Firework debris causes slight delay to NASCAR Chicago Street Race

The smallest of delays, as NASCAR officials had to get the Chicago Street Race pit road cleaned off after debris from a small fireworks show made a mess. Not a major deal, but not what NASCAR needs right now as they try to get this race completed before rain and bad weather show up in Chicago again.

The pomp and circumstance is real for the NASCAR Chicago Street Race. This is a big deal for the sport, and they are showing it in year three. It helps that the weather has cooperated, at least up to this point.

Derrick Rose gave the command to start engines. We have a drumline and cheer squad from the city helping to get things started. It is almost time to go race…after they clean off pit road, according to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports.

They are going to need to blow pit road as debris from the fireworks fell on pit road (just paper and stuff)

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) July 6, 2025

Today’s NASCAR Chicago Street Race is going to be intense. If the race stays dry then we are going to get a show that we have never seen on this track yet. A completely dry Cup Series race has not happened on this track yet. The Xfinity Series race was fantastic yesterday. Now it’s time to see if the Cup drivers can repeat that.

NASCAR wants to get this race completed in the dry. The least amount of issues and cautions, and weird pit stops they have to make, the better.

Of course, Shane van Gisbergen is the big favorite this weekend. He won both pole awards and the Xfinity Series race. One more thing to do to complete the sweep, win the Cup race.

NASCAR Chicago: SVG looking to complete sweep

What this NASCAR Chicago Street Race has meant to Shane van Gisbergen cannot be overstated. He has this event to thank for his Cup Series career right now. Winning that 2023 race led him to landing a Trackhouse Racing deal. Now, that has had more effects on the Cup Series.

Trackhouse has found a secret formula. They landed SVG in 2023. Then they signed Connor Zilisch, 18, to a development deal. Those two drivers are likely the best road course racers in the sport. With Trackhouse moving on from Daniel Suárez after this season, Zilisch is expected to move up to that third car.

More or less, Trackhouse has figured out that they can make the playoffs with these road course ringers. However, Zilisch, in the long term, will be a more well-rounded racer. He could be a future champion of the sport.

For SVG, winning road course races and making the playoffs each year is worth millions of dollars in charter money. It is a big deal. So, ideally, Zilicsh can replicate that early in his career as he catches up to the field on ovals.

So, this weekend means a lot to SVG and Trackhouse. It represents the new-school aspect of this organization and of NASCAR as a sport. If he can finish the sweep this weekend, then he will once again show why Justin Marks and company took a chance on the Kiwi.