The Loop 110 (Xfinity Series)
When: Saturday July 6, 3:30 PM EST (NBC, MRN, SIRIUS XM NASCAR Radio)
Where: Dowtown Chicago; Chicago, Illinois
Last Year’s Winner: Cole Custer

The NASCAR Chicago Street Race weekend kicks off with the Xfinity Series’ The Loop 110 on Saturday, promising high-stakes action on the 2.14-mile, 12-turn street course.

All eyes are on Shane van Gisbergen as he aims for his third consecutive Xfinity road course victory. The New Zealander, who stunned the NASCAR world by winning last year’s Cup race in Chicago in his series debut, has already clinched victories at Portland and Sonoma this season.

“I’m looking forward to racing the Xfinity car on this Chicago Street Course,” van Gisbergen said. “Obviously, I have already raced the Cup car here, but these cars are not comparable. So, it’s going to be another massive challenge for me.”

The Xfinity race also features a star-studded lineup including defending series champion and last year’s Chicago winner Cole Custer, road course ace AJ Allmendinger, and Cup Series drivers Kyle Larson, Ty Gibbs, John Hunter Nemechek, Joey Logano, and Daniel Suarez. The Loop 110 begins at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday on NBC.

My Pick To Win: Shane van Gisbergen

Grant Park 165 (Cup Series)
When: Sunday July 7, 4:30 PM EST (NBC, MRN, SIRIUS XM NASCAR Radio)
Where: Dowtown Chicago; Chicago, Illinois
Last Year’s Winner: Shane van Gisbergen

In Sunday’s Cup Series event, Christopher Bell emerges as a driver to watch, regardless of weather conditions. While most drivers are hoping for clear skies, Bell might be quietly wishing for rain, given his recent success in wet conditions.

Bell showcased his wet-weather skills with a victory at the rain-interrupted New Hampshire race and led a race-high 37 laps in last year’s rainy Chicago Street Race before Shane van Gisbergen’s late-race charge.

“Yeah, I think at this point, I’d probably prefer the rain,” Bell admitted, despite forecasts predicting mostly sunny skies. He describes the Chicago circuit as “very technical, very high-risk and high-reward,” emphasizing the challenging nature of Turn 4 and the backstretch.

However, Bell’s talents aren’t limited to wet tracks. He claimed a decisive victory at Phoenix earlier this season and showed strong form at Nashville last weekend, winning the first two stages before an unfortunate spin.

As NASCAR returns to the streets of Chicago, fans can expect an action-packed weekend of racing across both series. The Grant Park 165 Cup Series race is scheduled for Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

My Pick To Win: Shane van Gisbergen

Image: Sean Gardner/Getty Images