The Chicago Street Race has been a bold experiment, but not everyone’s feeling the love. A recent Chicago Sun-Times column titled “Dear NASCAR: End of the road in Chicago can’t come fast enough” didn’t mince words. Written by Steve Greenberg, the piece took a satirical swing, framing the race as an unwanted guest disrupting the city’s vibe.
Penned as a breakup letter from Chicago’s residents, it argued the event clogs up downtown, messes with traditions like July 4th fireworks, and fails to capture the city’s sports-loving heart. With the race’s three-year contract wrapping up in 2025, Greenberg’s piece suggested it’s time for NASCAR to hit the road, leaving the lakefront to its souvlaki kebabs and postcard views.
The column leaned hard into sarcasm, poking at everything from the race’s rain-soaked struggles to its perceived cultural mismatch. Chicago speaks baseball, football, basketball, and hockey, Greenberg wrote, not “drafting” or “restrictor plates.” The piece even took a jab at the event’s grand marshal, Derrick Rose, sweating in a heavy leather jacket on a scorching day.
It’s a sharp, cheeky take, reflecting frustrations some locals reportedly feel about street closures and shifted festivities, like moving fireworks to July 5. But not everyone’s ready to sign that breakup letter, and one NASCAR legend is pushing back hard. Kevin Harvick, never one to shy away from a fight, came out swinging on his Happy Hour podcast, calling Greenberg’s column “crappy” and defending the Chicago Street Race as a gutsy, thrilling addition to NASCAR’s schedule.
Harvick’s fiery defense of Chicago’s Street Race
In the latest episode of Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast, the retired driver turned commentator didn’t just disagree with Greenberg’s take and he torched it, saying, “I mean, the crowd looked, the crowd looked good. And, and the thing that I love about Chicago, it’s always all three years. It’s felt like they’re so engaged in in what’s going on. You’ve got some of these slapsticks like this guy from the Sun-Times, this Steve Greenberg guy that wrote the crappy story this morning. But for the most part, people who actually want to pay attention and be a part of the event do the things that aren’t just looking for a headline because they write bad stories. That’s the truth, though. I mean, a guy like this that doesn’t know anything about NASCAR doesn’t want to come out and find out about the sport. He wants to just show up and talk bad.”
Harvick’s comments zero in on the energy at Grant Park, where attendance data backs him up with solid crowds despite rain plaguing the 2023 and 2024 races. He sees the event as a bold leap for NASCAR, bringing racing to an urban audience in a way that’s fresh and engaging. His mention of casual viewers at his house tuning in underscores the race’s appeal beyond hardcore fans, a key goal for NASCAR’s push into city markets. Harvick wasn’t done.
CHICAGO, IL – JULY 06: A view of the Chicago Street Race from the stands overlooking the skyline as drivers race through the track during the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Xfinity Series The Loop 110 at the Chicago Street Course on July 06, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. Photo by Ben Hsu/Icon Sportswire AUTO: JUL 06 NASCAR Xfinity Series The Loop 110 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon224240619024
He continued saying, “I think that, you know, I don’t necessarily like, I, I agree with Blaney that crushing the sport in a moment like this is probably not the right thing to do for an industry person. It’s not as bad as the Sun-Times. Steve Greenberg, who knows nothing about racing. Jeff Gluck knows a lot about racing and does a great job covering the sport. But I can see both of their points and they’re both very well educated in racing and what happens on a weekly basis. So thank you both for being a, a, a key part of our sport, unlike Steve Greenberg. Don’t give him clicks.”
Greenberg’s column, with its tongue-in-cheek tone, highlights real gripes such as street closures, disrupted traditions, and races slowed by weather or cautions. Yet Harvick frames it as lazy criticism, accusing Greenberg of chasing clicks without understanding the sport. He contrasts this with informed voices like Ryan Blaney and Jeff Gluck, who critique from a place of knowledge. Blaney, for instance, has cautioned against overly harsh takes that could hurt NASCAR during a growth phase, a point Harvick echoes.
The tension here is clear: Greenberg’s piece channels a civic perspective, reflecting locals who feel the race is more hassle than a highlight. Harvick, on the other hand, sees it as a triumph of innovation, drawing new eyes to the sport. He argues that critics like Greenberg miss the bigger picture, dismissing the event without engaging with its potential. The Chicago Street Race, in Harvick’s view, is a gamble that’s paying off, even if it ruffles some local feathers.
This back-and-forth captures a broader divide. For some Chicagoans, the race is an intrusion, clogging up their city and shifting its rhythm. For NASCAR, it’s a chance to break out of the oval mold and reach a new audience.
Harvick praises Ty Gibbs’ road racing
While Harvick was busy defending Chicago, he also had high praise for Ty Gibbs, who turned heads at the 2025 Street Race. Gibbs chased down street-course king Shane van Gisbergen but came up just short, finishing P2. Still, his performance caught Harvick’s eye.
“I think that they’ve got the speed and now it’s just those one or two moments on a weekly basis that you’ve got to manage, whether it’s the driver, the pit call, whatever those moments are that the guys that are going to win make right and that’s where they are. I feel like the speed, he’s an unbelievable road racer, and we saw that really from his first Xfinity race at the Daytona road course when he went down there and won that race. But I mean he’s shown up week after week after week now with the speed, qualifying well, in position. Drove a smart race [Sunday] to put himself in contention at the end.” Harvick said on his podcast.
Gibbs has been knocking on the door. Last year’s Chicago P3 and this year’s P2, plus a solid P11 in Mexico City, show he’s got the chops. Harvick sees a win coming soon, especially on road courses where Gibbs shines. But that’s bad news for drivers on the playoff bubble.
“I think when you look at a Ty Gibbs, he’s the danger for a guy like Alex Bowman and Bubba Wallace, right?” It’s those guys like Ty Gibbs that have figured things out and now in position to win. Ryan Preece, same type of scenario. Those two guys are in position to knock that barrier over at any moment on any type of race track, oval, road course, whatever track it is,” Harvick said.
The playoff picture is tight. Bowman’s sitting 39 points above the cut line, while Wallace is clinging to a two-point edge. Harvick warned that drivers like Gibbs and Preece, consistently showing speed, could shake things up. He even tossed Carson Hocevar into the mix, noting, “If he doesn’t hit something or something doesn’t happen on pit road, he’s got the speed week in and week out.” Harvick’s point is clear: Gibbs, Preece, and Hocevar are on the verge of breaking through, and that could spell trouble for veterans scraping to secure their postseason spots.
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