NEWSFEED
Uniting Voices Chicago to Sing National Anthem for Inaugural Grant Park 220 NASCAR Cup Series Chicago Street Race
CHICAGO, Ill. (June 21, 2023) – Today, the NASCAR Chicago Street Race announced that it will feature Uniting Voices Chicago (formerly Chicago Children’s Choir) singing the national anthem for Sunday’s Grant Park 220 at the inaugural Chicago Street Race. Uniting Voices Chicago will include more than 30 local performers as part of the national anthem prior to the start of the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series street race, which will be nationally broadcast on NBC on Sunday, July 2 at 4:30 p.m. CT.
“Since day one, this race has been about giving a platform to the great city of Chicago on a global scale,” said Julie Giese, Chicago Street Race President. “Welcoming Uniting Voices Chicago represents an opportunity to showcase these talented young singers on an international stage, so we look forward to their performance of the National Anthem prior to the Grant Park 220.”
Founded in 1956 and inspired by the Civil Rights Movement, Uniting Voices Chicago is rooted in the belief that music is the most powerful vehicle for fostering mutual understanding and respect between young people of all races, ethnicities, socioeconomic backgrounds, religions, gender identities and sexual orientations.
“Uniting Voices Chicago helps our singers become cultural diplomats and world citizens in our global society, and this partnership with NASCAR will give our talented singers an opportunity to do that on a truly international scale,” said Josephine Lee, Uniting Voices President and Artistic Director. “We are proud to partner with a group like NASCAR who is so committed to this city and its young people.”
Since its founding, Uniting Voices has grown from a single choir into an internationally renowned network of in-school and after-school programs that serves thousands of students from every zip code of the city of Chicago each year. Uniting Voices Chicago offers a performance-based learning experience that includes innovative creative partnerships and artistic endeavors—from regular appearances at Lyric Opera and Ravinia Festival to features on high caliber recording projects such as Chance the Rapper’s Coloring Book and The Big Day.
For more information on Uniting Voices Chicago, visit unitingvoiceschicago.org.
As part of NASCAR’s 75th anniversary season, the first-ever Chicago Street Race Weekend will feature the NASCAR Cup Series’ Grant Park 220 and NASCAR Xfinity Series’ The Loop 121 competing on a 12-turn, 2.2-mile street course, along with full-length concerts by The Chainsmokers and Miranda Lambert with the support of The Black Crowes and Charley Crockettover Fourth of July Weekend on July 1-2.
General admission and reserved tickets are on sale for the Chicago Street Race. Two-day general admission tickets start at $269 and reserved tickets that offer an array of opportunities including reserved seating and a wide variety of premium experiences start at $465. To purchase tickets, fans can log onto NASCARChicago.com or call 1-888-629-7223.
The Grant Park 220 will be nationally broadcast on NBC on Sunday, July 2 at 5:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. CT and The Loop 121 will be broadcast nationally on USA Network at 5:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. CT.
To stay up to date with the Chicago Street Race, fans can subscribe to receive exclusive Chicago Street Race emails, follow @NASCARChicago on Twitter and Facebook and download the NASCAR Tracks App for the latest real-time updates on all aspects of the event.
About Chicago Street Race
The Chicago Street Race is the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series street race. Located in downtown Chicago, the event will take competitors past and through many of the city’s most renowned downtown landmarks on Michigan Avenue, South Columbus Drive, South Lake Shore Drive and the start-finish line near Buckingham Fountain. The Cup Series will be joined by the NASCAR Xfinity Series as part of a one-of-a-kind sports and entertainment festival headlined by Miranda Lambert, The Chainsmokers, Charley Crockett, and The Black Crowes over the Fourth of July Weekend on July 1-2, 2023. For more information, visit NASCARChicago.com.
About NASCAR
Celebrating its 75th Anniversary in 2023, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Pinty’s Series (Canada), NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 12 countries and more than 30 U.S. states. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).
About Uniting Voices Chicago
Uniting Voices Chicago (formerly Chicago Children’s Choir) is a nonprofit organization that empowers and unites youth from diverse backgrounds to find their voice and celebrate their common humanity through the power of music. Founded in 1956 and inspired by the Civil Rights Movement, Uniting Voices Chicago provides accessible music education to youth ages 6-18 from every zip code of Chicago. With hundreds of choirs across 80+ Chicago schools; achievements including international tours and collaborations with world renowned artists; and more than 50,000 alumni around the globe, we are taking the next step to empower a new generation of changemakers.
