Yup, Dial in that tire pressure. I ran under 20 psi in one race (by mistake) and it helped me get 2nd place because the ground was frozen turf ripples and it smoothed them out. Did the same thing in another race and lost about 15 places because the tire folded over on every corner and I had no control.

THe chicago courses are very groomed and what mud there is is very minor. I plan on running a Michelin Mud on the front and a Jet (semi slick) on the back - this is a classic combination and will get you through 80% of races without a hitch. Northbrook is the only race where it was worth running a Mud on the back as well - and that's only if it's wet. 32 mm tires are fine for Chicrosscup, but if you go to Wisconsin (and I recommend that you do) some of the courses there are much rougher and 34 mm tires will do better.

I got through the Bartlett mud ok with a Jet, and more than made up the couple of seconds I lost by being able to zoom the rest of the course - it had some very fast sections.

So, you can get away with just about any tire in Chicrosscup races as long as the pressure is adjusted for the conditions.

I have just finally figured out how to run my wheels tubeless, and it definitely makes a difference. A big ride improvement.