NASCAR returned to the streets of Chicago for the second time in the Grant Park 165 yesterday, Sunday, July 7th.
The race was set to be a 75-lap contest around the 2.2-mile course that featured 12 turns on the famous streets of Grant Park in Chicago. However, due to a heavy rain that put the race under a red-flag for one hour and forty-three minutes, the race was put on a time deadline of 8:20pm local time. When the leader crossed the start-finish line after that time, the next flag would be the white flag followed by the checkered flag on the next time by. There would be no overtime. This was necessary since there were not lights for racing after dark on the Chicago Street course.
The winner of the inaugural Chicago Street Race last year, Shane Van Gisbergen was one of the drivers favored to win this year’s race. Kyle Larson was the other favorite to challenge for the win. Shane was the winner of stage one of the race. However, he was involved in an accident and taken out of the race on lap 25. Kyle Larson locked his tires up on lap 34, slid under the tire barrier and hit the wall on a turn to end his day.
That left the race open for strategy and other drivers to have a shot at winning. Some drivers chose to put racing slicks on as the track was drying. Some drivers chose to put on new wet weather tires on. Some drivers chose to stay on the track with the wet weather tires on they had to gain positions on the track.
Alex Bowman was one that chose to stay on track with the wet weather tires he had on. He was able to race forward and take the lead on lap 51. Alex was able to keep the lead of the race through what would turn out to be the final eight laps of the race due to the time constraint. The win broke an 80-race victory drought for Alex Bowman. It was his first win of the 2024 season and his 8th career win in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Tyler Reddick was making a charge on the final lap of the race to challenge for the win. However, a small mistake made him swipe the wall and slowed him down enough to have to settle for a second-place finish. Ty Gibbs was able to claim the third-place finish. See the complete race results for the Grant Park 165 Chicago Street Race here.
Kyle Larson was still able to remain the leader in the point standings. Chase Elliott holds on in second-place. Tyler Reddick moves up a spot to take over third. See the complete NASCAR Cup Series Point Standings here.
Next on the schedule is a trip to the “Tricky Triangle.” The Great American Getaway 400 Presented by VisitPA.com at Pocono Raceway is Sunday, July 14th.
By: Buck Stevens
