Too late to hit brakes on NASCAR, but Reilly moves to curb future special events

In July, after helping to announce that a stock-car race will be coming to Chicago next year, NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace stopped at Buckingham Fountain and Navy Pier. (Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times)

It’s too late to put the brakes on Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s plan to turn Chicago’s most iconic roadways into a 12-turn, 2.2-mile showcase next July for the first street course race in NASCAR’s 75-year history — an event that will tie up part of Grant Park for two weeks.

But downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) wants to make certain it never happens again — at least, not without local alderpersons being notified, and the City Council approving it.