A few years ago, NASCAR decided to break new ground with a street race through downtown Chicago, and the Grant Park 165 became the first street race in the sport’s history. Over its three years, Shane van Gisbergen won twice and Alex Bowman won once, before the race skipped 2026 so NASCAR and the city could work out a new date and iron out operational issues. Now there’s talk that the Grant Park 165 could return for 2027 and beyond, though that return is already running into real trouble.

The potential return of the NASCAR race has hit some trouble

A potential return was the plan, at least, until reports of snags emerged this week. The stalled talks aren’t exactly a surprise, either. When the race was first announced back in 2022, amid all the initial excitement, there was already pushback from some locals. As of the latest developments, the Grant Park 165’s return is facing stalled negotiations over a state subsidy that would help cover the event’s organizational costs.

According to Crain’s Chicago Business journalist Greg Hinz, plans to bring the race back next year have hit a stumbling block over the size of that subsidy. NASCAR is reportedly seeking $15 million from the state of Illinois, up from the $5 million grant it received for the 2025 race, a $10 million gap that’s become the central sticking point. The size of that ask reflects just how financially difficult the race has been for NASCAR to justify hosting.

Former NASCAR President Steve Phelps has been direct about the cost problem.

“It costs $50M to put that race on,” he said, “and we unfortunately didn’t sell $50M in tickets or sponsorships.”

Despite that, NASCAR hasn’t given up on Chicago.

“NASCAR has been discussing the return of the Chicago Street Race with key city and state officials,” the organization said in a statement. We hope those discussions are successful, but no final decisions have been made.”

The 2026 skip itself wasn’t just about “some difficulties,” either. NASCAR’s own statement at the time framed the pause as a chance to find a better date and improve operational efficiency, following two years of rain-marred races and a 2025 edition that drew lower TV ratings. Chicago Alderman Bill Conway has since made clear that friction hasn’t gone away, saying it’s “disappointing that negotiators haven’t been able to move this event off the July 4th weekend.” The financial case for pushing through all of this still looks strong on paper: 2024’s race generated a reported $128 million in local economic impact, 17.5% higher than the year before.

With Chicago’s own future this uncertain, another city is watching closely to see if it can make its own case instead.

Chicago might face stern competition from San Diego

Amid all of this uncertainty around Chicago, could this be a chance for the Coronado Street Course to assert itself? Following the inaugural San Diego race this year, NASCAR executive Ben Kennedy acknowledged that they would love to return there. However, he was also mindful of the fact that the Coronado Street Course is located on an active military base. If the street course is to have a future in NASCAR, the sport’s higher-ups need permission from the US Navy.

So this could be a blessing in disguise for the Chicago Street Course. Seeking permission from the city council to host a race would obviously be easier than seeking permission from the Navy, which gives Chicago a real structural advantage in this competition even while its finances stay unresolved. The remaining issues in Chicago stem from the money and from trying to appease residents, who won’t appreciate any disruption. After all, hosting a street race means many sections of public roads get blocked off, so road traffic has to be diverted.

Additionally, NASCAR Cup cars are loud, and that’s likely to be another point of frustration for nearby residents. This isn’t new for motorsports, either. Laguna Seca faced similar noise complaints in 2021, which escalated into a lawsuit and a push for a court-ordered ban on racing events that broke local noise limits. The two sides eventually settled, and racing continued there.

NASCAR typically unveils its full schedule for the following season in mid-to-late August, timed to the Daytona fall race weekend, last year’s announcement came on August 20. That’s the next real checkpoint for whether Chicago’s subsidy standoff gets resolved in time to save the 2027 date.