3rd NASCAR Chicago Street Race takes off in Grant Park, Shane van Gisbergen wins Xfinity Series race

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The heat didn't stop the roar of racecars as Chicago's third annual NASCAR Street Race got underway on Saturday.

Grant Park was packed with excited fans who found ways to stay cool and eagerly waited to see some of the best professional drivers racing through downtown streets in the Xfinity Series

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"Just hearing the noise and the loudness... this is awesome," one fan said.

Cars from different racing teams were loaded into the "garage alley," which is set up along DuSable Lake Shore Drive. This year promises to be an unforgettable race.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series - The Loop 110 race took off on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. The reigning champion, Shane van Gisbergen, won the 50-lap race again.

The NASCAR Cup Series - Grant Park 165 race will happen on Sunday at 1 p.m. with Chicago Bulls legend Derrick Rose as the grand marshal.

The 2.2-mile, 12-turn track takes drivers through Grant Park and along DuSable Lake Shore Drive, setting a scenic stage.

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NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Briscoe shared what makes the scenic Chicago track uniquely challenging.

"Just extremely treacherous. There's just no margin for error when you come here," Briscoe said. "And just, it changes literally every single year."

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports and 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion, told ABC7 what drivers have to look out for on this track.

"Bumps, you know, somebody might've had an oil spill that we don't know about," Larson said. "The track is always a little bit different. I enjoy it. It's fun. It's a super challenging racecourse."

Fans had the chance to get behind the wheel of one of the powerful cars, taking on the course themselves through a simulator in the Toyota Racing Experience.

NASCAR fan Brian Stanley Sr. is from south suburban Flossmoor. He said he and his family have come out to the race for the last three years.

"We wait every year for this, we make the calendar. This year, we have seats on pit row," Stanley said. "It's here in Chicago. It's here in Chicago and we get a chance to see it. We get a chance to relive it... When it comes here to Chicago, it's such a wonderful thing because you feel really close to it."

Stanley says there is nothing like hearing the roar of the engines reverberate throughout the city.

"It is really cool to see them on a road course race, really," Stanley said. "It just sounds so loud and it is so fast."

Festivities were in full force across NASCAR village, bringing in fans from different states and countries.

"It was really cool we just wandered in and we came out with this cool souvenir," said Hannah Byrne, who was visiting from Ireland. "We've just been doing loads of different stuff. It's really enjoyable."

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"It is just booming it is so exciting here lots of energy, very vibrant," said Susan Becker, who was visiting from St. Louis. "I love the weather. There's a breeze from the lake, it's awesome."

Some of the youngest fans spend the start of their Saturday in the NASCAR Kids Zone, racing remote-controlled cars and building NASCAR vehicles out of LEGOS.

"It's incredible. It's loud. We could not have imagined how cool this would be. It's awesome," said Bryan Schulmeister.

There are plenty of free activities continuing all weekend at Butler Field.

The heat was on all Saturday afternoon with sunny skies and temperatures surpassing 90 degrees. People made sure to find any way to keep cool and hydrated as they took in the action.

"It is hot," NASCAR fan Brian Harris said. 'We're hydrating lot of water, but also some beverages as well."

After rain impacted the NASCAR races in Chicago for the last two years, people were relieved to enjoy the event without any interruptions.

"I think it's awesome we've seen some cars all around here. I think it's amazing," a Chicago-area resident named Jacob said.

The Zac Brown Band gave fans a treat with a concert to finish the day. It's the type of environment Chicago residents said they just can't get enough of.

"I've never been. It's awesome," Chicago resident Ally Hajduk said. "I love seeing the entire community come together, and I think it's crazy the city just shuts down cars can go through. I think it's great."

Sunday will be the main event with the Grant Park 165 NASCAR Cup Series race at 1 p.m.

NASCAR village will be open much earlier, with festivities open to the public at 10 a.m.