Downtown Chicago brought the skyline, city energy and street racing. Chicagoland Speedway brought camping, full-track views and a “true NASCAR feel.” Fans who attended both and an ARCA driver compare two drastically different NASCAR experiences.
What should NASCAR do with its Chicago-area races?
JOLIET, Ill. — For three years, NASCAR brought stock car racing to the heart of downtown Chicago.
The city's skyline, bars and energy surrounded the Chicago Street Race as cars raced past Grant Park and down Michigan Avenue.
This weekend, the Chicago market is getting a much different NASCAR experience.
Instead of skyscrapers, there are campers.
Instead of city streets, there is a 1.5-mile oval.
For NASCAR fans Trista and Brad Thomas, who attended the Chicago Street Race and made the trip to Chicagoland Speedway in Jiolet this weekend, the differences were immediately noticeable.
“For me, the city of Chicago and the Chicago Street Race, you just got all the energy of the city, the surroundings, the bars,” Brad said. “Then here, a lot of that's compacted into the pit area and this fan experience area, which has been absolutely incredible.”
The return to Chicagoland Speedway has also brought back elements of a traditional NASCAR weekend that simply were not possible in downtown Chicago.
Camping is one of them.
“In the city of Chicago, you really can't do the camping,” Brad said. “Here, you're getting the truest of fans that are really here, and you can see it passing people, the outfits being worn. You didn't see as much of that in Chicago.”
Trista noticed a similar difference when the two arrived at the fan experience outside Chicagoland Speedway.
“The city is kind of limited to what they can provide,” Trista said. “I felt like there were a ton of people, vendors, booths, stages, concerts, and it just felt homey.”
The difference between the two events is not only noticeable from the grandstands.
ARCA driver Matt Kemp has experienced both Chicago race weekends.
Kemp raced at Chicagoland Speedway on Friday before returning to the track as a fan. He also attended the street race.
Having spent time growing up around Michigan Avenue, Kemp admitted it was unique to see NASCAR transform familiar Chicago streets into a racetrack.
“I actually grew up, spent a lot of time on Michigan Avenue and everything in Chicago, so pretty interesting to see everything in the street race,” Kemp said.
When it comes to his personal preference, Kemp leans toward the oval.
“I like this kind of thing better personally than the street courses and all that,” Kemp said. “I think this is a pretty awesome environment and gives more of a true NASCAR feel, in my opinion.”
The oval also changes the viewing experience.
Kemp said Sunday marked one of his first times attending a race at an intermediate track as a fan. From the grandstands, one difference stood out immediately.
“You can see everything,” Kemp said. “It's amazing. Compared to Daytona or Michigan or these other bigger places, which are also great.”
After racing on the Chicagoland Speedway surface Friday, Kemp also got a firsthand look at how the track has aged during NASCAR's absence.
“It's really bumpy,” Kemp said. “It's pretty sweet how much the track has aged, but it is excessive. That's why you're seeing some of the excitement that you're seeing today (Sunday) because there's so much character in the racetrack.”
Kemp did point to areas where Chicagoland Speedway could improve the fan experience, particularly the facility itself.
“I wish NASCAR would upgrade some of the facilities,” Kemp said. “If they would put a little more time and money into upgrading some of these facilities, it would make for an even better fan experience like Daytona or Phoenix.”
Weather also created challenges throughout the weekend, particularly with parking.
Both Kemp and the Thomases mentioned the complications caused by rain, but Brad credited Chicagoland Speedway staff for navigating the situation.
“They did a really good job with the weather situation, making sure everybody knew what was going on, navigating the parking,” Brad said. “At the end of the day, we have a packed stadium tonight (Sunday) still, regardless of the weather, and that just goes to show you the kind of people that NASCAR fans are.”
Chicago and Chicagoland have now offered fans two drastically different versions of NASCAR.
One brought racing into the middle of one of America's largest cities.
The other brought NASCAR back to a traditional oval and gave fans the camping, sightlines and atmosphere many associate with the sport.
Kemp enjoyed both.
When asked to choose between the streets of Chicago and the oval in Joliet, Trista and Brad were torn between the two, Kemp had the racer in him take over.
“I love my ovals,” Kemp said. “But the road and street racing was pretty sweet over in Chicago as well.”
