In a statement on Friday, NASCAR confirmed an employee of a private contractor working on the construction of the Chicago Street Course had suffered a “fatal medical emergency”.
Police reports and WGN of Chicago identified the man as a 53-year-old who worked for a staging and lighting company.
Around 12:30pm local time, the victim was working on the front straight area of the course near the start-finish line when he was apparently electrocuted, police reports state.
A spokesperson for the Chicago Fire Department confirmed a man was transported from Grant Park area and pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
An autopsy will be performed to determine an official cause of death.
“We are coordinating with local authorities on this tragic incident,” a NASCAR statement said. “We share our condolences to the family and their loved ones.”
While parts of the 2.2-mile, 12-turn course, which winds through Grant Park, have been under construction for weeks, there were some areas that could not be completed until Friday.
Track activity for both the Cup and Xfinity series begins Saturday morning with practice and qualifying sessions followed by the Xfinity race late Saturday afternoon. The Cup race is scheduled for Sunday afternoon.
