NASCAR’s return to Chicago for the 2025 Grant Park 165 is shaping up to be both a spectacle and a meteorological minefield. The Chicago Street Race Course, one of the most distinctive road courses on the NASCAR calendar, brings big-league stock car racing directly into the heart of a major metropolitan area. With its high-speed straights and tight corners framed by skyscrapers, the event has drawn massive crowds and national attention since its inception.

However, 2025 may be the final chapter in this urban racing experiment. NASCAR’s contract with the City of Chicago expires after this year, and league officials have reportedly begun exploring alternate metropolitan venues for future street course events. While nothing has been made official, the possibility of relocation has raised the stakes for this year’s Grant Park 165, making it a potential swan song for the downtown layout that helped redefine NASCAR’s summer slate.

Adding to the intrigue is Chicago’s unpredictable weather, which has had a defining impact on both prior races. In 2023 torrential rain led to several hours of delay, with Shane van Gisbergen ultimately winning the event after a 22-lap shortening due to darkness. The 2024 edition fared only slightly better, with the race being cut short by 17 laps for the same reason.  With thousands expected to flood the downtown area for the Cup and Xfinity Series on the street course, the weather forecast is throwing a wrench into an otherwise tight race-weekend logistics. While Saturday promises heat and high-speed action, Sunday could see Mother Nature rain on the Windy City’s motorsport parade.

What the weather holds for NASCAR’s Chicago weekend

Saturday’s conditions look favorable, albeit scorching. The Cup Series qualifying and Xfinity’s The Loop 110 will both take place under mostly sunny skies with highs of 89°F to 92°F. Winds will blow from the east-northeast at 5-10 mph, and the chance of rain sits comfortably low at just 8%. While crews will battle street heat, they won’t have to worry about rain delays, at least not on Day 1. Still, the high humidity and soaring temperatures could take a toll on tire wear, grip, and driver stamina, factors teams are working into their strategy simulations.

Then comes Sunday, where the atmosphere could shift dramatically. The forecast for the Grant Park 165 is murkier, both figuratively and literally. Weather models suggest partly cloudy skies with scattered showers and thunderstorms throughout the day. The high is expected to hover around 85°F, with winds from west-northwest at 10-15 mph. Critically, there is an 82% chance of rain, with a 52% chance of showers at the scheduled green flag time. That leaves a very real possibility of delays, wet tires, or even a shortened race depending on how conditions evolve over the 100-lap contest.

Adding to the unpredictability is the urban track layout itself. The Chicago street circuit isn’t just a test of driver finesse; it becomes a true gamble in wet weather. Puddling at corner entries, unpredictable surface transitions, and minimal runoff space make it one of the most treacherous venues in the rain. So while Saturday is expected to be fast and fiery, Sunday’s showdown could come down to more than horsepower and tire strategy. The 2025 Grant Park 165 might yet be decided not by the stopwatch, but by the storm radar. NASCAR’s Chicago gamble hangs in the balance once again, but this time, with umbrellas at the ready.

$1M prize looms as Cup drivers clash in round two

As part of the brand new In-Season Challenge, the NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 165 race in Chicago on Sunday marks the second knockout round after qualifying across EchoPark Speedway and Chicago. The winner will be one of just eight drivers advancing to Sonoma in pursuit of the $1 million prize, changing race strategies, as teams aren’t just racing for points but also for the chance to stay alive in this midseason showdown.

Cup Series qualifying brings in some of NASCAR’s top-acclaimed road-course drivers this Saturday, with #13 Will Brown taking the pole, #33 Austin Hill second, and #67 Corey Heim third, while perennial favorites like Denny Hamlin landed 20th and Kyle Larson 32nd.The lineup promises a compelling mix of youth and experience, setting the tone for Sunday’s main event.

On Saturday, the Xfinity Series‘ The Loop 110 will highlight road-course talent, featuring an impressive 41-car entry list, the largest since the Daytona 500, including Taylor Gray, a rookie from Joe Gibbs Racing, Shane van Gisbergen making a turn in #9 Chevy, and Bass Pro-backed Carson Kvapil. With seven road-course races scheduled this season, three of them in just the next few weeks, the Loop 110 draws from the expanding depth of seasoned specialists and fresh contenders alike.

Teams are also unveiling eye-catching liveries for the Windy City, with Hendrick’s trio featuring Larson’s bold red Valvoline and Chase Elliott’s NAPA Gold ride already turning heads. Meanwhile, NASCAR has confirmed a hefty $11.7 million prize pool for the Cup race, upping the stake for Sunday’s race. Off the track, the weekend promises fan engagement beyond racing, as Saturday’s concerts feature Zac Brown Band as part of the Busch Light Summer series, while families can enjoy driver Q&As, EV showcases, and more, from street-course drama to motorsport excitement.