GRANT PARK — After much anticipation, NASCAR will not return to Grant Park next year, sources told Block Club Tuesday.

The decision comes after the city and the racing organization were unable to finalize a date for next year’s race, with NASCAR needing to move forward with finalizing its 2027 schedule.

City officials had previously expressed a desire to avoid hosting the race over the Fourth of July weekend.

NASCAR confirmed the news Tuesday afternoon, announcing it would instead return to the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet on June 25-27, where it held a race this year.

“While we will not be racing on the streets of Chicago in 2027 despite genuine joint efforts by both NASCAR and our partners at the city and state level, we remain committed to the Chicagoland region and would welcome the opportunity to bring the NASCAR Chicago Street Race back at some point in the future,” the statement read.

Downtown Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) said NASCAR risked losing its opportunity to race at Chicagoland Speedway if negotiations with Chicago continued much longer.

More Time Needed For Negotiations

“I think if they had more time, they might have been able to successfully finalize the Chicago deal, but they just ran out the clock,” Hopkins said.

Hopkins said he didn’t see any animosity between both sides and he believes “the talks were going relatively well. They were just unable to complete it in the time allotted.”

In a statement, the mayor’s office said it was “pleased” NASCAR was maintaining an office in Chicago and planned to continue investing in programming with Chicago Public Schools.

“We remain open to discussing the future of NASCAR in Chicago and look forward to continuing to build partnerships that bring new opportunities to Chicago, create value for residents, and advance our vision for a safer, more affordable Chicago,” the statement said.

NASCAR was also seeking a $15 million grant from the state for next year’s event, but only received $5 million appropriated in next year’s budget.

NASCAR has argued in the past the Chicago race doesn’t make any money, but that the events bring promotional value to the organization.

“It’s lost money over the last three years,”Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s chief operating officer, told the Tribune in late July. But he said he views the race as “an investment” that brings in new fans and helps grow the sport.

The decision to hold the race in the southwest suburbs is a reversal from earlier this summer when NASCAR told Grant Park Advisory Council members that it was close to making an announcement on its return to the city, where it held the Chicago Street Race over Independence Day weekend from 2023-25.

NASCAR’s Grant Park 165 races through Chicago’s streets on July 6, 2025. Credit: Colin Boyle, Block Club Chicago

The initial deal to build the course on Downtown streets here, announced in 2022 by then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot, also allowed for two possible one-year extensions in 2026 and 2027.

But the racing organization announced it would take a hiatus for this year just weeks after completing last year’s race.

NASCAR Chicago Street Race organizers previously said they “hit pause” on 2026 to explore a new potential date for the race and further optimize “operational efficiencies,” with a “goal” to return to Chicago in 2027.

One of the criticisms was holding the race over the 4th of July required moving Taste of Chicago to early September. This year, the food fest was held July 8-12, which is closer to when it has historically been held.

Downtown Ald. Bill Conway (34th) previously told Block Club he was hopeful the city and NASCAR would work together on securing a deal for next year. On Tuesday, he said he’s still hopeful the city and NASCAR could come to an agreement that logistically and financially “makes sense” for the city.

“I hope we can do something that makes sense for 2028,” Conway said.

Hopkins also said another year away could give NASCAR time to improve its setup and teardown process and better coordinate with other Grant Park events, potentially easing disruption for residents, workers and tourists Downtown. That’s something Conway has also cited as the main pushback from residents.

“If you want to come back in 2028, use the available time that you have now to come up with a plan that’s going to win over some hearts and minds that have not been supportive of the event simply because of the inconvenience that it poses to downtown residents,” Hopkins said.

Downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Push For More Favorable Terms For City

The race contract between NASCAR, the city and the Chicago Park District has received criticism from numerous alderpeople for being a more lucrative deal for NASCAR than for the city.

Part of that pushback centered on the city’s costs to prepare Downtown roads for the race and cover police overtime, compared with NASCAR’s initial $500,000 permit fee — a fraction of the millions Lollapalooza pays each year to use Grant Park.

Hopkins said the financial terms would also need to change if NASCAR seeks a new agreement to return in 2028.

Hopkins sharply criticized the original agreement negotiated under former Mayor Lori Lightfoot, saying her administration “got fleeced at the table.”

“I think that will definitely be part of the negotiation for NASCAR, is to make sure that the city has more favorable terms for it,” Hopkins said.

Conway told Block Club that his understanding was NASCAR recognized the financial burden of hosting the street race and was “ready to take more of that on.”

Grant Park Advisory Council president Leslie Recht said NASCAR should be treated like any other major user of the park and required to shoulder more of the financial contribution tied to its race. She argued the company’s permit fee and a cut of ticket sales fall short of the true cost of closing down the park for a month and then repairing it, and said NASCAR should cover street and sidewalk repairs that have so far fallen to taxpayers. 

Unlike Lollapalooza, which Recht praised as a long-term “good partner” that helps fund capital improvements, she said NASCAR has never contributed to Grant Park’s broader capital needs. 

“I’m not just picking on NASCAR. I think any major user of Grant Park should contribute to the capital needs in Grant Park. I don’t know if permit fees are enough for all these big users,” Recht said.

The 2023 street race generated $119,899 for the Park District in addition to a $500,000 permit fee, which some criticized as too low considering the extent NASCAR takes over the park. The $119,899 included 15 percent of net commissions on concessions and merchandise, plus $2 per admission ticket, according to NASCAR’s contract with the Park District.

The Park District received a larger payout the following year, collecting $220,552 in revenue in addition to the $550,000 permit fee. The increase was due in part to a higher commission rate, 20 percent of net sales from concessions and merchandise. Johnson also secured an additional $2 million for the city through a separate handshake agreement before agreeing to bring the race back for 2024.

The 2024 race generated $128 million in total economic impact for the city and $9.6 million in state and local tax revenue, according to last year’s economic impact report. Last year, NASCAR paid the Park District $605,000, plus a mandated $2 per ticket sold and 25 percent of net sales from food, beverages and merchandise.

An economic impact report for 2025’s race has not yet been released.