Mark Hackman
NASCAR
Grant Park Street Race
Seeing opportunity in the forecast before the first lap was ever run.
As part of the team helping pitch NASCAR on bringing a street race to Chicago, one of the central concerns was weather. My perspective was that Chicago’s unpredictability wasn’t a liability to hide from, but a differentiator that could make the event feel tougher, more dramatic, and unlike any other stop on the calendar.
The Work
During the pitch process, I advocated for positioning the city’s elements as part of the appeal. Rain, shifting conditions, and an urban course through downtown could create a race with real personality rather than another standardized weekend.
When weather disruptions arrived during the inaugural event, that same thinking guided real-time audience engagement and social conversation. Messaging leaned into the spectacle, resilience, and unpredictability of racing through Chicago in the rain.
The Impact
What had been viewed as a potential weakness became one of the event’s defining strengths. The race quickly earned a reputation as gritty, unique, and must-watch, with media coverage asking whether rain delays had become the Chicago Street Race’s "superpower."
