Chicago - 2023

donthaveanickname

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pjmolo

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I absolutely refuse to get tickets anywhere other than the venue, e-scalpers be damned.
Apparently grandstand tickets start at around $400. I totally understand that holding a street course race isn't cheap but I wonder if NASCAR is going to attract a whole lot of new fans with these astronomical F1 level ticket prices.

I'm hoping that those StubHub general admission tickets come down significantly in the days leading up to the race.

And I totally agree that the grandstand prices are through the roof.

Trying to sell tickets to a NASCAR event at F1 prices is a fool's errand.
 

MRM

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It will be interesting to see how a new mayor (won't be sworn in until May) views this race and the investment the city has to make. This year's will contractually take place. But it will leave future dates in limbo.
 

The Nature Boy

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I could say the new incoming administration will welcome Nascar and be just as wrong.

You could but agreeing to this race was used against the outgoing mayor, who lost re-election by an astounding amount. There is actual evidence to support my statement.

I said that I would be surprised and that it’s likely to not happen, not that it won’t happen for sure.

I’ve been surprised before.
 

pjmolo

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You could, but agreeing to this race was used against the outgoing mayor, who lost re-election by an astounding amount. There is actual evidence to support my statement.

I don't doubt that the scheduled Street Race caused Lightfoot to lose some votes but the race was never brought up as an issue in any of the TV adds run by her opponents.

She finished third in the 9-horse mayoral race, just short of second, which would have got her into April's run-off election.
 

RayinTX

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I don't doubt that the scheduled Street Race caused Lightfoot to lose some votes but the race was never brought up as an issue in any of the TV adds run by her opponents.

She finished third in the 9-horse mayoral race, just short of second, which would have got her into April's run-off election.
Only 5 candidates received a significant amount of votes and she was much closer to 5th than 1st...pretty much unheard of for an incumbent...she indeed lost by a staggering amount.
 

wi_racefan

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I might be wrong but I see this race a lot like the coliseum. Not being a destination race, but expecting the local population to turn out in big numbers.

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StandOnIt

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I might be wrong but I see this race a lot like the coliseum. Not being a destination race, but expecting the local population to turn out in big numbers.

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From what I have been able to find out, this is a whole lot more than races. I believe it is 4 days long, entertainment for all ages and the city is getting a cut on a lot of things besides the pay to play money.
 

pjmolo

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Only 5 candidates received a significant amount of votes and she was much closer to 5th than 1st...pretty much unheard of for an incumbent...she indeed lost by a staggering amount.

Lightfoot was indeed closer to 5th than 1st except it wasn't first that she was chasing, as she only needed to place 2nd in order to have a spot in April's run-off election.
Without getting into the numbers, imo she didn't miss by much.

In Chicago politics, pretty much nothing is unheard of.
 

pjmolo

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From what I have been able to find out, this is a whole lot more than races. I believe it is 4 days long, entertainment for all ages and the city is getting a cut on a lot of things besides the pay to play money.

They're advertising that "the event will be an entertainment-filled two-day racing and music festival in downtown Chicago; there will something for everyone" with access to the musical stage included in the price of the race ticket.

Haven't been able to find anything related to "something for everyone."
 

FLRacingFan

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ECDD6242-1F90-4A8F-90FF-7709A7D946CC.jpeg
 

StandOnIt

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“We’re going to try to leave a majority of the streets open as long as we can,” Kennedy said. “A lot of the construction will only happen overnight. So the walls and fencing will kind of go in probably down the streets ahead of time. And then they’ll wait until the last minute to close off the corners.”
 

Charlie Spencer

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“We’re going to try to leave a majority of the streets open as long as we can,” Kennedy said. “A lot of the construction will only happen overnight. So the walls and fencing will kind of go in probably down the streets ahead of time. And then they’ll wait until the last minute to close off the corners.”
I'd try this in sections at 2:00 am Sunday mornings several weeks in advance, but that's the kind of mindset I have.
 

