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Have you ever wanted to see NASCAR drivers ripping down Broad Street in Philadelphia? Or perhaps roaring past the Rocky statue at the art museum? Well, you might just be in luck.
According to a new report from Mason Smith of the Pocono Record, the iconic racing series is exploring the idea of bringing a street race to Philadelphia after previously doing the same in Chicago starting in 2023.
NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell said the idea initially began with the possibility of building a temporary track inside the confines of legendary Franklin Field on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.
NASCAR President Says Everything Is On The Table With Potential Philadelphia Race
But that idea has since evolved. NASCAR hosted its first street race, a concept that is common in open-wheel series such as Formula 1 and IndyCar, around Chicago’s Grant Park in 2023. The series returned in 2024 and is set to do so again over July 4 weekend this year. Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic recently reported that NASCAR is close to a deal to bring a street race to San Diego as well in 2026.
“The days of just building a rural track are over, but if we can build a track with some real estate development around it and partner with some people, we’re gonna look at major cities and bring the product to the fan base within the city as well,” O’Donnell said on Wednesday.
A potential race in Philadelphia might run into one major issue, however. Both Pocono Raceway in northeastern Pennsylvania and Dover Motor Speedway in Delaware are within 2.5 hour of Philadelphia. An additional race in the are might threaten attendance of those events.
But it appears O’Donnell and NASCAR are set to push ahead with, at very least, exploring a race in the country’s sixth-largest city.