NASCAR
Stratta’s Six: Who will stand as tall as a skyscraper in downtown Chicago?
Already entering its third year, it’s time once again for NASCAR on the streets of downtown Chicago. The tight 12-turn, 2.2-mile circuit is perhaps the least conventional race on the calendar. Surprise winners have defined both past Chicago Street Races. Who can celebrate big in Grant Park this year? Here are a few who hope to see a season-defining win on Sunday.
Shane van Gisbergen
Always the center of attention on the Chicago Streets is this race’s inaugural winner, New Zealander Shane van Gisbergen. At this time two years ago, many of us didn’t even know how to say his name right. SVG has another win already this season from Mexico City, and looks for repeat glory in Chi-Town.
“Ah, every time I come back, I get the memories of the first-ever race, coming and doing really well here,” van Gisbergen said. “This city will always hold so many memories. I’m really looking forward to getting back on the streets of Chicago and hopefully getting a third win for the city and a second Chicago win for Trackhouse.”
“We should be very strong this weekend. I know everyone is going to be better. Last year was a big step up on competition and I know this year will be, too. We just have to continue to focus on us. We’ve prepped very hard, spent last week’s simulator time on Chicago. So hopefully we get there this weekend and are solid.”
“[Chicago is] just like the tracks I’ve grown up racing on. In Supercars there are a lot of street circuits on the schedule, so I’m comfortable with the walls. It’s similar to a few tracks that I raced in Australia, whereas most of these guys aren’t used to street circuits. Just something I’m comfortable with and have spent many years racing.”
Much like last year, SVG will be anything but short of track time this weekend. Racing for JR Motorsports in Saturday’s Xfinity Series contest, the Supercars champ will try and defend this win as well. Short of being taken out Sunday, the Trackhouse No. 88 is poised for another dominating victory like Mexico City. SVG’s confidence walking into Chicago is as tall as the Willis Tower. This W may be flying high after another beatdown performance.
Chris Buescher
As consistent as ever on road courses, Chris Buescher enters Chicago on the heels of four-straight top-10s. This stretch does include Mexico City, where the Texan was 10th. The RFK Racing No. 17 Ford has seen 15 top-10s in 19 Next Gen road course starts. Buescher also holds the distinction of beating SVG to a Watkins Glen win last September, toppling the ace in a last-lap duel.
“We’re heading to another road course,” Buescher said. “For us, I love road racing. It’s a lot of fun for me. The Chicago Street Course. I’d love to be there when it’s dry one time. Surely, that can happen and we don’t have to go through some monumental rain. But if we can do that, we’ve had some good speed there. It’s been a better passing racetrack than I anticipated going in and so that does give us some options and I appreciate that. From where I’m at behind the wheel, I like the fact that I feel like we have some options to make some big passes there and be able to move through the field. We’re ready for it.”
The Cup Series has seen a new winner lock up a Playoff berth for three-straight weeks. Why can’t Buescher extend this streak to four in a row? Dating back over three years, the 17’s only been outside of contention in three road course races. Finally grabbing that elusive checkered flag in the fall, Buescher has the confidence and skill to get the job done again. Between Chicago and Sonoma next week, do not be surprised to see the 17 up front early and often.
Tyler Reddick
Had last year’s Chicago Street Race ran its advertised distance, it could have easily been Tyler Reddick in victory lane. 23XI Racing’s No. 45 Toyota was chasing down Alex Bowman in the closing laps, before clipping a wall and falling back late. A year removed and still searching for a first win of 2025, Reddick’s road course acumen should be on full display again.
Three times a Cup Series road course winner, Reddick is in desperate need of another checkered flag to put his season on the right track. Now the highest in points without a win, it appears that Reddick is next man up to find victory lane. The California driver is no stranger to surviving chaotic races. Another water-logged forecast may make Chicago a treacherous event for competitors once again.
Chase Elliott
Can NASCAR’s winningest road course talent find success for the first time on the streets? Chase Elliott enters Chicago on the heels of a breakthrough Atlanta victory. Engine engine No. 9 now looks to establish himself among the championship elite. Elliott’s team may just be peaking at the right time for a summer surge into the Playoffs.
