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For the second time in NASCAR’s 76-year history, the Cup Series will race through the streets of a major city.
That’s right … the green flag drops Sunday afternoon on the Grant Park 165, which will be run through the streets of downtown Chicago.
The 12-turn, 2.2-mile Chicago Street Course debuted last year with Shane van Gisbergen taking the checkered flag in historic fashion. It was his first career Cup race, making him the seventh driver in Cup history to win their first race – and the first since 1963.
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The New Zealander is the odds-on favorite again this year heading into the Windy City.
Can van Gisbergen, who will be driving the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevy, go back-to-back?
FrontPageBets takes a look at our drivers to watch in Sunday’s Grant Park 165 at the Chicago Street Course (4:30 p.m.; NBC).
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Elliott, the driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy, finished third in last year’s Chicago Street Race.
He’s one of the best road-course racers in Cup history, as seven of his 19 career wins have been on road courses. That’s the most victories of any active driver in Sunday’s field.
Elliott has one win this season (Texas), but has nine top-10 finishes, including seven top-5s. He’s currently second in driver points.
Bell, the driver of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, finished 18th in Chicago last year, but did lead 37 laps around the 12-turn circuit, which was the most of any driver.
Bell has two road-course wins in his Cup career.
This season, he has three wins and 11 top-10 finishes in 19 Cup races.
It’s not often that Hamlin is a long-shot pick. But here we are.
The driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota finished 11th last year in the Windy City.
He has just one road-course win in his career, which happened at Watkins Glen in 2016.
However, Hamlin has three Cup wins this year and sits third in driver ranking.
At these odds, he can’t ever be counted out.
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Mike Szvetitz is the General Manager and Content Director for FrontPageBets.com. Szvetitz is a 24-year veteran reporter and editor, including serving 17 years as a sports editor in Florida, Alabama and Virginia, covering everything from preps to pros. His “View From The Lazy Boy” column won multiple state and national awards. He can be reached at mszvetitz@timesdispatch.com.
