Before NASCAR speeds into Chicago for their two-day racing and music festival this summer, they are unveiling collaborative efforts with Chicago institutions. This includes The Art Institute of Chicago, partnering with Toyota and NASCAR to promote the upcoming exhibition Van Gogh and the Avant-Garde: the Modern Landscape on a promotional pace car to celebrate the “cultural vibrancy of Chicago.”
The car was unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show, the nation’s largest auto show, on Feb. 10 at the Toyota Live Stage. Co-branded on a Toyota Camry, the partnership promotes a key message from the exhibition; exploring the idea that changing where you are and what you see can inspire you.
On Twitter, NASCAR stated that they are “proud to partner with @ArtInstituteCHI to support the expansive sports, entertainment and art events in Chicago. Thanks to our friends at @Toyota, this is our first promotional pace car for #NASCARChicago.”
NASCAR Chicago Street Race will take place in downtown Chicago from July 1-2, a first for the city. The NASCAR Cup Series track will include iconic downtown scenes including Michigan Avenue, Lake Shore Drive, Grant Park, the Field Museum and Buckingham Fountain.
In a statement, Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot said “Chicago’s streets are as iconic as our skyline and our reputation as a world class sports city is indisputable. I am thrilled to welcome our partners at NASCAR to Chicago for an event that will attract thousands of people to our city.”
Tickets are now on sale, offering VIP hospitality experiences, driver meet-and-greets and even a music festival featuring The Black Crowes, The Chainsmokers, Miranda Lambert and Charley Crockett.
Van Gogh and the Avant-Garde: the Modern Landscape opens May 14 and runs through Sept. 4, 2023. In collaboration with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the exhibition with have over 75 paintings and drawings from the creative period of 1882 and 1890. This includes 25 pieces by Van Gogh and other fellow painters such as Georges Seurat, Paul Signac, Emile Bernard, and Charles Angrand.
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