NASCAR Chicago has to show it can deliver on revenue

Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #91 Enhance Health Chevrolet, was the winner of the NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 220 on July 2. In this photo, racers are seen heading south toward the Field Museum. (Getty)

As any Chicagoan could have predicted, the city indeed looked great in front of almost 5 million viewers watching the inaugural NASCAR Chicago Street Race on NBC, breaking viewership records for the sport last weekend.

Especially during the summer and even in torrential rainstorms like the one that cut short the race, Chicago is gorgeous — and knows how to host a party.