NASCAR: Chicago race adds another founding sponsor

–Press Release–

Today, NASCAR welcomed Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) as a founding partner of the first-ever Chicago Street Race Weekend. The partnership was unveiled as part of a press conference at the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois headquarters in downtown Chicago that overlooks the footprint of the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series street course.

As a founding partner, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois will have official presenting, marketing and promotional rights for the Chicago Street Race Weekend including the Cup Series’ Grant Park 220 and NASCAR Xfinity Series’ The Loop 121 races in downtown Chicago over Fourth of July Weekend, July 1-2. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois joins McDonald’s as the first two founding partners of NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race Weekend.

“Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is part of the fabric of Chicago and Illinois. The NASCAR Chicago Street Race Weekend is taking place on the doorstep of our headquarters building and we expect it to be an exciting addition to Chicago’s sports legacy,” said Stephen Harris, president of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. “NASCAR has demonstrated its commitment to Chicago beyond the races — which aligns with our commitment to help improve the health and wellness of people across Illinois. We ‘DRIVE ACCESS’ to care and will work to drive access and opportunities for people from around Chicago to be part of the excitement surrounding the event.”

This builds on the legacy of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois supporting the city and its people. BCBSIL was the first and remains the only insurer to consistently offer individual and family coverage in every county across Illinois. The company opened three Blue Door Neighborhood Centers on Chicago’s South and West Sides to help improve the health of those communities and opened a service center in Morgan Park that created nearly 500 jobs. Those investments represent a force multiplier – showing others the benefit of what can happen when people come together to invest in and support our neighborhoods and provide opportunities for residents.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois brand will have a visible presence throughout the Chicago Street Race Weekend with on-course branding in a dedicated founding partner section as well as the historic start-finish line near Buckingham Fountain, fan entrances, concert stages, wayfinding, and additional locations throughout the event’s footprint.

“Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois has been making a positive influence in the health and wellness of families for generations, so we are proud to partner on the NASCAR Chicago Street Race to expand our united impact in the community,” said Julie Giese, Chicago Street Race president. “Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois’s downtown Chicago headquarters overlooking the footprint of the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series street course, so we welcome them as a new NASCAR partner.”

“The Chicago Street Race is one of the most anticipated events in NASCAR’s 75-year history and we are grateful to partner with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois as a Founding Partner,” said Matt Lawson, vice president, national sales, NASCAR. “Like NASCAR, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is an organization that is committed to making a positive impact on the community. We look forward to introducing NASCAR to new fans and communities through partner activation that drives access and opportunities for all.”

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois and the Chicago Street Race have committed to share future announcements on the organizations’ collaborative support for programs that will have a positive and lasting impact in the Chicago community.