While NASCAR has raced on dirt, beaches, road courses, and ovals, it has never competed (officially) on streets. That’s changing this weekend in downtown Chicago with a pair of races that will mark the sport’s street course debut. I’ve got a good feeling it’s going to be the most exciting automotive development there since a pair of Illinois national socialists in a Pinto wagon got dropped from a chopper onto Lake Shore Drive. As part of the festivities we’re going to be hosting a happy hour meetup with some staff and NASCAR driver/host/superfriend Parker Kligerman at Portillo’s on Canal this Friday from 5:00 pm to 7:00 PM.
Here are the details:
Chicago-Area Autopian Reader Meetup
- When: Friday, June 30th at 5:00 PM CT to 7:00 PM CT
- Where: Portillo’s Chicago – Canal & Taylor (520 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60607)
- What: A chance to have a meetup with Chicago-area readers + people in town for the Chicago race. There’s also some parking at Portillo’s if you want to bring your car.
- Who: Mercedes Streeter, The Bishop (maybe), Matt Hardigree, NASCAR driver Parker Kligerman, and you!
It should be extremely fun and quite chill. Plus, you can get an Italian Beef, a chopped salad, and an ice tea w/ lemon. Or a cake shake. Maybe some beer. It’ll be fun.
If you think you can make it out please let us know in the comments.
The hours I work, no chance I could make it, but I will be watching for the next one.
Here’s how you know I like y’all. I HAAAAATE going into the city. Much less during rush hour on a Friday. But you know what, I’ll suck it up and be there!
Heck yeah, I’ll be there with bells on–and possibly my motorcycle, b/c parking downtown is hell at the best of times.
Aw man, and here’s me out of town. Maybe if y’all do one for the 24 Hrs of Lemons in Joliet in August I can make it…
Would love to see one of these in Tucson, AZ. But I’d settle for Phoenix.
Speaking of summer meetups, any chance of one during EAA in Oshkosh? I can only assume Mercedes is going to be back for that. SUCH POTENTIAL FOR CAMPER CONTENT!
Oh Matt. 72 hours notice for a summer weekend evening, smack dab in a quite congested downtown area with limited parking. I’ll assume this was all your respective schedules permitted, but it sure does feel like an afterthought. I’ll hope for betting planning next time so that I may attend.
It’s a mostly terrible joke, but may there be no shootings.
That sounds like more fun than a wheelbarrow of shrimp. When are we having one in the Southeast? Lane Museum Meetup?
Dang it, eight blocks from my office and I won’t be able to make it! Have fun — Sandy and I will see y’all on the next one.
Portillo’s fries are the best available anywhere. Or at least they were when the old man was running the show.
I’d love to meet up again, the Milwaukee meet a few months ago was fun, but I’m allergic to downtown traffic. I have jury duty every Monday and it takes a full 90 minutes to get downtown from the O’Hare area, or the O’Harea as I like to call it.
Have fun!
it’s like 3 blocks from the Clinton stop on the blue line, which starting at ohare should take about 45 minutes… I hate Chicago traffic too, to the point I drive more miles on track than public roads, but at least the public transit is one of the best in the US, even if it is a little “oversubscribed” during commute hours.
edit – 90 minutes sounds about right for a 10 mile trip… His pain is real.
In fifteen years here I have never driven my own car(s) downtown (I do have to do it for work sometimes) – there’s just no reason to, plus it sucks. Like Snoman said, just park at Rosemont or wherever and take the Blue Line. It won’t even be that crowded, it’ll cost $2.50 and you can read. I usually multimodal my commute (Avondale to Englewood) but today was all CTA and it was nice to relax.
I’d love to, but I’m leaving early Saturday morning to fly to the PNW and drive a 45-year-old BMW home via a visit to Glacier National Park, so I got some getting-ready to do. If I’m lucky I’ll be able to work out of the Loop and Bromp over.
I’m in the minority here but I love watching those big cars on the road courses. More entertaining than the ovals to me. You guys have fun!
Disappointed I won’t be able to make this one.
damn, earliest I’d be able to get there is about 6:30-7 (adulting at my job…). Wish I could drive one of our definitely not street legal Lemons race cars there too.
Imma be there.
Via dumb bike.
I belatedly realized that I recognized your user name from the Chainlink years ago. I think I sold you my Peugeot Triathlon about ten years ago.
I did by a Peugeot Triathalon around that time so that is probably accurate.
I liked that bike but the quill seatpost was just a wee bit to short.
That bike was WILD! I loved it!
It’s a bike even people who hate bikes like.