The Chicago Street Course race was a massive step ahead for NASCAR in its bid to attract a newer generation of racing fans to it. First held in 2023 and then again this season, it set the promotion back by at least $50 million. This investment did not churn out a monetary profit but it heightened the sport’s brand image and set it on the path of a new dawn. Unfortunately, this alone might not cut it anymore.
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A recent report from the Sports Business Journal revealed that NASCAR has been in talks with representatives from various cities across the country to hold a new street race in 2025. Cincinnati, San Diego, and Baltimore have been a part of the discussion alongside other cities. The magazine also noted that a source has confirmed NASCAR’s search for a street venue in Southern California.
Neither the sports commissions of these venues nor NASCAR has made an official comment but the idea of Chicago being left out has become the talk of the town already. The promotion has one more year left on its contract with the city with the option to extend the deal if both parties agree. But these recent developments have thrown that possibility into question.
Local news outfits from the potential destinations have begun holding discussions on the implications of NASCAR visiting their city. Should Cincinnati be the chosen one, fans from the region would be more than jubilant. The Quaker State 400 was held in nearby Kentucky up until 2020 and the fixture’s transfer to Atlanta has left a gaping hole in satisfying their love for speed.
Speedway Motorsports Inc. still pays for the speedway in Sparta, Kentucky. So, all association is not yet lost on that front. Seattle has been in consideration as well since it is where Amazon, one of the new media-rights partners, is based.
California is in the sights since it is a market that hasn’t been properly tapped since the removal of Fontana’s Auto Club Speedway. The two-mile superspeedway was sold for a price of $544 million in 2023.
A full reveal of the 2025 schedule is expected soon. Only then can it be known for sure what upsets await the upcoming NASCAR season. For now, it is all but certain that the promotion is looking either to replace or to add to Chicago with another street course race.
