When NASCAR first hit the streets of Chicago in 2023, nobody expected the race weekend would quickly become defined by soggy chaos. Torrential downpours, delivering up to 9 inches of rain, created calf-deep pools, delaying the Xfinity race, shortening the Cup race, canceling concerts, and knocking out power in the paddock. The Windy City endured the full force of nature at Grant Park, and the race became more about keeping the streets dry than overtaking.

Fast forward to 2024, and history repeated itself. Another deluge arrived, triggering multiple race delays and a shortened event as night fell. As Chicago prepares for round three this Independence Day weekend, forecasters are again waving an Amber alert. Mother Nature may show up uninvited once more.

Chicago’s weather update is relentless toward NASCAR

As Cup series teams arrive in Chicago, the weather forecast resembles a replay of past Chicago summers. Weather Underground projects a near-zero chance of rain on Saturday, bumping straight to an 80% chance of thunderstorms after 1 pm CT, coinciding with the green flag on Sunday, giving fans and drivers a collective sense of déjà vu.

Front Row Motorsports‘ Todd Gilliland remains pragmatic, saying, “Myself I don’t necessarily mind the rain. We’ve ran well there in the past, but on the flip side of it, I’m ready for Chicago to have a weekend go as planned and hope the fans can experience all of that fun stuff behind the scenes.” He echoes fan sentiment that rain-free weekends would streamline both racing and festival elements.

William Byron agreed, noting that rain had altered the competitive balance while wishing to see a dry race. Byron said, “Honestly, I’m just hoping we have good weather this weekend in Chicago. The last two years it has rained, and it really changed the dynamic of how the race goes and who is a factor. It would just be cool to see how the race plays out when that element isn’t involved.” The Hendrick Motorsports #24 finished 13th and 8th in his two rain-marred starts in Chicago, and maybe with some sunshine in the Windy City, Byron can finally win his second race of the season.

On the other side of the spectrum stands rain strategist Ryan Preece, who sees moisture as a wildcard. He goes on to say, “I’ve enjoyed the fact that it’s rained, and the reason I’ve enjoyed it is it kind of shakes things up. A street course is really tough. It’s very tough to pass, so when you have moments like rain and other things you can’t predict, it makes it a little bit more exciting and opens up the box for strategy, so I’ve enjoyed it. I think it’ll be different if we go there and there isn’t rain.” While Preece’s record at Chicago has been quite mediocre with two finishes of 15th and 34th, he has reinvented himself in 2025 and is eyeing a playoff berth. Who knows, maybe Preece on a slippery track can stun the field in Chicago for his first career Cup Series win.

Last year, two separate rain delays disrupted the Grant Park 165. The first delay hit just before the start, and the second occurred after defending winner SVG crashed; this latter delay added nearly 1 hour and 45 minutes, forcing NASCAR to shorten the race by 17 laps as Alex Bowman triumphed over Tyler Reddick. With punishing rain twice interrupting the first two additions and the forecast pointing to thunderstorms at the race start, all eyes turned skyward. And as for the fans, they are not having it.

Fans react as the curse of Chicago looms again

As the weekend forecast tightened its grip on the NASCAR Chicago Street Race, fans took to social media with a mix of sarcasm, regret, and exhausted amusement. For the third time in a row, rain and now the real threat of thunderstorms loomed like an unwanted guest, and the internet didn’t hold back.

One fan, perhaps channeling the frustration of many, declared, “This is why you don’t do a street trace in Chicago in the summer!!!” That same sentiment occurred louder and louder across the timeline as lightning chances crept higher and radar maps got redder. Another fan chimed in with the rest of the nostalgia, joking that, “It’s a sign to return to a certain racetrack in the same state,” throwing subtle shade at NASCAR’s decision to abandon Chicagoland Speedway in favor of the downtown spectacle.

Some fans took their chances with fate and luck. One fan, clearly relieved they had unintentionally dodged the bullet, wrote, “Glad I bought my Saturday tickets by accident instead of Sunday.” Others weren’t so fortunate, watching the forecast with growing dread. One fan posted on X, “Rain is fine, but thunderstorms could really hurt the chance of getting this race in.” And really, they weren’t wrong. Saturday looks dry and ideal. But Sunday? A potential washout.

Still, amid the grumbling, a kind of bitter humor began to rise. “LMAO, weather really hates NASCAR in Chicago,” one fan joked, while another mournfully observed, “NASCAR can’t catch a Weather break in Chicago 😔.” But perhaps the best summation of the collective vibe came from a user who called it out plain and simple: “Truly incredible just how bad of luck NASCAR has had with the weather in Chicago each year.”

And finally, one fan wrote, “Curse of Chicagoland haha.” Maybe it’s superstition. Maybe it’s just July in the Midwest. Either way, the vibe is clear. Mother Nature is against NASCAR, and the fans are now part of the inside joke. All that’s left to see is whether Sunday will deliver racing or just another chapter in Chicago’s sky-soaked saga.