NASCAR now turns its attention to the streets of Chicago following a barnburner at Atlanta Motor Speedway that saw 46 lead changes before Chase Elliott sealed the deal, thanks to a perfectly timed final lap push from teammate Alex Bowman. As the series moves to its 19th race of the season, the race is crucial, especially for drivers still fighting tooth and nail for a spot in the playoffs.
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With just eight races left in the regular season, time is running out for those on the outside looking in. But for those who’ve already punched their playoff tickets, the Chicago Street Race offers more than just bragging rights or another tally in the win column. The payday on the line is enough to make any team sit up and take notice.
According to Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass, the Cup Series’ Grant Park 165 will shell out a staggering $11,704,450 in total purse money. That figure includes payouts for every position, contingency awards, contributions to the year-end points fund, and charter allocations.
The prize pot has ballooned this season, largely thanks to NASCAR’s new media rights agreement. Compared to last year’s purse of $7,978,831, this year’s increase of $3,725,619 marks a significant windfall for the field.
On the Xfinity side, however, the purse has taken a dip. This year’s payout stands at $1,651,939, down from $1,786,961 offered in last season’s Chicago appearance.
Purses for Chicago weekend, all payouts, all positions, contingency awards, contributions to year-end points fund, etc., and for Cup, all charter payouts:
Cup: $11,704,450
Xfinity: $1,651,939
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) July 2, 2025
As for the Craftsman Truck Series, the haulers are parked for now. Teams will return to action on July 25th for the TSport 200 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Brownsburg, Indiana. Until then, all eyes will be on the Windy City, where cash, points, and playoff dreams hang in the balance for the drivers.
Favorites for the NASCAR Cup race in Chicago
A stacked 41-car field will take on the Chicago Street Course, and all eyes will be on the familiar names gunning for glory. Last year’s race winner Alex Bowman will enter the weekend after contending for the win at Atlanta, and with momentum on his side, he may well punch his playoff ticket on the streets of the ‘Second City’. But standing in his way could be the man who stole the show in the inaugural race in 2023.
Shane van Gisbergen, who won his Cup debut at Chicago, also claimed the 2024 Xfinity race before a late crash ended his bid to go back-to-back. With a 2025 win already in his back pocket at the Mexico City road course, the 36-year-old New Zealander arrives as the odds-on favorite once again.
Tyler Reddick, last year’s runner-up, is another contender this weekend. Although he has yet to visit victory lane in 2025, Reddick holds a comfortable 128-point cushion above the elimination line, making him the only non-winner with breathing room. A clean run in Chicago could solidify his postseason standing.
Christopher Bell, meanwhile, has quietly become a dominant power on this track, leading a combined 51 laps over the past two years, more than any other driver. Yet his results haven’t told the full story: an 18th-place finish in 2023 despite winning the first two stages, followed by a 37th last year after tagging the wall late.
And then there’s Chase Elliott, fresh off his win at his home track in Atlanta. With three consecutive top-five finishes, including a P3 in Mexico City behind SVG and Bell, the HMS ace brings more momentum than anyone in the garage.
His road course résumé speaks for itself: a series-best seven career wins and an unmatched level of consistency — 21 top-fives and 25 top-10s in 37 starts. He may not have won on a road course since 2021, but Elliott remains as lethal as ever with both left and right turns.
