(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A top NASCAR official told Chicago alderpersons Wednesday that the upcoming street race in and around Grant Park will feature thousands of concrete barriers for safety and a relative rarity for the sports organization: mufflers on the race cars.
Chicago Street Race President Julie Giese fielded questions from members of a City Council traffic safety committee as the July 1-2 event draws closer.
Among the details she shared is that crews will be placing 2,000 concrete barriers around the “entire footprint” of the race course to help keep pedestrians and spectators safe. Each barrier weighs 10,000 pounds and is 4 feet tall, she said.
Additionally, there will be a perimeter fence around the course.
“You will have a 15-foot barrier or buffer area before you have the pedestrian fences,” Giese said.
Hyde Park Ald. Pat Dowell asked whether the race cars would be installed with mufflers to make the vehicles quieter.
Giese said they will, and it’s only the second time NASCAR has used them.
Fifty thousand ticketed attendees are expected on each day of the race, she said.
The NASCAR executive received a relatively warm welcome Thursday, with elected leaders saying the racing organization has kept them in the loop about planning.
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