NASCAR will not hold its street race in Chicago's Grant Park in 2027 and will instead return to Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet.

NASCAR will not bring its street race back to Grant Park in 2027. People familiar with the negotiations said the city and the racing organization could not lock down a date before NASCAR had to finalize its national schedule.

NASCAR confirmed the news Tuesday afternoon, announcing it will instead hold a race at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet on June 25-27, 2027, the same suburban track that hosted an event this year.

"While we will not be racing on the streets of Chicago in 2027 despite genuine joint efforts by both NASCAR and our partners at the city and state level, we remain committed to the Chicagoland region and would welcome the opportunity to bring the NASCAR Chicago Street Race back at some point in the future," the organization said in a statement.

City officials had pushed to avoid holding the race over Fourth of July weekend, the date NASCAR used for the street race from 2023 through 2025. Downtown Ald. Brian Hopkins, whose ward includes Grant Park, said NASCAR risked losing its shot at the Joliet date if talks with the city dragged on much longer.

"I think if they had more time, they might have been able to successfully finalize the Chicago deal, but they just ran out the clock," Hopkins said. He added he didn't sense animosity on either side and believed the negotiations were going "relatively well" before time ran out.

Money was also a sticking point. NASCAR had sought a $15 million grant from the state for next year's event but was appropriated only $5 million in the state budget. Ben Kennedy, NASCAR's chief operating officer, told the Chicago Tribune in late July that the Chicago race has lost money for three straight years, though he described it as "an investment" that draws new fans and grows the sport.

The mayor's office said in a statement it was "pleased" NASCAR is keeping an office in Chicago and plans to continue funding programming with Chicago Public Schools. "We remain open to discussing the future of NASCAR in Chicago and look forward to continuing to build partnerships that bring new opportunities to Chicago, create value for residents, and advance our vision for a safer, more affordable Chicago," the statement said.

The outcome reverses course from earlier this summer, when NASCAR told members of the Grant Park Advisory Council it was close to announcing a return to the city. The original agreement to run the race on downtown streets, struck in 2022 under then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot, allowed for two possible one-year extensions covering 2026 and 2027. NASCAR opted to skip 2026 just weeks after completing last year's race, saying at the time it wanted to explore a new date and improve "operational efficiencies" while aiming to return in 2027.

Holding the race over the Fourth of July had forced Taste of Chicago to move to early September in past years. This year, with no street race on the calendar, the food festival returned to its traditional July 8-12 slot.

Downtown Ald. Bill Conway said he remains hopeful the city and NASCAR can strike a deal that makes sense financially and logistically for a future date. "I hope we can do something that makes sense for 2028," Conway said.

Hopkins said the extra time away could let NASCAR refine its setup and teardown process and coordinate better with other Grant Park events, something Conway has also flagged as a top complaint from downtown residents disrupted by road closures and construction. "If you want to come back in 2028, use the available time that you have now to come up with a plan that's going to win over some hearts and minds that have not been supportive of the event simply because of the inconvenience that it poses to downtown residents," Hopkins said.

Downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly did not respond to a request for comment.

The race contract among NASCAR, the city and the Chicago Park District has drawn criticism from several alderpeople who argue the terms favor NASCAR. Much of that criticism has centered on the city's costs for preparing downtown roads and covering police overtime, compared with NASCAR's original $500,000 permit fee, a figure far below what Lollapalooza pays annually to use Grant Park.

For now, NASCAR will keep its downtown office and school programming in Chicago, while the Grant Park street course goes unused for a second straight summer. Conway's target of a 2028 return leaves roughly two years for both sides to negotiate a new agreement before NASCAR would again need to lock in its national schedule.