After Chicago Announcement, New City Emerges With NASCAR Interest Out of Nowhere

Earlier, NASCAR announced a huge plan to host a street race in Chicago in 2023. This will be the first street race in the sport since the 1950s. Admittedly, the debut race is still a long way away, but people have confidence in its success. This has now become much more evident as Pittsburgh tourism officials are hoping to convince NASCAR to give them a shot at a street race.

SportsPittsburgh executive director Jennifer Hawkins told Post-Gazette, “We would love to host a NASCAR event in Pittsburgh, especially one that would create another iconic event on our annual calendar. The opportunity to provide a unique live-event experience for drivers, spectators and international media is perfect for Pittsburgh.”

Of course, there have been talks of a second street race. However, some are hoping that the Chicago race will be successful and act as a springboard for future street races.

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Arguably, these races are still experiments for the sport, especially with the popularity of road course racing, globally.

How much is NASCAR willing to innovate?

Ever since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, NASCAR has been innovating. To be precise, they gave more attention to road races. This paid off handsomely, as the fans embraced the switch to proper circuits, as opposed to ovals. Other experiments include dirt racing at the Bristol Motor Speedway. The magnum opus was undoubtedly the short track race at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Since these decisions have reaped rewards, the sport decided to go a step further with the Chicago street race. Of course, there will be initial resistance, because this is still an untested concept. However, if this Chicago race goes off without a hitch, then it opens new avenues. Pittsburgh is banking on Chicago’s success in order for their own bid to pay off.

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Pittsburgh could be an ideal location, as it is one of the biggest NASCAR markets in its locale. Since the closest Cup tracks are pretty far away, fans would love to have a race closer to home.

Apparently, the stock car series has been trying to break into the Pittsburgh market as early as 1999. Unfortunately, a plan for an indoor speedway near Pittsburgh International Airport fell through. Now, the street race opens up more possibilities once again.