Some of the world’s best drivers will come to Chicago next weekend for the first-ever NASCAR street race, but the main event Sunday is just one of two races that will be contested in the downtown area.
Of course, the NASCAR Cup Series race will take center stage on Sunday, July 2, with the circuit’s top drivers competing for points as they race through Chicago’s streets.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series will also hold a race in the city that weekend, with their cars hitting the track on July 1.
The Cup Series is NASCAR’s primary competition, with the best drivers taking place in iconic events like the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 during a 36-race season.
The Xfinity Series is a run below the Cup Series on the NASCAR ladder, although many drivers from the top series will run a select number of Xfinity Series races during the year.
That July 1 date is when plenty of action will take place. The Xfinity Series drivers will get a chance to practice on the track beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, with qualifying following that at 11 a.m. as the field is set for the race.
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The Xfinity Series drivers will then get a chance to regroup and relax, as the Cup Series drivers hit the streets of Chicago for their practice at 12:30 p.m. Qualifying for the Sunday race will then take place at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, according to race officials.
To cap off the busy day of racing, The Xfinity Series’ Loop 121 race will take place at 4 p.m. Drivers will complete 55 laps of the 2.2-mile circuit, with a total of 121 miles standing between them and the checkered flag.
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The Sunday main event will be the NASCAR Cup Series event, with drivers lining up at 4:30 p.m. for the inaugural Grant Park 220. Drivers will complete 100 laps in that race for a total distance of 220 miles.
That race will air on NBC Chicago.
