Freedom, fireworks, and NASCAR.
As America celebrates its 248th birthday on Thursday, July 4, the weekend follows it up by bringing the unique challenge of the Chicago street course for the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series.
After a wild weekend at Nashville Superspeedway (where the Cup Series might still be in overtime), Chicago is set to host its second street race in NASCAR history. Last year’s races were affected by monsoon-like conditions, piling onto the list of unknowns.
That opened the door for former Australian Supercars champion and current NASCAR driver Shane van Gisbergen to accomplish the rare feat of a driver winning their Cup debut. This year’s forecast looks much more optimal, and you never know who you will run into on the streets of The Windy City during the race weekend.
Honorary Event Officials: Several renowned actors will participate in pre-race activities for the Grant Park 165. Patrick John Flueger of Chicago P.D. will be one of the officials. Flueger plays officer Adam Ruzek on the show, and he has performed in roles on Footloose and Brothers among other shows.
Joining Flueger will be Joe Minoso, who stars as Joe Cruz on Chicago Fire. Minoso has appeared in several other productions, such as Get Shorty and Man of Steel.
Rounding out the trio of honorary officials is Hallmark actress and Chicago Med star Jessy Schram. Schram plays the role of Dr. Hannah Asher on Chicago Med, and she has played the lead role in 19 Hallmark Channel movies. Schram is also a singer and songwriter.
Pre-Race Concert: Country music stars Keith Urban and Lauren Alaina headline a weekend full of performances in Chicago. Urban and Alaina will perform prior to the Cup race.
Urban is one of the most decorated country artists in recent decades, winning four GRAMMY Awards, 15 ACM Awards, 13 CMAs, three AMAs, and two People’s Choice Awards. He also owns nine consecutive gold, platinum or multi-platinum albums.
Alaina is one of the top stars currently in country music, winning two CMT Music Awards and recording three No. 1 hits. Alaina is a member of the iconic Grand Ole Opry, and she has appeared on several TV shows and special events, such as Dancing With the Stars, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, a performance for the Dallas Cowboys halftime show, and singing the national at the MLB’s World Series.
Joining them during the weekend will be The Chainsmokers, the Black Keys, Buddy Guy, and…
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