Dark clouds loomed over NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race weekend for the third year in a row, threatening to wash out Sunday’s Grant Park 165 with possible thunderstorms. Yet, despite forecasts warning of severe weather, the rain held off during the race, thanks in part to a fan’s unusual rain-prevention device.
Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing credited a fan’s homemade “Anti-Rain Vortex” hat, spinning boldly against the gray skies, as the reason the downpour never arrived. Hamlin’s recognition of this quirky contraption highlighted the intriguing role fan creativity played in preserving the event.
How Aaron Moy’s Spinning Hat Inspired Hope Amid Persistent Storm Threats
Aaron Moy, a 52-year-old NASCAR devotee from Morton Grove, arrived at the Chicago street race weekend with a unique plan. After witnessing two prior Chicago races disrupted by rain, Moy engineered a laminar printer paper spiral affixed atop a red Valvoline hat, turned by a concealed motor to continuously spin. This DIY creation was Moy’s personal attempt to keep the rain away.
The last two years, the rain’s messed up the race here,
Moy said.
So I’m thinking, well, maybe I could do something to get the rain away.
Moy’s idea drew on a long-standing NASCAR fan joke about a “vortex theory,” which claims that cars circling a track create a vortex in the atmosphere capable of repelling rainfall. As storm clouds approached dangerously close that Sunday, Hamlin noticed Moy’s spinning vortex hat trackside. Miraculously, the clouds paused at the race’s edge and did not cross over.
Man, it did not look like we were going to dodge that rain. I mean, it was like a couple of buildings away, it seemed like. And just kind of stopped right when it got to the track. I did see the fan that had the vortex, and it worked! Yeah, I know. It worked. It kept the rain away. So, thank you for that.
Showers only moved in after Shane van Gisbergen claimed the race win, but Moy’s spinning hat became a symbol of resistance against Chicago’s notorious race weekend deluges. While many attendees packed ponchos in preparation, there was hope that the vortex ritual might succeed once again.
Refusing to retreat under the looming threat, Moy remarked on staying outdoors, saying,
“You never know when they’ll say, ‘OK, drivers to your cars,’ and then we gotta rush back in.”
His mechanical paper vortex captured the spirit of perseverance for fans battling unpredictable weather.
Hamlin’s Tribute Highlights NASCAR’s Fan Culture and Weather Worries
Hamlin’s acknowledgment of the vortex was more than a lighthearted comment—it reflected the genuine concerns that surround Chicago’s NASCAR event, now in the final year of its original contract. The race’s future remains uncertain, partly due to past weather issues that have cast doubt on its continuation.
Julie Giese, president of the event, hinted at ongoing discussions regarding the race’s destiny, stating,
We’ll have those conversations after the race, but right now our focus is on this weekend,
revealing cautious optimism but no guarantees. Meanwhile, drivers like Chase Elliott voiced their uncertainty, saying,
I don’t know what the plan is moving forward, whether we come back here or not.
The fan-driven vortex was among several unique aspects distinguishing the Chicago race. Georgene Sergeant, a Sunoco employee accompanying newcomers, remarked that street races often
draw in people that might not be NASCAR fans and then they become fans.
Shane van Gisbergen’s victory marked a memorable milestone in Chicago’s racing history, but it was the weather’s holdout that provided an unexpected subplot. Hamlin, who finished fourth, saw the real triumph as simply having the race completed in full. His podcast’s nod to the fan-created vortex honored the collective hope and resilience of the NASCAR community.
Chicago’s NASCAR Weekend Demonstrates Community Spirit Amid Unpredictable Weather
This event transcended the competition, turning a seemingly simple hat into a symbol of unity between drivers, fans, and weather uncertainty. Moy’s whirling paper vortex did more than spin; it represented a shared belief in overcoming obstacles and celebrating a spectacle made possible against all odds.
While Chicago’s NASCAR future remains undecided, the weekend stands as proof that inventive fan rituals and the spirit of togetherness can momentarily triumph over forecast gloom.
