“I think if you do it too long it gets stale,” Joey Logano said before the 2025 Chicago Street Race. As far as NASCAR and its relationship with Chicago is concerned, it is indeed getting a stale flavor. The stock car racing series debuted in downtown Chicago with Shane van Gisbergen’s jaw-dropping 2023 victory. But it’s been two years since that happened, and it’s come to a point where both sides admittedly demand a break from this sour romance.

Shane van Gisbergen shot to victory yet again last Sunday, beating hard-charging rivals like Ty Gibbs and Tyler Reddick. But while the street course and fan stands around it buzzed with enthusiasm, a pall of gloom enwrapped the city outside. That is why a Sun Times columnist wrote a heartbreaking letter to NASCAR – only to get a savage reply.

Is it a mutual break-up?

After all, hauling NASCAR race teams, trailers, cars, and other paraphernalia to Chicago can disrupt the functioning of the city. That is what Chicago Sun-Times reporter Steve Greene playfully talked about in an article. He traced the course of NASCAR’s Chicago tenure, from a ‘love letter’ to an eventual urge to break up.

Greene pointed out the reasons, such as street closures, making 10 commonly used intersections inaccessible. After days of snarled traffic and rerouted buses, it takes a while for the Loop to return to normal. Then Greene took savage takes on how he prefers a lakefront postcard instead of a Dale Earnhardt poster. He prioritized sports like football, hockey, and baseball over auto racing. Greene also mentioned the caution-filled 2025 race that “hasn’t quite taken our breath away.”

The article’s most hard-hitting line was, “It’s not you, NASCAR, it’s us.” Journalist Adam Stern shared the link to this dissing piece on X. But NASCAR correspondent Jerry Jordan had a savage reply in store. He shed light on NASCAR’s new lady love – Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez at Mexico City – and said the sport is ready to move on from the Chicago Street Course. Jordan replied to Greene’s article on X: “My response is that after the city’s overbearing demands & incessant whining on the first date, any chance at romance was over before it began. Plus, we met a very cute señorita a few weeks ago in Mexico.” Indeed, that “very cute señorita” is not the only venue that NASCAR is courting.

Since April, discussions have been in place regarding shifting Chicago’s date to Southern California. San Diego is being explored as a host for a street-course race. In terms of ovals, Chicagoland, at a mile-and-a-half and with a worn surface, is an ideal fit for the Next Gen car. What is more? It costs NASCAR, reportedly, $50 million to organize the race annually. According to the terms of its contract with Chicago, NASCAR has 90 days’ time following the conclusion of the race to request a 2026 appearance. But, so far as enthusiasm from both sides goes, this relationship would possibly screech to an untimely halt.

Yet some of the sport’s stars would not like to see it go so soon. One of them put forward his opinion recently.

NASCAR’s spark may still be alive, though

After all, a road course race can be thrilling to the core. Watching 3x Supercars champ Shane Van Gisbergen tackle the 12-turn 2.2-mile circuit was exciting for many fans. They filled the grandstands east of the pit stops on Columbus Drive and lined the fences along the rest of the 2.2-mile lakefront course. Watching the Cup Series drivers zoom past at 100 MPH and take several 90-degree turns at about 50 mph was a treat. The weekend featured one of its first non-rainy days. So fans attended mock races, a trip down the pit lane during qualifying, and a look at each racer’s RV. All these factors are solid reasons for NASCAR and Chicago to patch up their crumbling relationship. And even Kyle Larson feels the same.

The Hendrick Motorsports star finished 13th in the crash-filled Grant Park 165 race. Kyle Larson‘s best finish had been 4th in the 2023 race. But he views the race as more than just a unique addition; it’s a huge market for the sport, and Larson wants to see more of Chicago. He said before the race, “I just hope it wouldn’t be the end of street course racing, because I think it’s really big for our sport, and I just enjoy racing in the city and being near a nice area.” He added, “I know NASCAR’s got plans, even if we don’t come back here next year, of stuff that’s equally as exciting. I just hope we can give the fans like decent weather for once.”

Even Denny Hamlin made it clear that he hopes the race stays in Chicago. The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran said on his Actions Detrimental podcast, “This is just one race. I think that should stay. I certainly believe this one is just important for exposing new fans.” With NASCAR finally being able to deliver a rain-free race, Hamlin believes Chicago has immense value in popularizing the sport outside of NASCAR’s southern roots.

Such mixed signals may make NASCAR reconsider its dying bond. Nevertheless, the Chicago reporter made it clear that a break-up is imminent, so we can only wait and see what happens. Do you think the Chicago Street Race deserves another year? Let us know in the comments!