“We’ve just been doing this long enough to know it all kind of starts and ends with us,” Elliott said. “We have to make sure we’re doing our part and I’m doing my part. Just bringing everything I can possibly bring every single week. It’s the honest conversations that we have on Monday mornings that are either going to make us better or make us fail. All of the pieces of the puzzle are there. We’re working on the right things. I think I’m asking for the right things out of the car. I’m really proud of our team for just sticking together. I think there’s been so many times that we could have thrown in the towel and really kind of fractured from the inside. It’s a really important thing for me to have climbed that mountain and stood on top of it with AG (Alan Gustafson) and we’ve kind of fallen off that hill. Getting back to the top with him and with our group and doing it together, I think is a really important thing to do. We have so much respect for one another as a team that we’re going to continue to make each other better as we push forward.”
Atlanta was Elliott’s first checkered flag of the year, erasing a long losing drought. However, it moved him to second in points and within eyeshot of the top spot. Elliott might also be winless in the Next Gen Car on road courses, but he has nine top-fives. Two of these races were a pair of third-place runs at Chicago in 2023 and Mexico City three weeks ago. If SVG shows any vulnerabilities or cannot stay out front, Elliott is on the short list of those who would become a new favorite. A confident Chase Elliott may be dangerous for his competitors, now knowing that he’s a Playoff lock.
Ty Gibbs
Possibly the only man who could keep pace with SVG in Mexico was young Ty Gibbs. Still trying to erase a 0-105 Cup record, Chicago is a prime opportunity race for team 54. Gibbs’ road course talent has always been elite, with four Xfinity wins all on different circuits.
“I enjoy the Chicago Street Course a lot,” Gibbs said. “I’m excited, and we’ve been stronger the last two years in the Cup car and Xfinity car. Hopefully I can go finish it off this year.”
Now with veteran crew chief Chris Gabehart helping call the shots on his pit box, Gibbs should not be overlooked. The No. 54 Toyota has seen four-straight top-15 runs, slowly rising up the standings and closer to his teammates. Gibbs is also one of three drivers with a perfect two top-10s in Chicago, owning a best result of third last year. Sunday could easily see Gibbs shed the title of last winless man at Joe Gibbs Racing.
Kyle Busch
Another driver in desperate need of a season-changing win is Kyle Busch. Now mired at 21st in points, his ever-growing gap to the Playoffs has team 8 in must-win mode. Chicago is quietly a great track for this crew, with Busch boasting fifth and ninth-place results here.
“The A.J. Allmendingers or the Shane van Gisbergens, those guys are really good, and recognized for their road course experience,” Busch said. “Although, last year Alex Bowman won the race and he does not come from a road course racing background. So, it’s anyone and everyone in the field that can go out there and get it done at the road course races.”
“Each week we try to continue to focus on that week’s race and making sure that we know what to do to have good results. There’s a few road courses coming up, so honestly, some might say ‘hey, we screwed up road course points at Mexico, so now we’re not going to be very good on all the rest of the road courses.’ I wouldn’t say that’s true. You can either do really well and earn a lot of points at those races by staying out at the end of the stages and playing the strategy game, or you can have what happened to us in Mexico and have an incident where you get zero points. It’s up to our team to do everything we can to maximize the opportunities to earn points.”
Stats say that a breakout run and potential contending day may be ahead for Busch. At COTA in March, the RCR No. 8 was the class of the field, leading a race-high 42 laps. Busch owns four past road course triumphs, a pair apiece at both Watkins Glen and Sonoma. Lastly, this team has proven their worth on road courses before with Tyler Reddick. The crafty veteran of Busch can blow up the Playoff picture in Chicago.
Call it crazy, chaotic, or unpredictable, the Chicago Street Race has delivered season-making drama across both years. 2025’s running of the Grant Park 165 shows no signs of change in the ultimate unknowns around this race. Ideally it will run in dry conditions, but weather is one curveball that drivers will adapt to one the fly. Rain or shine, Chicago’s green flag will fly Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on TNT, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credits to James Gilbert/Getty Images
