In summer of rediscovering America, NASCAR’s return to Joliet fits bill
The challenge this summer is to rediscover America like a European soccer fan, right?
The genre has become a social media favorite, watching some ardent Scotsman or Norwegian enjoying our plentiful self-service ice machines or bulk grocery stores. Maybe that's the best way to appreciate the USA.
In that Spirit of '26, this was a good weekend to seek out a fresh American story. Driving 300 miles to the nearest Buc-ee's or paying $1,000 for a World Cup ticket is not practical, but attending a NASCAR oval race for the first time could be accomplished Sunday with a short trip to Joliet.
The Eero 400 wasn’t the most dramatic race run on this track, since there were no cautions during the final stage. Chase Briscoe held off a late charge from Christopher Bell to capture his first win of the year.
This Chicagoland Speedway race happened 19 times, from 2001-19, so there's no excuse for waiting so long, other than it's just not something Northerners tend to do. Before 2001, there was nothing.
It was a bit surprising that NASCAR decided to return to Joliet after a seven-year absence, and three tries at the Chicago Street Race in Grant Park.
Research for this event turned up a YouTube video from driver Carson Hocevar, one of those, “Let's go check out this abandoned race track.” And it was this one.
So the first observation was how this didn't look like an abandoned track. It's in pretty good shape, a pleasant surprise since there were once rumors it would be bulldozed for an industrial park.
It was also nice to see the track and surrounding grounds weren't under water, after all the rain this weekend. Chicago, rain and NASCAR have been an inseparable trio. Two of the three Chicago Street Races were cut short by rain and darkness, while Saturday's minor-league event in Joliet, currently known as the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, was delayed several hours and ended just before midnight.
This next observation is far from breaking news, but the fan experience at a NASCAR race is impressive. With the correct pass, fans could wander the garage area before the race, walk on the track, stand in pit lane until the national anthem ended, and lurk directly behind the pits during the race.
Drivers are conditioned to sign autographs or stop for photos as much as possible. This certainly goes a few steps beyond standing on the edge of the field for batting practice before an MLB game. The drink prices were also slightly less than at Wrigley Field.
Of course, once the flag drops, the event quickly evolves into the core experience — watching cars drive in a circle. After all the pre-race hoopla, it took just half a lap to draw the first yellow flag.
Watching a race will test your comprehension of physics. Standing on the infield, the car noise isn't horrendous. But move up to the higher seats with a full view of the track, and you quickly understand why roughly half of the fans wear ear protection.
There's been talk NASCAR will go back to the Street Race next year. There are probably more tickets to sell in Joliet — and Sunday's race was sold out — but at least the circuit seems committed to staying in Chicago.
“I truly enjoy the street course,” driver Bubba Wallace said Saturday. “I thought it was just different from what we always do. I'm a big proponent of being in the area. I think it's great for the sport.”
Wallace finished sixth in a “Space Jam” themed car, but there was no sign of his team owner, Michael Jordan, at Sunday's race. The 23XI team had a strong showing with three in the top 10, adding Corey Heim at ninth and Riley Herbst 10th.
Denny Hamlin, pole winner and Jordan business partner, put in a plug for NASCAR staying in Joliet. One downside that's often pointed out is this track is nearly identical to the one in Kansas.
“This racetrack is going to race so well (Sunday), it'll be hard to say, 'Let's take it back off the schedule,'” said Hamlin, who finished a relatively distant third. “They did a great job getting it ready for us to be here. So it's hard to leave a track like this that's got some wear on it, some character, off your schedule going forward.”
Don't know if Hamlin's prediction came true, but here's the final analysis: Every sports fan should try this once, then decide if you want to go back. Definitely bring ear protection.
The “Only in America” genre definitely applies in this case.