UPDATE: Sunday, July 2 at 1:32 PM ET
NASCAR has made the unprecedented decision to end the NASCAR Xfinity Series The Loop 121 Street Race at the Chicago Street Course despite the race not making it to the point that the NASCAR rulebook would deem the race an official race.
According to a statement from NASCAR, “Based on several unprecedented circumstances, NASCAR has made the decision to declare Cole Custer the winner of the race.”
RELATED: NASCAR Xfinity Series The Loop 121 Race Results
Custer will be awarded an official win, and he will also be awarded the maximum 60 points as the race winner and winner of Stage 1 and the credited winner of Stage 2.
Here is the full statement from NASCAR:
“With standing water and flooding a significant issue at the race track and throughout the city, there was no option to return to racing prior to shifting to NASCAR Cup Series race operations. Throughout the entire planning process for the Chicago Street Race, our relationship with the City of Chicago has been strong and among the most valuable assets in reaching this historic weekend. In the spirit of that partnership, returning on Monday for the completion of a NASCAR Xfinity Series event two laps short of halfway was an option we chose not to employ. Based on several unprecedented circumstances, NASCAR has made the decision to declare Cole Custer the winner of the race.”
ORIGINAL STORY: Sunday, July 2 at 12:09 PM ET
The final 30 laps of the NASCAR Xfinity Series The Loop 121 Street Race at the Chicago Street Course was set to go back to green on Sunday, July 2nd at 11:00 AM ET, but lightning and weather put the restart of the event on a hold.
The lightning hold cleared, and NASCAR was targeting a restart of the race for 11:45 AM ET.
Drivers were called to their cars where they remain strapped at Noon ET, but the race has yet to resume as the 2.200-mile 12-turn Street Course, which runs through downtown Chicago, has puddles of standing water. NASCAR has deemed the standing water too severe at this juncture to restart the race.
As a result, the restart of the NASCAR Xfinity Series The Loop 121 remains in a weather hold. As it stands at Noon ET, heavy rain is still falling all around the street course.
When the race does restart, Cole Custer will roll from the lead. John Hunter Nemechek will restart from the second spot and they’ll be joined by Justin Allgaier, Brett Moffitt, and Austin Hill inside the top five.
Sammy Smith, Daniel Hemric, Chandler Smith, Parker Kligerman, and Kaz Grala currently make up the sixth through 10th positions.
The NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 220 at the Chicago Street Course is scheduled for a green flag time of 5:05 PM ET on Sunday, which was moved up from an originally scheduled green flag time of 5:50 PM ET.
This story will be updated as weather and restart updates are given for the NASCAR Xfinity Series The Loop 121 at the Chicago Street Course.
