Another rainy, shortened Chicago Street Race threatened to damper the weekend's premier event.
After cloudy rain descended on Chicago in the early afternoon, some light rain delayed the start of the race, resulting in a 1-hour, 43-minute delay. But for the drivers, the conditions didn't take away from the excitement of the race.
The Grant Park 165 concluded after Alex Bowman accomplished something he’d never done before: Bowman won his first road course Sunday evening.
Bowman, who raced in the No. 48 Chevrolet, celebrated his victory with a crash into the wall as he clinched a spot in the playoffs and ended his 80-race drought. Bowman's decision to stick with the rain tires played a role in his victory.
Last April, Bowman was involved in a car crash in Iowa that left him with a fractured vertebra. He initially thought the injury would be career-ending, but he rehabbed his way back. Bowman noted the mental side of struggling was tougher than the physical.
"It's really difficult," Bowman said. "Obviously, we have all the tools we need to win and our teammates have been really good throughout that time, but we couldn't put it together."
On the final lap, Tyler Reddick, who finished second, had an opportunity to pass Bowman until he hit the wall, and time became an issue.
"I would have gotten there," Reddick said. "What would have happened once I got there, who knows?
"There was still more braking potential, just more grip potential there at the very end. I think I would have gotten there. He would have fought really hard, but unfortunately, we'll never know."
Bowman was able to win partly because he stuck with the rain tires instead of switching and getting laps behind. He also hadn't ran any wet laps all year.
That decision gave Bowman a healthy cushion, which led to his victory. He outlasted Tyler Reddick in the No. 45 car and Joey Hand in the No. 60 car. Hand's decision to stick with rain tires paid off.
Bowman said he and his team will drink so much bourbon tonight to celebrate the win. This win was emotional for him and his team, but not for any individual race. The emotions flowing are because of what Bowman had to overcome to make it to the Chicago Street Race.
"It's certainly been a large mental task to go through everything that has happened in the last two years and try to continue to overcome that each and every week," Bowman said.
Heavy rain once again played a huge role in the Grant Park 165. However, the drivers still enjoy the experience of driving a street course and the overall environment.
For the second straight year, NASCAR wasn’t able to finish the full 75 laps for 165 miles. Because of the lost time, NASCAR announced that the race would end at 8:20 p.m. once the leader crossed the start-finish line after the time expired.
Bowman and his crew's decision to stick with the rain tires even as the weather dried up wasn't an easy one, but they felt comfortable with the choice. For other drivers, the decision was costly.
"It buried us and then we ended up losing a lap," said Michael McDowell, who finished fifth.
Even after the restarts and delays, the drivers still enjoyed racing in Chicago. The weather added another element of stress, but that didn't damper the moment for the drivers.
"It's unfortunate that we've — for a couple of years now — ended up with rain," Hand said. "But the couple days with the concerts — the people out in the sunshine — it gives a really good vibe."
The Chicago Street Race is entering the last year of its contract, but all the drivers have continued to sing the praises of the city.
"It's an incredible event," Bowman said. "It's been two chaotic races with the weather, but it's been a super fun event and really meaningful to be able to win."
