Press Release | CHICAGO STREET RACES
CHICAGO, Ill. (March 7, 2023) – Today, the Chicago Street Race announced the official race names and lengths for the unprecedented 12-turn, 2.2-mile street races that will take the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series past and through many of Chicago’s most renowned downtown landmarks over Fourth of July Weekend, July 1-2. To honor the historic city of Chicago, the Cup Series race will be named the Grant Park 220 and the Xfinity Series race will be The Loop 121.
The Grant Park 220 will be a 220-mile race with 100 laps and The Loop 121 will be 121 miles with 55 laps. To recognize the 220 miles in the Cup Series race, the Chicago Street Race will send 220 local youth (ages 6-12) to the Chicago Park District’s Summer Day Camp.
“As the home of the nation’s first automobile race in 1895, the inaugural Chicago Street Race will recognize the city of Chicago with the Grant Park 220 and The Loop 121,” said Julie Giese, Chicago Street Race President. “For the first-ever Cup Series street race in NASCAR’s 75-year history, we are proud to continue to have a positive impact in the Chicago community by sending one local youth for each mile of the Grant Park 220 to the Chicago Park District’s Summer Day Camp.”
Grant Park, commonly referred to as “Chicago’s Front Yard,” is a public park located in Chicago’s central business district in The Loop neighborhood. Grant Park’s most notable features include Maggie Daley Park, Buckingham Fountain, Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum Campus. The park plays host to some of the city’s largest food and music festivals, including The Taste of Chicago and The Grant Park Music Festival. Grant Park is also the site of the start and finish lines for the Chicago Marathon, Lollapalooza, and NASCAR’s first-ever Chicago Street Race.
Recognized as one of the largest business districts in North America, The Loop is a vibrant area in the heart of Chicago filled with iconic local attractions, including architecture, river cruises, Millennium Park, the Chicago Riverwalk, historic theatre district, eclectic eateries and shops, and more. The name refers to the elevated L train that makes a loop around Lake Street, Wabash Avenue, Van Buren Street, and Wells Street to form the boundaries of The Loop neighborhood.
One youth for each of 220 miles of the Cup Series race will attend the Chicago Park District’s fun-filled six-week Summer Day Camp program that includes sports, arts, fitness, and outdoor activities with unique experiences in civic engagement, environmental awareness, inclusion, collaboration and team building, brain play, reflection and journaling, and friendship and kindness. To learn more about the Chicago Park District’s Summer Day Camp, visit www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/programs-memberships/programs-overview/day-camp.
With more than 8,900 acres of green space, the Chicago Park District is one of the largest municipal park managers in the nation. The District’s more than 600 parks offer thousands of physical activities as well as cultural and environmental programs for youth, adults, and seniors. From canoeing to soccer fields to arts and crafts, there is never a shortage of activities to participate in in Chicago’s parks. For more information on the Chicago Park District, visit www.chicagoparkdistrict.com.
The commitment by the Chicago Street Race to the Chicago Park District’s Summer Day Camp continues NASCAR’s overarching commitment to the Chicago community and programs that have a positive and lasting impact on local youth and teens.
Last month, the Chicago Street Race announced a collaborative initiative with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) that will engage and inspire more than 22,000 students with racing-themed STEM and STEAM learning experiences and curriculum. CPS students from all 43 STEM and STEAM schools will compete in an in-classroom design challenge culminating with the first-ever “STEAM Fest” in downtown Chicago on May 2. Nearly 500 student finalists will interact with NASCAR drivers, engineers and other industry STEM professionals at the Field Museum in the event’s championship round for the opportunity to attend the Chicago Street Race Weekend.
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