Report: NASCAR in talks with New York City about potential street race

In July 2023, NASCAR held the Grant Park 165 in downtown Chicago — the first ever street race contested in the Cup Series.

The Chicago Street Race returned last season and is back for a third go-round in 2025. Now, the sanctioning body is looking for its next site to host a street race. According to Adam Stern of the Sports Business Journal, NASCAR has been in discussions with New York City about a potential street race in the future. NASCAR has also held talks with San Diego, Denver and Seattle, Stern reported.

NASCAR’s contract with the Chicago Park District is for three years. NASCAR may request to extend the deal for 2026 and ’27 by providing written notice to the Chicago Park District within 90 days following the prior event, per Nate Ryan of NBC Sports.

“For NASCAR to request a date for 2026, it would have to do so within 90 days after the 2025 event,” Ryan wrote this past July. “The contract states that dates after 2025 “shall be held on dates mutually agreeable to NASCAR and the [Chicago Park] District.”

NASCAR has previously held discussions with New York City as recent as 2023. It made a push to get into the New York market back in 2004 after International Speedway Corp. purchased land on Staten Island with plans to develop a track. The project was abandoned due to a lack of local political support.

NASCAR clearly has interest in exploring other markets both in the United States and abroad. On Sunday, June 15, Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City will host a Cup race. NASCAR last held a points race outside the U.S. in 1958 at the Canadian Exposition Stadium in Toronto, Ontario.

NASCAR eyeing expansion outside US?

Stern reported earlier this month that there is momentum towards taking The Clash international. And that would be a spot “possibly” in Brazil. NASCAR has a sprint series in Brazil focused on road course racing. Daniel Suárez competed in the series last year during the Olympic break.

Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina hosted this year’s Clash. Chase Elliott, who won the race, was in agreement with Ryan Blaney on The Clash. He believes The Clash can go somewhere outside the U.S. Where exactly? Well, he’ll leave that up to NASCAR.

“I kind of like Ryan’s thought of potentially getting outside of the United States,” Elliott said. “I know we’re kind of testing the waters a little bit with the Mexico City thing this year, but I think the real test would be going overseas. And this race would be a good opportunity to do something like that that wouldn’t be, you know, committing to a points race somewhere like, a long ways away.

“So, I like the idea of using it as a potential stepping stone to help grow the sport. And I almost feel like if we’re not going to do that, I’m not even sure that it’s totally necessary, either. I think it’s a good opportunity to shake things down and kind of get in the groove, but we just ran a month and a half ago, it wasn’t that long ago, either. So, I think for me, I’m not saying one way or the other I think everything’s on the table, and I’d be good either way. Whether it’s here, Daytona, if they want to do it in Europe, if they want to not do it at all, I’d be fine with any of the above.”