In a historic moment, the NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers are the first drivers to take to the 2.2 mile course on the streets of Chicago for a practice session before qualifying and racing later today.  Due to the configuration of the track, the haulers and garage are around a third of a mile away from where pit road is located; as a result, the crews must bring everything they believe they may need with them to pit road.

The drivers will be running speeds of 100 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limits on the streets of the course.

NASCAR has deemed the course “wet” and all of the teams have equipped the car for wet weather conditions with wet weather tires, windshield wiper, defogger, and running light.  It is drizzling/heavy misting in Chicago.

Among the challenges facing the drivers are varying road surfaces, an elevation via a railroad bridge, and some very narrow spots in the course.

NBC will be calling the race “radio style” with the broadcasters scattered throughout the course to call the race with Mike Bagley, Dale Earnhardt Jr, and Jeff Burton.  Rick Allen and Steve Letarte are in the broadcast booth.  Mike Bagley notes that at his location he sees the cars coming around turn one and then again as they pass him on the other side at turn six; adding that he has never called a race where it happened and it is spectacular.

NASCAR has not allowed any of the Cup Series drivers in the race but there are a total of 43 cars for 38 starting spots.  Among those drivers is Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks.

While months of planning was needed to determine how the course would be laid out, it was completed only hours before the drivers took to the course.  On Friday while workers were setting up the course; 53 year old Duane Tabinski died in what is being called a “fatal medical emergency” near the start/finish line.  According to a witness Tabinski may have been electrocuted.

During practice, Sheldon Creed is getting very racy as he looks for all the places he can pass his fellow drivers.

With only a few minutes remaining in practice, the teams have changed from the wet weather tires to the racing slicks in the last laps before qualifying.

One of the most famous bands to come out of Chicago is the band Chicago whose numerous hits include “Saturday in the Park”.  The song was written over 50 years ago, but it all comes to pass this weekend when racing fans gather in Grant Park on the Fourth of July weekend for some racing.

Pit road covers two city blocks and the drivers need to make a hard right hand turn coming off turn 12 to get on to pit road.  Coming off turn 12 the driver goes right for pit road and left to stay on the race course.

John Hunter Nemechek noted that track position is going to be key for today’s race.

Broadcaster Marty Snider notes that 70 percent of the tickets sold for this weekend are new fans who have never seen a race before.

The drivers have been divided into two groups and will have 15 minutes to make their best qualifying runs.  The top five drivers from each group will move on to a second round to set the pole.

Making their first qualifying runs, the drivers are running laps of 90 to 95 seconds around the 2.2 mile course.

From group A; Cole Custer, Brett Moffitt, John Hunter Nemechek, Daniel Hemric, and Parker Kligerman will all be moving on to round two.

From Group B; Sheldon Creed, Austin Hill, Connor Mosack, Justin Allgaier, and Sammy Smith will move on to round two of qualifying.

Sheldon Creed hit the wall hard in an effort sit on the pole.  There is significant damage to the rear of the car and will likely have to move to a back up car.  NASCAR has red flagged round two of qualifying.

For the second week in a row, Cole Custer put his number 00 car on the pole with a time of 1:30.421 around the 2.2 mile course.

The starting lineup for The Loop 121:
Cole Custer
Sheldon Creed
John Hunter Nemechek
Connor Mosack
Austin Hill
Justin Allgaier
Brett Moffitt
Sammy Smith
Daniel Hemric
Parker Kligerman
Sage Karam
Justin Marks
Preston Pardus
Sam Mayer
Riley Herbst
Chandler Smith
Miguel Paludo
Alex Guenette
Alex Labbe
Ryan Ellis
Parker Retzlaff
Spencer Pumpelly
Josh Berry
Ryan Sieg
Kaz Grala
Parker Chase
Brad Perez
Andre Castro
Blaine Perkins
Brandon Jones
Jeb Burton
Kyle Weatherman
Brennan Poole
Anthony Alfredo
Joe Graf Jr
Josh Williams
Jeremy Clements
Brent Sherman

Joey Gase, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Dexter Stacey, Dawson Cram, and Dexter Bean all failed to make the race.

