“There was no transparency”: Brendan Reilly accuses former Chicago Mayor for ‘negative publicity’ of the upcoming NASCAR race

NASCAR's visit to the streets of Chicago in two weeks' time seems to have ruffled feathers inside the City Council's office, despite the hype around the first-of-its-kind event soaring. At the Grant Park 220, Cup Series drivers will be seen racing on a track repurposing the streets of downtown Chicago.

While NASCAR is hoping to bring the action of stock car racing ever closer to the fans as well as attract new ones, some officials are not happy with the sport's presence in the city.

The closure of downtown streets is bound to cause major traffic snarls throughout the city. However, the two-day-long event is also expected to bring in somewhere around $1.4 million in tourism revenue for the city.

Brendan Reilly, Alderman of Chicago's 42nd Ward - which includes majority of the downtown area, accused former Mayor Mori Lightfoot of keeping vital information hidden from the council.

Reilly also accused Lightfoot, who greenlit the event before the end of her tenure, and her administration's "ham-handedness" for the negative publicity surrounding the NASCAR Cup Series race currently. Reilly said:

“The greatest frustration that I had with this event coming to Chicago is that the way the previous administration hid it. There was no tranceparency, and I can tell you speaking with NASCAR officials after the fact, they would've much preffered to have come and sat with us months in advance of the announcement for this event."

He added:

"So, the negative publicity around this, a lot of it was driven by the ham-handedness of the previous administration and the refusal to engage with their legislative partners on the City Council”

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NASCAR Chicago City Street Course President confident in the event's success

Julie Giese, President of the NASCAR Chicago City Street Course, is confident in the success of the upcoming Grant Park 220 Cup Series race.

Elaborating on the backlash the race has faced during the off-week between Sonoma Raceway and Nashville Superspeedway events, Giese assured that the event will steer clear of any legislative potholes and showcased Chicago as a viable venue for such sporting events.

She said:

"We've worked really hard to be as open and as accessible as possible and if there are things that are being flagged in different areas, we can have those conversations."

The Grant Park 220, which goes live on Sunday, July 2, 2023, will mark the first time stock car racing will be held on a street course.