Bear Digest

Justin Fields Starts Rain-Soaked Race

Justin Fields served as grand marshal for NASCAR at its rain-soaked race through the streets of Chicago, although some thought he should have been a bit louder.

Gene Chamberlain

USA Today
In this story:

Perhaps next time they'd like ring announcer Michael Buffer for the start of the race.

Bears quarterback Justin Fields has been drawing criticism on social media for a perceived "low energy" announcement he made Sunday at the NASCAR Grant Park 220 Chicago street race.

Fields was named as the grand marshal for the first NASCAR race through Chicago streets, a race won by Shane van Gisbergen.Β 

"It's fun," Fields told Chicago media at the race. "This is my first kind of interaction with it, and you know, my time here, I really enjoyed it. It's fun, and I think as time goes on, I mean I know it's already a big sport, but I think it's going to continue to grow, for sure."

The race was delayed by over an hour due to heavy rain in Chicago. The wet conditions eventually dried up enough for Fields to be able to say "What's up Chicago?," then he followed immediately with a somewhat subdued "Drivers, start your engines."

Fields told media that since the end of off-season work, he has been throwing a bit on his own while in Chicago with players who are in the area. He repeated a comment he made earlier in the off-season about getting his receivers together in Florida later in July for throwing sessions, without being specific about players or days.

The Bears report for training camp July 25 and start practice July 26, with the general public allowed at practices for the first time starting July 27. Rookies report July 22.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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