NASCAR announces Esports Fanfest at Navy Pier ahead of Chicago Street Race

NASCAR is getting the party started in Chicago a little early with an all-new fan experience at Navy Pier early next week. On June 27th, Logitech along with iRacing & Coca-Cola is putting on an event to let fans experience what it is like to drive the Chicago Street Race Course.

In this day and age, it is all about simulation time and more drivers are cutting their teeth in iRacing. Well, NASCAR is giving fans new and old a chance to tackle the Chicago course from Navy Pier.

The Navy Pier event is going to be free and open to the public. It will give people in Chicago a chance to see what NASCAR is about before the big show comes to town later in the week.

“Putting fans close to the action is what NASCAR is all about, so thanks to our tremendous partners at Navy Pier, we will get people behind the wheel at NASCAR Night for the perfect kick-off to race week,” said Julie Giese, president of the Chicago Street Race. “Esports is such a critical component of providing access to those who may not have grown up around the sport, so we want to give everyone a chance to experience what NASCAR’s first-ever street race will be like from the driver’s vantage point.”

The NASCAR Night will be held in the Aon Grand Ballroom. This is going to help kick off the race week and give something back to the Chicago community. So, from 5-9:30 PM CST, the NASCAR party is on.

Special guests for NASCAR Night in Chicago

This event isn’t going to just be about playing games and trying to navigate the virtual street course. NASCAR Night in Chicago will have plenty of special guests. Not only will there be a live DJ set but eNASCAR driver Matt Bussa will be in attendance. Bussa drives for William Byron eSports.

When you see the talent that is starting to come out of iRacing it is impressive. Byron himself got his start on the simulators and iRacing. Now he’s a favorite to win the Cup Series championship this season.

Others drivers such as Rajah Caruth have come up through the eSports ranks. It is the future of the sport and a great way to make NASCAR accessible to others. This NASCAR Night in Chicago is going to give at least some folks a look at the sport like they’ve never seen before.

There will be chances for fans to take pictures with the Cup and Xfinity Series trophies. Who knows, there might be a future NASCAR star in the making inspired by the event.