The spectacle was in the heart of Grant Park Saturday — but the curiosity spilled out into the downtown areas nearby.

As NASCAR fans streamed in for the inaugural Chicago Street Race, some made a pitstop at the “free experience” at Butler Field.

Most fans in the NASCAR Village who talked to the Sun-Times had tickets for the race. They stopped by kiosks lining the unshaded park as stock cars roared in the distance.

Kathy Roberts traveled from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to see the race in her husband’s hometown. 

She’s a “big fan,” and said it made sense to get tickets since they’re usually in town, anyway, to visit relatives on the Fourth of July weekend.

“This is a place that I love. And to experience NASCAR in the heart of the city. Oh my God, this is incredible,” Roberts said.

David Struett/Sun-Times

One family from the Loop stopped by the NASCAR Village in Butler Field out of curiosity, even though they didn’t have tickets.

“It’s interesting. When there’s an event [downtown] we go and see it,” said a woman who identified herself only as Sandy. She stopped by a U.S. Army booth and deadlifted 140 pounds.

The U.S. Air Force had a booth offering a virtual flight simulator. A sunglass company set up a game of corn hole. Chicago police had a kiosk. The longest lines were at a NASCAR trailer selling merchandise.

Many fans bypassed the booths altogether, heading straight for the ticketed entrance on the trackside near Buckingham Fountain. Many fans were families or couples.

Outside Butler Field, a scalper asked if anyone was selling wristbands. Another person sold water from a cooler at a street corner. 

David Struett/Sun-Times

Sheryl Starks and Cynthia Johnson visited Butler Field to pick up their tickets for Sunday’s Cup Series race.

The friends planned to stop by some booths before grabbing a late breakfast downtown.

Before entering the field, they caught a glimpse of cars practicing on Columbus Drive through a gap in a fence.

“We’ve never seen anyone go that fast on those roads ever,” said Johnson, of south suburban Matteson. “The speed of it all, the excitement, you just feel it as the cars go by.”

Starks, of Bronzeville, doesn’t consider herself a fan. Her partner is. 

“I’m just here to enjoy the atmosphere,” she said.

Owen Ziliak/Sun-Times

One tent featured Chicago artists spray-painting a Ford Mustang with emblems representing city pride.

The artists are part of Paint the City, a nonprofit that supports minority artists and businesses.

Blake Lenoir, who paints murals under the name B-Len, said six artists will paint the car, which NASCAR will then donate to the Museum of Science and Industry.

He said that participating in a NASCAR event was “full circle” for him. He had grown up with his grandfather watching the sport.

“My grandfather was watching Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt duke it out. And now getting reintroduced to the sport with Bubba Wallace, it’s been beautiful,” Lenoir said.

Owen Ziliak/Sun-Times

Southwest Siders trek to their first NASCAR race

Salvador Duenas and his son, Ricardo, had never seen a NASCAR race — not even on TV — but that didn’t stop them from getting tickets to the weekend races.

They took an Orange Line train from their home near Midway on Saturday.

“This is the first NASCAR race” in Chicago, said Ricardo, 18. “So I was like, yeah, I want to watch it — for the experience.”

He bought two general admission tickets for himself and his dad for Father’s Day.

His father said they avoided watching a NASCAR race on TV so their race-day experience would be a surprise.

“It’s the excitement of doing something totally new,” said Salvador Duenas, 54.

David Struett/Sun-Times