MRM

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I would be surprised if NASCAR returns next year. The incoming administration will likely ax any future events.
I was surprised the current administration went along with this considering how liberal the mayor is and how many liberals oppose anything related to something that consumes a lot of gasoline.
 

wi_racefan

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I was surprised the current administration went along with this considering how liberal the mayor is and how many liberals oppose anything related to something that consumes a lot of gasoline.
It's crooked Chicago. Everyone has morals, but they can be bought

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pjmolo

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"Grant Park 220" and "The Loop 121"

I'd be hard pressed to come up with two less inspiring names than what was decided upon.

Surprised a bit that NASCAR wasn't able to secure any local sponsorship for either race, such as Vienna Beef, Garrett's Popcorn, Billy Goat Tavern, or Giordano's Pizza.

A nod to historic Chicago would have been interesting. My picks would have be the "Make No Little Plans 220" and the "Hog Butcher for the World 121."

Dammit, I wasn't careful and I wound up learning stuff about Chicago.

Articles related to those race names.

https://mysteriouschicago.com/finding-daniel-burnhams-no-little-plans-quote/

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/12840/chicago
 

Jorge De Guzman

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I'm shocked that Lori put this race over the Taste of Chicago. It doesnt matter to me personally as you couldnt pay me a million dollars to attend either event but wow like didnt she know that this is Chicago Tradition for some folks that live here? Its THE event of the summer in Chicago, I didnt put two and two together till now. I just thought the Taste would be going on at the same time as the race. I'd wager that this race doesnt last past this year. The city and alderman are going to use the loss of the Taste as the scapegoat to get rid of the race instead of the real reason: their pockets didnt get greased enough.
 

FLRacingFan

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I'm shocked that Lori put this race over the Taste of Chicago. It doesnt matter to me personally as you couldnt pay me a million dollars to attend either event but wow like didnt she know that this is Chicago Tradition for some folks that live here? Its THE event of the summer in Chicago, I didnt put two and two together till now. I just thought the Taste would be going on at the same time as the race. I'd wager that this race doesnt last past this year. The city and alderman are going to use the loss of the Taste as the scapegoat to get rid of the race instead of the real reason: their pockets didnt get greased enough.
I also read that there’s a rec softball league that’s been playing summers at Grant Park since the 40’s that’s being told to kick rocks and find somewhere else to play with all of the circuit construction/staging going on. There are ways to pull off street circuits that are aren’t so invasive to the local community, so far the way this is being set up isn’t endearing themselves to locals.
 

Jorge De Guzman

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I also read that there’s a rec softball league that’s been playing summers at Grant Park since the 40’s that’s being told to kick rocks and find somewhere else to play with all of the circuit construction/staging going on. There are ways to pull off street circuits that are aren’t so invasive to the local community, so far the way this is being set up isn’t endearing themselves to locals.
Well to be fair I dont think any of this invasive behavior to the communities around the circuit is NASCAR's fault.....seems Lori took the bag and the rest of it be damned. I do hope the sport gets some new fans out of this race, but the more I read and from what you enlightened me on, they arnt starting off on the best foot.
 

pjmolo

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"Grant Park 220" and "The Loop 121"

I'd be hard pressed to come up with two less inspiring names than what was decided upon.

Surprised a bit that NASCAR wasn't able to secure any local sponsorship for either race, such as Vienna Beef, Garrett's Popcorn, Billy Goat Tavern, or Giordano's Pizza.

A nod to historic Chicago would have been interesting. My picks would have be the "Make No Little Plans 220" and the "Hog Butcher for the World 121."

Based upon what we're reading now about the expected scheduling conflicts in Grant Park events this summer, maybe a more appropriate name would be "Mayor Lightfoot presents The Make NO Plans 220."
 

wi_racefan

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Based upon what we're reading now about the expected scheduling conflicts in Grant Park events this summer, maybe a more appropriate name would be "Mayor Lightfoot presents The Make NO Plans 220."
Sounds like a quintessential Chicago thing to me.

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