Denny Hamlin on pole for Chicago street race ahead of Tyler Reddick and Shane van Gisbergen

The NASCAR Cup Series will christen an all-new track this weekend as the first Grant Park 220 rolls through the streets of Chicago. This is the first street circuit the Cup cars will ever race and was originally designed on the iRacing simulation platform.

Chicago takes the place of the demanding Road America circuit in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, on the Cup Series schedule.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Grant Park 220:

Grant Park 220 TV/streaming/radio program

All times Eastern

SATURDAY
1:30-2:30 p.m.: Workout (US, NBC Sports app, MRN, SiriusXM)
2:30-3:30 p.m.: Qualifiers (US, NBC Sports app, MRN, SiriusXM)

Sunday
5-5.30 p.m.: Pre-Race Show (NBC, Peacock, MRN, SiriusXM)
5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.: Grant Park 220 (NBC, Peacock, MNR, SiriusXM)

Grant Park 220 Details

Track: Chicago Street Circuit, 2.20 miles, temporary 12-turn course at Grant Park
Length: 100 laps for 220 miles
Duration of the stages: 1 and 2 – 30 rounds | 3 – 40 laps
Last year’s winner: None, inaugural event.

Grant Park 220 starting lineup

1. Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2. Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota

3. Shane van Gisbergen (91), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

4. Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

5. Daniel Suarez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

6. Michael McDowell (34), Ford of motorsport in the front row

7. Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

8. Jenson Button (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford

9. Joey Logano (22), Penske Ford Team

10. AJ Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

11. Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

12. Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

13. Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

14. Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota

15. Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford

16. Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

17. Ryan Blaney (12), Penske Ford Team

18. Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

19. Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

20. Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford

21. Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

22. William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

23. Noah Gragson (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

24. Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

25. Todd Gilliland (38), Ford of motorsport in the front row

26. Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

27. Josh Bilicki (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford

28. Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

29. Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

30. Andy Lally (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford

31. Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford

32. Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford

33. Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

34. Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

35. Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

36. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet

37. Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

Ringers in Grant Park 220

As is the case with most Cup Series events that are not held on ovals, several road racing experts are on the field this weekend.

2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button will make his second Cup start in the No15 Rick Ware Racing Ford after making his debut earlier in the season at the Circuit of the Americas. Button also co-drove NASCAR’s Garage 51 entry to the 24 Hours of Le Mans earlier this month with Jimmie Johnson and Mike Rockenfeller. Andy Lally will make his 42nd Cup Series start in Rick Ware’s other entry.

Three-time Repco Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen will make his Cup debut this weekend in a third appearance for Trackhouse Racing alongside Ross Chastain and Daniel Suárez.

Jimmie Johnson retires

Seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson had planned to make his fourth start in 2023 at his No. 84 Legacy Motor Club, but a family tragedy caused him to pull out of the weekend. On Monday night in Muskogee, Oklahoma, police responded to a call from the home of Johnson’s in-laws. They would find Johnson’s stepfather Jack Janway, 69, stepmother Terry Janway, 68, and Janway’s grandson Dalton, 11, shot dead. Investigators believe this is a murder-suicide case, with Terry as the shooter.

Johnson pulled out of the race early Tuesday.

Best drivers and best bets for the Grant Park 220

The usual road racing suspects are among the favorites this weekend according to BetMGM. Chase Elliott, the series’ most successful road racer since his debut in 2016, enters the weekend at 5-to-1 odds. Elliott Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson has +800.

Better chances of winning
• Chase Elliott +500
• Tyler Reddick +650
• AJ Allmendinger +800
• Kyle Larson +800
• Kyle Busch +1,000

Yahoo Sports’ Nick Bromberg suggests finding good mid-level value in Christopher Bell (+2500) and Denny Hamlin (+3000) given that Bell won on the road course at Daytona in 2021 and Hamlin started the last race on road three weeks ago to Sonoma from the pole.

List of registrants at Grant Park 220

Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford
Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford
Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ryan Blaney (12), Penske Ford Team
Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Jenson Button (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford
AJ Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford
Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Joey Logano (22), Penske Ford Team
Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota
William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Michael McDowell (34), Ford of motorsport in the front row
Todd Gilliland (38), Ford of motorsport in the front row
Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Noah Gragson (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Andy Lally (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford
JJ Yeley (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford
Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Josh Bilicki (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford
Shane van Gisbergen (91), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Daniel Suarez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Weather for Grant Park 220

Warm temperatures and thunderstorms are forecast for the two days of on-track action. There is a 51% chance of rain for Saturday’s practice and qualifying sessions (and all running Xfinity Series) and a 64% chance of rain for Sunday’s Cup race.

NASCAR’s road package includes a wiper and grooved rain tires so a little precipitation won’t automatically prevent a session or race, but they’re only effective in light drizzle or when there’s no rain. no standing water. If there is a huge downpour, NASCAR may have to scramble to put on the event.