NASCAR track in Illinois voted one of the best in the country in USA TODAY poll

Illinois is home to one of NASCAR's newest tracks — and also one of its best.

The unique course for the Chicago Street Race was voted the No. 2 track in the United States, according to a recent readers' poll conducted by USA TODAY / 10Best.

"A route that debuted in 2023, the Chicago Street Race is not your typical racetrack," USA TODAY wrote in the winning entry. "That's because the course for the Grant Park 165 runs through downtown Chicago on such famed streets as Columbus Drive, DuSable Lake Shore Drive, and Michigan Avenue. Drivers speed by Lake Michigan and through Grant Park."

USA TODAY determined the top NASCAR tracks by asking a panel of motorsports experts for nominations. Editors then vetted them and presented the top ones to the public for a vote throughout April. The winners were announced May 8.

Top NASCAR tracks according to USA TODAY Readers' Choice

1. Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pennsylvania
2. Chicago Street Race, Chicago, Illinois
3. Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma, California
4. Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Michigan
5. Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tennessee