Overview

• City leaders, led by Mayor Brandon Johnson and downtown aldermen, are open to extending the Grant Park NASCAR street race beyond 2025 but insist it be moved off the Fourth of July weekend to reduce law enforcement strain and community disruption.
• NASCAR has until early October to invoke its 90-day extension option for 2026–27 under the existing Chicago Park District contract but has not yet submitted a formal request.
• Under the 2025 agreement, NASCAR pays a $605,000 permit fee, $2 per ticket sold, 25% of net concessions commissions and $2 million for public safety, and the city is pushing to renegotiate those terms.
• Downtown aldermen and advisory councils are demanding broader stakeholder involvement in future negotiations and further reductions to the setup and teardown window to ease downtown disruptions.
• NASCAR is conducting parallel discussions with San Diego officials about a potential 2026 street race, creating a strategic decision point on whether to extend in Chicago or diversify its street-race portfolio.