NASCAR touts economic benefits for Chicago but pushback grows

NASCAR’s first-ever street race will come to Chicago during the first days of July, bringing with it questions and apprehension from community members and city leaders about a deal made by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

Concerns about traffic and public safety — and skepticism of the street race’s economic benefit to the city — were among the issues aldermen raised Wednesday at the City Council’s Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee, where they questioned Chicago street race course President Julie Giese, staff from the emergency management office and other city leaders.

“The races that are coming up in the next few weeks in Chicago certainly have a lot of our constituents excited. “They also have a lot of our constituents confused, frustrated, angry,” 1st Ward Ald. Daniel La Spata and the committee chair said.

Aldermen and the community members — including cyclists who protested the NASCAR race outside City Hall on Wednesday morning — have repeatedly raised questions about the event’s impact on traffic and lakefront accessibility, with a rolling schedule of major road closures, parking restrictions and inaccessible sidewalks up to, during and after the July 1 and 2 race and festival for setup and breakdown of the 2.2-mile course around Grant Park.

Giese stressed that the Museum Campus will “continue to be accessible throughout the event.”

Off-duty police officers will be called upon to assist with traffic control and other duties. Overtime will also be offered to officers as the city balances NASCAR with home Cubs games and other events taking place in the beginning of July as well.

“We do anticipate canceling the days off for the majority of all of our officers,” Deputy Chief Dan O’Connor said.

The street race is the first of its kind for NASCAR in its 75-year history. Unlike typical oval-shaped courses, the Chicago race will have 12 turns, both right and left, and a section where the road shifts from four lanes to two. Hall of Fame driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. test-drove the course earlier this month and said some will find it “challenging and miserable.”

Giese said 12-foot fences and large concrete barriers will be set up to protect attendees. She also boasted the race will feature “the best drivers in the world” who “have been training for this event, practicing on a virtual simulator.”

Ald. Derrick Curtis, 18th, also asked about the steep price tag to get into the event. The NASCAR website shows the cheapest ticket to be $269.

“I actually have a lot of young people between the ages of 18 to 30 that really want to see this but they are saying they can’t afford it,” Curtis said.

Giese noted there will be free access to Butler Field which will allow people to look into those NASCAR garages, which if…