Editorial: NASCAR should have a future in Chicago — if it's not held on Fourth of July weekend
So now a decision needs to be made. With the three-year agreement between the city and NASCAR now ending, should the two sides keep this relationship going? Mayor Brandon Johnson said he is open to an extension, and NASCAR also wants to re-up.
But the mayor raised questions about whether the Fourth of July weekend is the right time for the race. He was right to do so, and we would go a step further. If NASCAR and the city can't find another mutually suitable time for this event, both parties should go their separate ways. No hard feelings.
After three years of experience, we agree with the mayor that the weekend of the Fourth stretches the city's resources too thin, particularly the Chicago Police Department. That weekend typically is among the most violent of the year, and it's simple prudence to allow CPD to focus entirely on public safety.
In addition, the inconvenience to people who live downtown, as well as those just trying to get around the area during a weekend filled with barbecues and family activities, isn't worth enduring for the benefits the city gets from NASCAR. For anyone driving north to south in the area or vice versa, the DuSable Lake Shore Drive closure is a world-class headache.
In the before-NASCAR times, the Fourth also drew folks from outside the area for fireworks and simply to enjoy one of the world's greatest summertime downtowns on a holiday weekend. NASCAR arguably isn't adding much in terms of tourism-related revenues to Chicago's coffers than it would be getting otherwise. A weekend when tourist traffic is comparatively light would make far more sense, at least economically for the city.
Consider the example of the Bank of America marathon, which takes place in October and each year is a major economic shot in the arm for Chicago at a time of year that otherwise would be comparatively quiet. A study commissioned by the bank sponsor and released last month estimated the economic benefit of the 2024 marathon at $683 million.
By contrast, an outside report estimated NASCAR in 2024 generated $128 million in value to the city, a figure critics of the event said was inflated. Last year, city government essentially broke even on NASCAR, so the event isn't a needle mover fiscally.
Beyond dollars and cents, though, we do believe the race provides value to Chicago. The views of the skyline as drivers navigate the track (and sometimes careen) around Grant Park are indeed excellent marketing for a city that could use as much positive PR as it can get. For many people whose views of Chicago are shaped largely by crime coverage in conservative media, the race offers a different, more beautiful picture.
But decisions of this sort are about costs and benefits. Those benefits will outweigh the costs in our view if NASCAR and the city can agree on a different weekend on the calendar. Otherwise, we all can fondly remember NASCAR in Chicago as an experiment worth trying — and return celebrating the Fourth of July to downtown Chicago.
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
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