NASCAR has come to Chicago in early July and shut down streets in the heart of downtown in order to stage two races on those same streets. For three years, rain cast a literal and figurative cloud over the event.

As NASCAR's Chicago Street Race embarks on its third, and perhaps final, edition, drivers spoke fondly about the experiment's legacy.

NASCAR brought $109 million in economic impact to Chicago during the 2023 inaugural event. The number rose to $128 million last year. As for the attendance of new race fans, Julie Giese, president of the Chicago street course, said it was 80 percent the first year and close to 70percent in 2024.