NASCAR has called off the remainder of the postponed Xfinity Series race on the streets of Chicago — scheduled to be run this morning — due to the track conditions. Cole Custer, who led every lap from pole Saturday prior to the race being stopped just before the halfway mark, has been declared the winner.
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— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 1, 2023
The race was paused Saturday night due to the ongoing threat of lightning and slated to resume at 10 a.m. local time this morning. However, heavy and persistent rain left extensive areas of standing water around the track, and after several attempts to push the restart time back while jet dryers worked to clear the track surface, the race was called off. RACER understands that Monday was available as a last-resort option, but that NASCAR elected not to push the race back by another day in order to minimize disruption to the city.
âWith standing water and flooding a significant issue at the race track and throughout the city, there was no option to return to racing prior to shifting to NASCAR Cup Series race preparations,â read a statement issued by the series.
âThroughout the entire planning process for the Chicago Street Race, our relationship with the City of Chicago has been strong and among the most valuable assets in reaching this historic weekend. In the spirit of that partnership, returning on Monday for the completion of a NASCAR Xfinity Series event two laps short of halfway was an option we chose not to employ.
âBased on several unprecedented circumstances, NASCAR has made the decision to declare Cole Custer the winner of the race.â
Sundayâs scheduled concerts at the track have also been canceled, while the green flag time for the Cup Series race has moved up to 4:05pm CT.