Chandler Smith secures another top-10 finish at Chicago race halted due to inclement weather

For the first time ever, NASCAR organized a street race, with its location being Chicago, Illinois. Step One Ambassador and Kaulig Racing driver Chandler Smith stepped into this new challenge with confidence, taking it head-on. The asphalt circuit is 2.140 miles (3.444 kilometers) long, comprised of many straights and right-handed turns, part of it on Lake Shore Drive, which is part of U.S. Route 41. The 12-turn layout provided a fastest NASCAR Xfinity lap time of 1:31.750 seconds and is very similar to the version that was used two years ago in the 2021 eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series.

Smith qualified in P16 for Saturday’s main event, moving up three positions by lap six. Before the end of the first stage, he had cracked the top 10, focusing on turning in later on turn 12 in order to carry more speed down the following straight. With 25 of 55 laps of the race complete, 28 laps enough to be classified as an official race, it was halted for the day due to sustained lightning in the area. NASCAR postponed the Xfinity race to Sunday, but heavy rain then put paid to the efforts made to resume it. Results were then made official from the point the race halted, so Smith was classified in P8. It was an unprecedented race weekend, but Smith secured both important stage points and points due to his result.

Smith’s NASCAR Xfinity season continues this week as he will next compete at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia (8 July 2023).