Having never seen a single NASCAR event before Sunday afternoon, I would have not known the difference from a race that will be talked about for years or a race no one would remember. All I knew is that when Shane van Gisbergen turned on Michigan Avenue on the final lap, I was excited.
My frame of reference for the quality of the race is limited to the commentary from fans on social media. Of course, like anything else, there were people on both sides of the argument, but it appeared that the majority thought it was a good race. I hope NASCAR fans had a good experience in the city and the sport wants to extend this event beyond the current contract.
Opportunities to create unique partnerships between a sport and a city are hard to find. Chicago should embrace this opportunity with pride.
Our city during summer months is incredibly beautiful. We should share it with NASCAR fans for a weekend and hope the weather wants to cooperate in the future. Undoubtedly, putting together an event of such magnitude will cause disruptions and difficulties, but these should not discourage us from having the event in the first place. Any event worth having will require effort.
I heavily rely on the CTA for moving around, so I understand that all the street closures have not affected me as much as others, and this concern must not be ignored. But I am hopeful that with time, this process will be more efficient as the different parties get familiar with the process and my fellow Chicagoans get familiar with having limited car access in the Loop around the Fourth of July holiday.
I believe that if all parties involved work together in good faith, we can learn to mitigate those challenges and, every year, put together a world-class event.
— Leopoldo Rodriguez, Chicago
Hats off to city, NASCAR
I was skeptical when Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced that NASCAR racing was coming to our fair city. But not even the record rainfall could dampen Chicagoans’ spirits or the courage of the NASCAR drivers performing on a wet and tightly packed racecourse.
Hats off to the city workers and NASCAR officials and drivers for putting on a great show, albeit somewhat shortened due to Mother Nature’s fury.
It remains to be seen what the financial bottom line will reveal, but regardless, it seems that attendance was good, considering the weather.
— Michael Oakes, Chicago
Rain a sign for NASCAR
Well, apparently, the rain gods also thought it was a stupid idea to hold a NASCAR race in Chicago.
Let’s see, climate change and a drought exacerbated by gas-powered cars? The rain is the perfect end to an ill-conceived plan with no upside for Chicago. Hopefully everyone agrees and nixes this contract.
— Jeanne Cuff, Chicago
City-appropriate obstacles
The race was entertaining, to say the least. Especially the slow crash slides into the tires. Just like Chicago drivers in the rain and snow, they can’t slow down. The next Chicago NASCAR Street race should include a couple of blocks of random potholes. Then add a section of side street speed bumps like we have in the neighborhoods. Then the race would really be entertaining.
— Paul Gasiorowski, formerly of Chicago, Palatine
Commitment to Chicago
I read Laura Washington’s column “Elegant fun is harder than ever to find in Chicago” on June 26, which happened to be my 53rd birthday. I was born in Chicago, and I raised my two kids (ages 17 and 19) in Chicago. Like many parents, my husband and I considered a move to the suburbs when our kids started school. We even listed our home for sale but then reconsidered out of our love for the city.
I’m sad to say that our love for the city is waning due to increased violence, shuttered storefronts, crumbled streets and a general sense that the city is not what it used to be. We used to think we would be lifetime Chicagoans, but we are now reconsidering. And many of our peers are saying the same thing.
We hope local politicians act quickly to address the imminent issues facing the city before it’s too late.
— Kristi Nelson, Chicago
Helping homeless veterans
Thank you to cartoonist Michael Ramirez (July 1) for pointing out the importance of always remembering America’s homeless veterans and not just on patriotic holidays.
As a social worker with a west suburban housing program for the formerly homeless, I can happily report on the effective work of two Maywood-area organizations fighting the homelessness of veterans 365 days a year: the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing, or VASH, program at Hines VA Hospital and the Victory’s Path program at Housing Forward.
While their work is not yet complete, it is well on its way and is an important reminder to remember those who served us throughout the entire year.
— Aaron B. Rapoport, Skokie
Biden’s bluff didn’t work
While a magnanimous gesture on President Joe Biden’s part, student loan forgiveness was an idea hard to take seriously to start with. It faltered as flawed from the start. Congress, not the president, authorizes federal expenditures. Biden’s grand bluff didn’t work.
Yes, agricultural policy has appropriated tax dollars to pay farmers subsidies in the national interest as a way to even out food shortages versus surpluses. No such rationale was made regarding student loans. So it was simple largesse favoring a random few, impossible to justify. Was any rationale even offered? Why some loans but not all? Was there even an eligibility test?
We can sympathize with students struggling under a debt burden, but what were they thinking when they signed the original loan agreement that spelled out the repayment consequences?
An educated populace benefits a nation. But until Congress authorizes a government subsidy, loan forgiveness seems a dead issue. No president can make it up as he or she goes along, no matter how well-intended.
— Ted Z. Manuel, Chicago
Join the conversation in our Letters to the Editor Facebook group.
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
