Logitech, iRacing & Coca-Cola Partner Together to Host NASCAR Night Esports Event in Advance of Inaugural Chicago Street Race Weekend
Today, NASCAR announced that it will host NASCAR Night at Navy Pier, a unique esports event presented by Logitech, iRacing & Coca-Cola, on Tuesday, June 27 in the Aon Grand Ballroom. The free event – open to the public – will give Chicagoans and visitors a chance to virtually drive the Chicago Street Course on the same official iRacing simulators that NASCAR drivers are using to prepare for the first-of-its-kind event.
“Putting fans close to the action is what NASCAR is all about, so thanks to our tremendous partners at Navy Pier, we will get people behind the wheel at NASCAR Night for the perfect kick-off to race week,” said Julie Giese, Chicago Street Race President. “Esports is such a critical component of providing access to those who may not have grown up around the sport, so we want to give everyone a chance to experience what NASCAR’s first-ever street race will be like from the driver’s vantage point.”
To download the Navy Pier, eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series, iRacing, Logitech, and Chicago Street Race logos, click here.
In addition, NASCAR will host a livestream of the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series race on the Chicago Street Course with special guest Matt Bussa, eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series driver for William Byron eSports. The event – complete with a live DJ set – is open from 5-9:30 p.m. CT. iRacing, the Official Simulation Partner of NASCAR, was instrumental in the development of the Chicago Street Course. The eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series is in its 14th season.
“When we think about the growth of our sport among new and more diverse communities, gaming and esports are really at the heart of NASCAR’s future,” said Ray Smith, Director of Gaming and Esports at NASCAR. “We already have full-time NASCAR drivers like Rajah Caruth who got their start in eNASCAR, so our hope is that the next great NASCAR champion will be here in the room at Navy Pier.”
Fans will also have a chance to take a photo with the official Grant Park 220 and The Loop 121 trophies, have a first-look at Chicago Street Race merchandise, get a snapshot with the NASCAR Next Gen show car, and jump in the 360-degree photo booth. Registration is not required.
Chicago Street Race
As part of NASCAR’s 75th anniversary season, the first-ever Chicago Street Race Weekend will feature the NASCAR Cup Series’ Grant Park 220 and NASCAR Xfinity Series’ The Loop 121 competing on a 12-turn, 2.2-mile street course, along with full-length concerts by The Chainsmokers and Miranda Lambert with the support of The Black Crowes and Charley Crockett over Fourth of July Weekend on July 1-2.
General admission and reserved tickets are on sale for the Chicago Street Race. Two-day general admission tickets start at $269 and reserved tickets that offer an array of opportunities including reserved seating and a wide variety of premium experiences start at $465. To purchase tickets, fans can log onto NASCARChicago.com or call 1-888-629-7223.
The Grant Park 220 will be nationally broadcast on NBC on Sunday, July 2 at 5:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. CT and The Loop 121 will be broadcast nationally on USA Network at 5:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. CT.
To stay up to date with the Chicago Street Race, fans can subscribe to receive exclusive Chicago Street Race emails, follow @NASCARChicago on Twitter and Facebook and download the NASCAR Tracks App for the latest real-time updates on all aspects of the event.
About Chicago Street Race
The Chicago Street Race is the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series street race. Located in downtown Chicago, the event will take competitors past and through many of the city’s most renowned downtown landmarks on Michigan Avenue, South Columbus Drive, South Lake Shore Drive and the start-finish line near Buckingham Fountain. The Cup Series will be joined by the NASCAR Xfinity Series as part of a one-of-a-kind sports and entertainment festival headlined by Miranda Lambert, The Chainsmokers, Charley Crockett, and The Black Crowes over the Fourth of July Weekend on July 1-2, 2023. For more information, visit NASCARChicago.com.
About NASCAR
Celebrating its 75th Anniversary in 2023, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Pinty’s Series (Canada), NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 12 countries and more than 30 U.S. states. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).
About Navy Pier
Located on Lake Michigan, Navy Pier is the top nonprofit tourism destination in the Midwest, stretching more than six city blocks and typically welcoming nearly 9 million annual guests. Originally opened in 1916 as a shipping and recreation facility, this Chicago landmark showcases more than 50 acres of parks, restaurants, attractions, retail shops, sightseeing and dining cruise boats, exposition facilities and more. The Pier celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016 with the unveiling of the iconic Centennial Wheel, Polk Bros Park, Fifth Third Bank Family Pavilion and Peoples Energy Welcome Pavilion. In 2021, Navy Pier continued to usher in its second century with ongoing Pier-wide redevelopment efforts—including Sable, a 223-room Hilton hotel, new restaurants and partnerships, and thrilling additions to Pier Park. The Pier is also proud to continue providing free, year-round arts and cultural programming designed to inspire, educate and connect communities across the city and globe. Click here to donate to Navy Pier, a mission-driven 501(c)(3) organization, in support of the organization’s post-pandemic revival and free public programming. For more information, visit www.navypier.org.