CHICAGO — The City of Chicago and NASCAR officials remind residents and visitors to be aware of the pre-race activity set to begin on Monday, June 10 in advance of the NASCAR Chicago Street Race,  July 6–7, 2024. Based on lessons learned from 2023, NASCAR and the city have been able to trim six days off the course build, reducing set up and break down time to just 19 days in 2024 from 25 days in 2023. As Chicago hosts the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series street races for the second year, residents and visitors are encouraged to be mindful of the traffic impacts, as well as safety measures in place.

 

As the course and viewing structures are assembled and disassembled, City of Chicago and NASCAR officials are working to further minimize impacts of street closures, parking restrictions, reroutes, and traffic. All businesses and residences will remain accessible during course set up, race weekend and the break-down.

 

For complete details, residents can download the community brochure, maps, street closure information, FAQs, parking restrictions, and more at nascarchicago.com/localinfo/ or email NASCAR directly at info@nascarchicago.com.

 

 

The Chicago Park District will prioritize public access during the NASCAR Chicago Street Race, keeping more than half of the park open during the event, including set-up and tear-down. Access to popular park features like Buckingham Fountain, Butler Field, and Lower Hutchinson Field will remain accessible to the public with minimal restrictions that equate to less than one-fifth of event operation days.

 

In addition, NASCAR will host free festival activities associated with the Chicago Street Race in Butler Field, inviting the public to join in the race week festivities and learn more about NASCAR without the price of admission. Maggie Daley Park, Cancer Survivor’s Garden, and the Museum Campus will remain open and accessible throughout the event.

 

The Chicago OEMC app is also a great tool to download as street closures and other event information will be added in the coming weeks. The app is available through the Apple App and Google Play stores or visit the website Chicago.gov/OEMC

 

Report Suspicious Activity: If You See Something Say Something. The city reminds the public to be aware of their surroundings and to report suspicious activity. If you notice something suspicious, notify onsite security or call 9-1-1. If You See Something, Say Something™ is a national anti-terrorism public awareness campaign that emphasizes the importance of reporting suspicious activity to law enforcement authorities.

Pole Markers/Location Identifiers: For public safety on the lakefront, race event and concert attendees are reminded to be aware of the numbers attached to the poles throughout the Grant Park area to help reference their location within the park if you call 9-1-1 in an emergency. 9-1-1 call takers and dispatchers will be able to provide the location to first responders. They can also be used between friends and family members as a meeting point if you become separated. For complete details, click HERE.

 

Public Transportation: As for any large–scale event, public transportation is encouraged, and both CTA and Metra will provide additional service for the event. Public transit is the most affordable and convenient way to get to and from the NASCAR Chicago Street Race. For more information, visit CTA at TransitChicago.com and Metra.com.

 

Motorists in the areas around Grant Park and the Loop during the week leading up to and during race weekend should be prepared for heavy traffic and possible reroutes. There will be some street closures to ensure public safety. Traffic Control Aides (TCAs) will be on site to direct flow and impacts from heavy traffic.

 

Emergency Alerts for Residents and Businesses 

OEMC will continue to monitor events and weather and will issue any emergency alerts and notifications as necessary.  Get alerts and notifications from OEMC to keep residents and businesses up to date on weather and traffic conditions as well as emergencies:  

 

For additional information on emergency preparedness information, visit OEMC’s website at Chicago.gov/OEMC. Follow the Office of Emergency Management and Communications on Facebook, X/Twitter (@ChicagoOEMC) and Instagram (chicago_oemc_911) using the hashtags #ChicagoOEMC