Denny Hamlin evaluates NASCAR Chicago Street Race weekend, momentum going forward
NASCAR took over Chicago this past weekend, and Denny Hamlin thinks that everything went well. On the Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin was asked if NASCAR thinks that the Chicago Street race weekend was a success and if the city can build on that momentum for next year.
“I think that the weekend is a success,” Hamlin stated. “From the city’s standpoint, how can you argue against that this is better for your economy? We go into a hotel that’s kind of a little bit off the beaten path and they said, ‘Let me guess, y’all are here for NASCAR.’ And we were like ‘Yeah.’ They’re like ‘Yup, everyone that’s been checking in is here for NASCAR.’
“That’s good for the economy. It spurs the economy, and what are we all doing on Saturday? We’re going shopping. We’re using the commerce at our hand there, and we’re giving back. There are a lot of NASCAR fans there that were visiting from other places that normally wouldn’t go to Chicago. It’s a destination city and it’s got their favorite sport participating in it, so they made the travel. It’d be interesting to see what is the economic impact of us coming to the city because I believe it is a good thing for it.”
Denny Hamlin praises the Chicago fans attending the race
While many traveled to Chicago for the street race in the last two years, both races were impacted by weather. Despite that, Hamlin believes NASCAR is getting what it wants in Chicago.
“This crowd is different than our normal NASCAR crowd that comes to say Darlington or what have you, Hamlin explained. “When I looked at the fans coming in the gates was a very diverse crowd, ones that were going to a NASCAR race for the very first time. …This was a different group that had not been exposed to NASCAR before. I think that’s why they should deem it a positive, and it just takes a couple of them going to a race to enjoy it to then latch on to the sport.”
NASCAR launched the Chicago Street Course last year, and the track is based on the virtual course used in the 2021 eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series. NASCAR and the city agreed to a three-year contract in 2022, but with the first two races being impacted by rain, there are questions about the race being held in 2025.