Two years ago, as new Covid variants kept American downtowns empty, NASCAR tried something novel: a simulated, televised race through a digitized Chicago. Without needing to leave home, the sport’s top drivers sped virtual cars down a course nearly identical to the one they will race on this weekend.

There were early murmurs in the NASCAR world that the online race might be the precursor to a live-action version. But making it happen would require selling the idea to a city not known as a bastion of motor sport fandom. Plus, racing on city streets, with their bumps and curbs and 90-degree corners, was a far cry from NASCAR’s usual straightaways and left turns.

Still, each side saw an opportunity.

The pandemic had been unkind to downtown Chicago. Commuters stayed home. Office spaces went dark. Two rounds of looting scared visitors away, as did a citywide homicide rate that soared to generational highs.

Bringing a car race to Chicago, city leaders said, had the potential to fill hotels, showcase the photogenic lakefront and attract race fans who live within a day’s drive but might be unlikely to visit otherwise.

“You think about some of the core demographics for who engages with NASCAR,” said Samir Mayekar, who served as a deputy mayor in Ms. Lightfoot’s administration, “and many of those demographics might have a different perception of Chicago. This is a chance for them to visit our great, world-class city and just see how amazing it is.”