NASCAR Chicago Street Race opens to big crowds — and storms

Days before the race, at her home in suburban Burnham, Ashley Williams pondered a single question: What’s one thing people going to the NASCAR race would need, but not realize they needed it until after they got there?

Then, it hit her.

Earplugs.

“Protect your ears!” Williams, 40, shouted, standing on Monroe Street as throngs of people headed toward the event entrance. “You’ve never heard a rumble like this!”

After millions of dollars and months of planning, street closures and snarled traffic, hopes, fears and perhaps a few too many “rush hour” puns, NASCAR’s two-day inaugural Chicago Street Race roared into Grant Park Saturday.

The highly anticipated and hotly debated event arrived amid tragedy. Late Friday morning, as final preparations for the race were being made, contractor Duane Tabinski, 53, of Hermitage, Tenn., died from an accidental electrocution due to “contact with electric wire(s),” the Cook County medical examiner’s office said Saturday.

“On Friday afternoon, a contractor suffered a fatal medical emergency,” NASCAR said in a statement. “We are coordinating with local authorities on this tragic incident. We share our condolences to the family and their loved ones.”

Organizers anticipated more than 100,000 attendees would descend on Chicago’s front yard to watch stock cars navigate a tricky 2.2-mile, 12-turn course along parts of Columbus Drive, DuSable Lake Shore Drive and South Michigan Avenue.

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Ahead of Sunday’s main event — the NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 220 — Saturday saw practice and qualifying throughout the morning. Intermingled between, a massive stage near the park’s southern end played host to concerts from JC Brooks Band and The Black Crowes. The day was supposed to conclude with the Xfinity Series race (NASCAR’s second-tier circuit) at 4 p.m., followed by a performance from The Chainsmokers. But lightning forced organizers to cut the race short (it’s slated to resume at 10 a.m. Sunday) and cancel The Chainsmokers’ show.

Light rain and humidity did little to dampen the mood Saturday morning as visitors from around the world made the trip to see the historic street race.

“When we were planning the trip to the States, we had to do NASCAR,” said Mary Talbot, who traveled with her partner Outo Anniss to Chicago from New Zealand. “We’ve been meandering around for the past two hours. It’s brilliant.”

Talbot snapped photos of Anniss as he squatted down with his hat to the side and his tongue poking out of his mouth in a silly photo opportunity behind a cardboard cut-out of a bright green race car.

Organizers hoped the race would introduce the sport to new fans, like Chicago native Azlena Dowdell, who came to see her first NASCAR race. “It’s a first for Chicago,” she said. “And I’m all about experiencing the firsts.”

City officials, meanwhile, hoped the nationally televised event would provide a much-needed boost to Chicago’s image and a tourism industry still recovering from the pandemic.

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Longtime NASCAR fans Gary Bosselman and his family came from New Hampshire to see the race and to, for the first time, Chicago.

“NASCAR brought us here but we definitely coming back because we love this city,” he said, clearing his teeth with his tongue to get rid of any remnants of his first Chicago-style hotdog, one of the city’s iconic culinary offerings — along with Lou Malnati’s and Garrett’s popcorn — sold at concession booths around the park.

Near another Chicago icon, Buckingham Fountain, Aaron Moy stood decked out head-to-toe in NASCAR gear, complete with a checkered shirt and “DuPont Motorsports hat” with racing flags sticking out of it.

Unlike the race-goers surrounding him, the NASCAR lanyard around his neck didn’t boast a VIP pass or a staff badge — it displays a picture of his deceased mother.

“She would’ve loved to see the race,” Moy said, recalling his mother’s excitement at seeing a NASCAR event won by four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon. “One of the rare times of seeing my mother excited was seeing that,” he recalled.

“Our mom got us into NASCAR,” his sister, Amy Moy added.

While some were concerned the speeding stock cars and their emissions would add to the city’s air quality woes fueled by Canadian wildfires, few in the crowd wore masks.

“Chicago’s a driving city. It is what it is,” said Sam Balistrieri, a Milwaukee resident attending the NASCAR events for his 26th birthday.

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Another lingering concern centered on the race’s potential to enhance, or disrupt, businesses around Grant Park.

NASCAR touted the race’s potential to bring millions of dollars to the city. Still, some businesses worried the crowds, the noise and the road closures could keep people away.

Leaving the Art Institute of Chicago with her two sons, Ohio resident Christina Conway, 44, said she didn’t know about the race until Thursday, the day before they left. “It was a big surprise,” she said.

Despite the influx of people heading to the race, Conway said she never considered changing their plans. “I wanted a fun experience for my family,” she said. “Chicago’s great to visit.”

Along Michigan Avenue, across from the concrete barriers and fences delineating the city-streets-turned-race-track, businesses reported mixed reviews. At Bike and Roll, Sebastian Marquez said the day had been fairly busy with people renting bicycles. Bike and Segway scooter tours had fallen off, due, he suspected, to the inability to access the park and Buckingham Fountain.

Outside his shop, pedicab driver Sam Durdec said he’d given 10 rides by mid-afternoon, well below the 20 he estimated he should have done on a normal July 4th weekend.

Back outside the event entrance, Ashley Williams’ earplugs sales were booming. In her first 30 minutes, she sold around 15 pairs: “A little cruise money,” she said.

An hour or so later, that number climbed to 100, she reported with a smile.

By 5 p.m., lighting brought the race to a halt.

“Non-staff, go down to the Millennium Park parking garages, go into your vehicles, or any hotel (you) are staying at in the area,” an usher outside the Fountain Club said while people crowded around her. “Evacuate to your shelter plan.”

“That is my shelter plan,” a man from the crowd quipped back, pointing at the white tent.

Most attendees were in good spirits despite the evacuation order.

“We’re not frustrated. They have to do that, unfortunately, because (of) the lighting,” Chris Johnson of Downers Grove said while he walked back to the Chicago Athletic Association with his family. “It’s part of life.”

Staff reporter Shanzeh Ahmad contributed.