which kicked off at 2:30 p.m. They accelerated to more than 140 miles per hour on DuSable Lake Shore Drive, taking 90-degree turns at about 50 miles per hour.
McDonald heard but didn’t see several drivers bang into walls while navigating the 2.2-mile lakefront course, damaging their cars but emerging unhurt.
“It’s a tight course, so they keep wrecking,” McDonald said.
It’s the second year of Chicago’s NASCAR race, which has faced criticism from Loop residents and businesses for street closures and air quality. Kristin Enola Gilbert, co-owner of the Exile in Bookville bookstore in the Michigan Avenue Fine Arts Building, told the Tribune she had to shut down on what would be one of the busiest weekends of the year.
NASCAR Chicago Street Race President Julie Giese said people and businesses downtown now have a better deal and a better understanding of what to expect.
“It was that unknown,” Giese said Friday. “Now everyone has a really good understanding of the event.”
The Associated Press contributed reporting
