NASCAR Chicago

Michigan Avenue traffic jam: Massive pile-up swallows up cars at Chicago NASCAR race

NBC Universal, Inc.

Chicago is used to traffic jams, but one that developed during Sunday’s Cup Series race in Grant Park may be the most unique of them all.

As the cars made the turn from Michigan Avenue onto Jackson Drive in turn 11, William Byron spun out and made contact with the barrier.

Both Kevin Harvick and Corey LaJoie then spun out trying to avoid his car, causing a backup of cars to begin. Byron then tried to get back on the track, closing off the one escape route going out of the turn.

Thankfully, cars were eventually able to untangle themselves, but not before causing one of the wildest spectacles in recent racing memory.

The caution flag was naturally thrown, further diminishing the number of laps cars may be able to finish. The race had already been shortened to 75 laps from 100 because of the possibility of darkness moving in before the end of the event.

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