NASCAR makes a big announcement regarding the Chicago Street race

After months of uncertainty, NASCAR confirmed that the Chicago street race won't return next year. However, the American stock car racing series is working with the city of Chicago for a potential rerun in 2027.

The Chicago street race kicked off in 2023 as part of NASCAR's initiative to expand its road course portfolio. The first two years were marred by race delays due to rain, which also affected the on-track experience of spectators. This year, the pop-up street course was free of weather trouble, but had lower TV ratings, although that could be attributed to the change in broadcast network partner.

Regardless, the executives of the Chicago street race thanked NASCAR for the last three years. They will take a year off to discuss a more effective plan for hosting the stock car racing series in the foreseeable future.

Jayski shared the full statement on X, which reads:

“Thank you for all that you have done to make the NASCAR Chicago Street Race one of the most iconic events in global sports. Following the success of the first three years, the Chicago Street Race will hit pause in 2026 to afford us the time necessary to work collaboratively with the City of Chicago to explore a new potential date and to develop a plan that further optimizes operational efficiencies, with a goal to return to the streets of Chicago in 2027.” “Together, we have built and grown an expanded community of fans that consists of longtime NASCAR enthusiasts and first-time racegoers from around the globe, and for that, we are immensely grateful. Thank you for your continued support - and we look forward to seeing you at the races.”

Shane van Gisbergen is the last driver to win on the streets of Chicago two weeks ago. The three-time Supercars champion won the Cup and Xfinity Series races in Windy City, completing a sweep.

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NASCAR reportedly finalizes deal to race in California in 2026

With the Chicago street race ruled out for 2026, an announcement for a new street course race is expected to be released sooner rather than later. In a report by RACER, NASCAR finalized a deal with California to host a road course race next year.

The report suggested that Coronado is the potential destination to succeed Chicago. This contradicts previous rumors that the governing body plans to race in San Diego, though the two cities are situated next to each other.

If so, California will join the list of road course races on the calendar, including Watkins Glen and Charlotte Roval. Meanwhile, the fate of the Mexico City race is still uncertain following the logistical nightmares experienced by teams earlier this year.

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Edited by Anisha Chatterjee