NASCAR Chicago Street Race: How weather could affect Xfinity, Cup Series races

The NASCAR Chicago Street Race weekend is right around the corner, and there is yet again another chance of weather making things tricky. Each of the first two years of this race has had its fair share of rain. Will that be how this weekend plays out?

No one wants rain on the Fourth of July weekend. But that is likely what we are going to get. At least on one day this weekend.

Would it be the NASCAR Chicago Street Race without rain? At this point, that’s kind of part of the tradition. Looking ahead to Saturday and Sunday, there is a chance we will see wet weather at some point, and that could mean the wet weather tires will come out.

Looking ahead to the weekend, Saturday will be beautiful for practice, qualifying, and the Xfinity Series race. But Sunday could be deja vu for the NASCAR Cup Series. This is what the Weather Channel is saying about this weekend’s forecast:

Saturday, July 5:
High – 95 degrees Fahrenheit
Rain – 1% chance
Sunset – 8:28 PM CT

Sunday, July 6:
High – 81 degrees Fahrenheit
Rain – 40% chance
Sunset – 8:28 CT

It has been raining today as the NASCAR teams arrive in the city. Maybe things change for Sunday, but it feels like another rain race is on the schedule for the Cup Series. It would be a shame to have this race be influenced by the weather for three straight years. You begin to wonder if the Midwest in the summer is capable of avoiding rain on a NASCAR weekend.

NASCAR Chicago weather could go either way

The NASCAR Chicago Street Race could dodge the bad weather. There is a chance that we see the rain hold off, but given the sport’s track record with rain and other weather incidents, I’m not so sure that is going to happen on Sunday.

One thing is for sure, Saturday will be very interesting. That Xfinity Series race is going to be badass. Connor Zilisch is making his first start in this street race. He will be racing against Shane van Gisbergen. This race really should come down to those two going back and forth with one another. But you never know, that’s why they run the race to begin with.

A completely dry weekend would be ideal. I’m not getting my hopes up, though. The NASCAR Chicago Street Race has been plagued by bad weather for two years. Why would this weekend be any different? Those wet-weather tires will be close by on Sunday.