NASCAR Chicago Street Race entry lists: Drivers to watch, favorites for Grant Park 165

Here's the entry list and a breakdown of the drivers competing in the 2024 Chicago Street Race.

NASCAR is back in Chicago this week.

The world’s best stock car drivers will take to the streets of the Windy City for the second straight year in the Grant Park 165 (Cup Series) and The Loop 110 (Xfinity Series).

The Cup Series, which is NASCAR’s top division, will have 40 drivers competing to win the second Chicago Street Race. The second-tier Xfinity Series race will feature 38 competitors.

Here’s a look at all the drivers for the 2024 Chicago Street Races:

NASCAR Chicago entry list: Who is racing?

The Cup Series entry list includes all of the usual full-time drivers, plus a few wild cards.

Shane van Gisbergen, who races full-time in the Xfinity Series but won the Cup race in Chicago last summer, will defend his victory in the No. 16 Chevy for Kaulig Racing. Elsewhere, Xfinity regulars A.J. Allmendinger and Austin Hill will enter the Cup race as part-time entries and road-racing ace Joey Hand will make his first start of the season for RFK Racing.

Here's the entry list for the Cup race on Sunday:

2024 Grant Park 165 entry list

The Xfinity Series had its Chicago race shortened last year due to heavy rain. Only 25 of 56 laps were completed before the weather hit, with Cole Custer being declared the winner.

Custer, who went on to win the Xfinity title last season, will return to defend his victory -- but he'll face stiff competition. Van Gisbergen, driving the No. 97 for Kaulig Racing, will be the favorite after his Cup win last year. He's also won two Xfinity races on road courses this season.

In addition to SVG, eight other drivers will pull double-duty this weekend: Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez, Ty Gibbs, John Hunter Nemechek, A.J. Allmendinger, Austin Hill and Josh Bilicki.

Forty-three cars are on the initial entry list, but only 38 can qualify for the event (per NASCAR rules) -- so five drivers will miss the show.

Here's the entry list for the Xfinity race on Saturday:

2024 The Loop 110 entry list

5 drivers to watch in the NASCAR Chicago Street Race

Here are five names to keep an eye on throughout the weekend:

Shane van Gisbergen

Where else would we begin? SVG's victory in Chicago last summer came in his debut start. Since then, the New Zealander has moved to the U.S. and fully immersed himself in the NASCAR world. He has two wins in the Xfinity Series this season and is competing part-time at the Cup level while honing his skills. SVG will be a threat to win both events this weekend.

Christopher Bell

Last year, Bell led the most laps (37) and won Stage 1 and 2 before finishing 18th. The driver of the No. 20 Toyota is arguably the hottest driver in the Cup Series right now, too. He's won two of the last six races and leads all drivers with nine stage wins. Bell should be in contention on Sunday as he aims for his 10th career victory.

Kyle Larson

Arguably the biggest star in NASCAR, Larson made headlines in May when he competed in his first Indy 500. The California native leads the Cup points standings and recently won at Sonoma Raceway, another road course. Larson finished fourth in Chicago last year.

Chase Elliott

NASCAR's most popular driver doubles as one of the series' elite road-racers. Elliott leads all active drivers with seven career road course victories, though the last came back in 2021. In Chicago last summer, Elliott finished third after crashing in practice and starting at the rear of the field.

Justin Haley

Here's an underdog to watch out for. Haley led 23 laps in Chicago last year and finished second to SVG, but he's in a different car this time around. He moved to Rick Ware Racing over the offseason, a move that surprised many as RWR is one of smaller teams. But the 25-year-old Haley has impressed in 2024 with four top-15 finishes in the last seven races. He could be a sneaky pick to run well once again on the streets of Chicago.

When is the NASCAR Chicago Street Race in 2024?

The Grant Park 165 is scheduled for Sunday, July 7, at 3:30 p.m. CT on NBC.

On Saturday, July 6, at 2:30 p.m. CT on NBC, NASCAR’s second-tier Xfinity Series will hold The Loop 110. Some of NASCAR’s rising stars will compete in this event as they hope to eventually reach the Cup Series.