Stages one and two of the race are 15 laps each with stage three lasting 25 laps for a total of 55 laps around the 2.2 mil street course.

After a qualifying wreck, Sheldon Creed has to give up his front row spot after the crew made repairs to the car.  Creed will have to move to the back of the field to start the race.

Cole Custer brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with John Hunter Nemechek alongside.  Custer jumps out in front for the lead.

Cole Custer leads lap one as the cars make through the first lap cleanly.

Sage Karam brings his car down pit road with some right front damage.

Lap two, Cole Custer has a lead of over a second on John Hunter Nemechek; Austin Hill, Connor Mosack, and Justin Allgaier round out the top five.

Lap three, Cole Custer has increased his lead to over a second and a half on John Hunter Nemechek with Austin Hill, Connor Mosack, and Justin Allgaier rounding out the top five.

Josh Williams is the only driver not on the lead lap; two laps down.

Lap four, Cole Custer continues to increase his lead and is not nearly two seconds out in front of John Hunter Nemechek; Austin Hill, Connor Mosack, and Justin Allgaier round out the top five.

Justin Marks brings out the first caution flag of the race on lap five for a heavily smoking car.  Marks reports that the car “just blew up”.

Riley Herbst comes down pit road for some repairs after some on track damage to the car.

There was an extended caution flag due to the amount of fluid laid down on the track when Justin Marks’ car blew up.

Cole Custer brings his car down for the green flag restart on lap 10 with John Hunter Nemechek alongside. This time choosing the outside lane Cole Custer again jumps out in front for the lead.  This time, John Hunter Nemechek stays on Custer’s bumper and doesn’t let him get too far out in front.

Justin Allgaier passes Connor Mosack for fourth.

The top five are Cole Custer, John Hunter Nemechek, Austin Hill, Justin Allgaier, and Connor Mosack.

Lap eleven, Cole Custer has pulled out to a lead of over a second on John Hunter Nemechek; Austin Hill, Justin Allgaier, and Connor Mosack round out the top five.

Lap 13, Josh Williams is the only driver on the track not on the lead lap – four laps down – with Justin Marks the only driver out of the race.

After leading every lap, Cole Custer wins stage one.

The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Cole Custer
John Hunter Nemechek
Austin Hill
Justin Allgaier
Connor Mosack
Brett Moffitt
Sammy Smith
Daniel Hemric
Parker Kligerman
Chandler Smith

The caution flag comes out on lap 17 when Andre Castro gets into the tire barrier.  This is Castro’s first ever NASCAR race.  Castro exits the car without any help before taking he ride to the care center.

After starting the race from the back of the field in a backup car, Sheldon Creed has moved up to 16th place.  He is currently reporting a fuel pickup issue.

There has been a lightning strike just over eight miles of the course but NASCAR has not pulled the cars yet.  Some of the higher positioned camera operators have come down to ground level due to the lightning.

About half of the drivers come down pit road for service.  The drivers cannot make it to the end of the race from here and those who stopped will have to come down pit road for a second time later in the race.

Cole Custer brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 22 with John Hunter Nemechek alongside and again jumps out in front for the lead.  Justin Allgaier and Austin Hill battle for third.

The top five are Cole Custer, John Hunter Nemechek, Justin Allgaier, Austin Hill, and Brett Moffitt.

Lap 23, Cole Custer has a lead of nearly a second on John Hunter Nemechek; Justin Allgaier, Brett Moffitt, and Austin Hill round out the top five as drivers are getting more aggressive through the field

Lap 24, Cole Custer has a lead of over a second on John Hunter Nemechek; Justin Allgaier, Brett Moffitt, and Austin Hill round out the top five.  Sheldon Creed is just outside the top 10 in eleventh in a backup car.

The caution flag comes out on lap 25 for lightning in the area.

NASCAR has red flagged the race due to the lightning on lap 26.  There will be at least a 30 minute delay.

Under a red flag condition, the crews cannot touch the cars other than putting the car covers on.  Anyone caught trying to do any work on the car will receive a penalty.

AT 7:30pm NASCAR has issued a statement that further lightning was possible and the are was evacuated.  The race has been postponed and will resume on Sunday morning.