Alvin Kamara: Year 2 of NASCAR in Chicago was 'amazing'

NASCAR has made it a point to push outside its comfort zone in recent years as it seeks new ways to reinvigorate the sport and draw in more fans and the past week’s events at Chicago are the perfect example.

Alvin Kamara, who was named one of NASCAR’s growth and engagement advisors a few years back, got a chance to check out the digs firsthand. He came away raving.

“Since it’s over now and the race is done and we don’t have to go to a second day in the rain — two years in a row — outside of the rain, beautiful weekend, beautiful events,” Alvin Kamara said on the Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast.

One of the highlights of the weekend came on Friday night, when Bubba Wallace hosted a block party. It’s something he’s done in the past to great success, and it was a hit yet again ahead of the weekend’s racing in Chicago.

Kamara got a chance to take it in and came away raving.

“Bubba’s Block Party was crazy,” Alvin Kamara said. “I mean had Twista performing. I know when I got there I was talking to Erica and she was like, ‘Man, when we opened the doors everybody just rushed into the park. People were trying to get in there at all costs.’ So it was a great turnout at Bubba’s Block Party.”

The event featured food provided by several local Black-owned business, an emphasis NASCAR continues to make as it looks to reach across racial divides.

But overall, the entire weekend at Chicago — rain aside — went off without a hitch.

“Just everything, the layout of how that street race is set up. It’s amazing that they turned downtown into a whole track, right?” Alvin Kamara said. “You see that, you look out the window of your hotel and you’re looking down like, ‘Man, they’re about to race right there.’ It’s super cool.

“So the weekend, it was beautiful. A lot of support out there. The mayor’s out there in a firesuit. It’s crazy, but I mean it’s a dope experience.”