With the addition of the Chicago street course in early July 2023, the Road America road course will fall off the NASCAR Cup Series schedule.
“We’ve had some great racing there the past couple of years with the Cup Series,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing development and strategy. “I think we’ve seen some really exciting finishes, Tyler Reddick going to victory lane just recently. And a great turnout for our fans as well.
“Unfortunately, we won’t be back, but I’ve had a longstanding relationship with them, and just because we’re not going back in ’23 doesn’t mean that we’re not going to be going back there in the future.”
Chicago has a three-year deal with NASCAR to run a street race. The temporary course in the city’s downtown area will be 12 turns and 2.2-miles long, going past iconic landmarks like Buckingham Fountain and the north end of Soldier Field.
With no o ther venue changes expected on the ’23 Cup Series schedule, there will be five road course races – COTA, Sonoma, Indianapolis, Watkins Glen and Charlotte. Chicago will be the only street course, a first in NASCAR’s history.
NACAR began visiting Road America with its national series in 2010 as the Xfinity Series was highlighted with a standal one event. Kennedy did not say whether the Xfinity Series race will stay on the schedule in ’23 even though the Cup Series race is no more.
Road America was added to the Cup Series schedule in 2021. Both its races were held on the Fourth of July weekend.
“That’s tough,” 23XI’s Bubba Wallace said of losing the Road America race. “I thought the racing was fun at Road America; I’ve always enjoyed going there. The fans are fun. It’s beautiful out there. I guess it is what it is.”