Mid-summer is upon us and that brings the Fourth of July and a busy racing schedule during the day’s leading up to America’s birthday. NASCAR hits the streets, IndyCar goes to Mid-Ohio and Pennsylvania Speedweek and the Summer Nationals continue.
Here’s what to watch for.
Take It To The Streets
The NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series will take it to the streets for the first time in history, with the Chicago Street Race taking place in the area in and around Chicago’s Grant Park. The Xfinity Series will race on Friday, with the Cup Series taking center stage on Sunday, competing on the 12-turn, 2.2-mile street circuit that runs around many of the city’s famous downtown landmarks.
Mid-Ohio Bound
The NTT IndyCar Series makes its annual mid-summer appearance at the legendary Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course near Lexington, Ohio. Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course sits on 380 acres and features a permanent road-racing circuit with the Indy cars racing on the 13-turn 2.258-mile layout. Point leader Alex Palou enters the weekend having won three of the past four races. Indy NXT, USF 2000 and US Pro 2000 are also on the slate.
The Keystone State
The 33rd running of PA Sprint Speedweek enters its stretch drive with events nightly from June 30 through July 3.
Williams Grove Speedway will host the highest-paying event of the week on Friday night (June 30) with $20,000 earmarked for the winner. The series then concludes with three consecutive $10,000-to-win main events at Port Royal Speedway, Selinsgrove Speedway and back at Port Royal on July 3.
Western Swing
The World of Outlaws CASE Construction Late Model Series continues its swing through the Upper Midwest with four events at four tracks in three states this week.
Action started Tuesday at Mason City Motor Speedway in Iowa and continued Wednesday at Red River Valley Speedway in North Dakota.
Friday will see the series visit River Cities Speedway in North Dakota, while the tour will conclude Saturday at I-94 Speedway in Fergus Falls, Minn.
Beaver Dam Double
The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series will make a two-night stand at Wisconsin’s Beaver Dam Raceway. Jacob Allen and Brock Zearfoss were last year’s winners at the three-eighths-mile track. Brad Sweet holds a 10-point lead over David Gravel, who has won a series-best seven races this year, in the standings.
The Hell Tour
Week three of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals features six races in six nights for the nomadic dirt late model tour. Kentucky’s Paducah Int’l Raceway and Clarksville (Tenn.) Speedway will offer $10,000-to-win main events on Friday and Saturday night.
Red Bud
Jett Lawrence will take his eight-moto winning streak to Michigan this weekend, as the Pro Motocross Championship makes its annual Fourth of July weekend appearance at the famed Red Bud National motocross circuit. Lawrence in his rookie campaign in the 450cc class, has won both motos at all four events so far this summer.
Fireworks
It’s a huge weekend for weekly race tracks, with many signature events scheduled on the local level, and with the Fourth of July only days away, many will offer fireworks displays at the conclusion of the racing program.