NASCAR Preview: WWT/Gateway Race Weekend
- DIVEBOMB Motorsport
- Sep 5
- 5 min read
Written by Gabriel Tsui & Ashleigh McGregor
For the Cup Series' second playoff race and the Xfinity Series' regular season finale respectively, Gateway will play host to a double-header weekend of action.
Worldwide Technology Raceway (also known as Gateway) opened in 1997, playing host to Busch Series (now Xfinity Series) and Truck Series competition until 2010. The oval remained dormant until 2014, when the Truck Series returned to the track for a decade-long tradition. The track's biggest date - the Cup Series race - first ran in 2022 and has since played host to the close-quarters action of NASCAR.
Located in Madison, Illinois, Gateway is a 1.25-mile (2.01-kilometre) oval with banking of 11 degrees in Turns 1 and 2 and nine degrees in Turns 3 and 4. With each corner requiring a different setup of the car, this track is a notoriously hard one to get right if you're a crew chief.
Below are the start times for each race plus lap count:
Xfinity:
Cup:
Below are the defending winners of each race
Xfinity (2010): No. 22 - Brad Keselowski (Team Penske)
Cup: No. 2 - Austin Cindric (Team Penske)
Cup Series: Enjoy Illinois 300 Preview
Written by Gabriel Tsui
Following a dominating performance from Chase Briscoe to win the Southern 500, the field heads north to Madison, Illinois for the second race of the playoffs. Will we find another playoff driver to secure his spot to the next round of the playoffs, or could we see more drama and chaotic events happen at Gateway?
Gateway will be making their playoff debut this weekend, as the drivers will be driving around the 1.25-mile-long race track for 240 laps, with 45 laps in the first stage, 95 laps in the second stage and 100 laps in the final stage to close out the 300-mile (480-kilometre) sprint.
The weather report indicates the skies will be clear, with relatively cool temperatures around 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit). The race will commence on the Sunday of September 7th, at 15:00 Eastern (12:00 Pacific, 20:00 British).
Race Predictions
Aside from a hiatus spanning from 2011 to 2013, Gateway has been a mainstay on the Trucks schedule since 1998, and the Nationwide/Xfinity from the oval’s opening in 1997 through the 2010. But the track only joined the Cup Series in the switch to Gen-7 cars, and this will be the fourth Cup Series race at Madison.
For the most part, Gateway has been a Ford-biased track, with Joey Logano and Austin Cindric picking up wins at the track, while Ryan Blaney has had amazing performances at the track but encountered many unfortunate circumstances that prevented him from taking the win.
We believe his luck will change this weekend. Most drivers and fans would agree, Blaney has been riding on good form recently, and there is no reason to say his form would run out at Gateway. We predict Blaney will find his first win at Gateway, securing his spot in the Round of 12.
Three things to look out for
Thriving Toyotas (except one)
This year, five Toyota Camrys made their way into the playoffs, which included Denny Hamlin, Chase Briscoe, Tyler Reddick, Bubba Wallace and Christopher Bell. Following the opening race of the playoffs, most would say they are doing pretty well for themselves, bar one.
The initial four drivers all finished within the top-seven alongside fellow Toyota drivers Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek. Wait, who’s missing? That’s right! Christopher Bell has sunk to rock bottom, finishing in 29th. He has a chance for redemption at Gateway – a track where he has historically performed well. But time is running out on him, as the likes of Joey Logano and Austin Dillon would never get struck out looking.
Bowman struggles continue
There must be, or at least should be, a serious conversation on Alexander Michael Warren Bowman. Eight years with Hendrick Motorsports, Bowman has yet to make a championship appearance. He has only made the Round of 8 once and has missed the playoffs as recently as 2023.
Although Bowman will be re-signed for at least 2026, questions will be raised about the future of the No. 48 seat. Bowman is probably searching for a way to silence such questions, but it will not be easy, with young talent waiting in the wings for such a competitive drive.
Twilight for Fords
The Fords are seldom the dominant force of the field, though they have managed to take three championships in the past three seasons. However, as it stands, the status quo might be changing soon. Joey Logano is currently stuck below the cut line, and he is not having the best season so far.
While Ryan Blaney is a legitimate championship contender, the third Penske driver, Austin Cindric, has yet to make it past the Round of 12 in his four-season career. While the No. 2 still has a chance at making it past the Round of 12, the competition he’s facing likely won’t allow it. Josh Berry is a wildcard, but wildcards don’t often mean much at the end of the day. Ford has a real chance to be toppled this season, and Gateway is the make or break track for them.
Xfinity Series: Nu Way 200 Preview
Written by Ashleigh McGregor
Not even a broken collarbone can stop Connor Zilisch. At Portland International
Raceway, he secured yet another win, bringing him to a total of eight wins this season. He sets the record for the most wins by a rookie in the Xfinity Series.
His latest win saw a bit of controversy during his restart, as he jumped the first corner and took the runaway path – essentially putting him on a path far from any wreckage. The debate amongst media and fans alike: did he even try to make the turn, or was he always planning on skipping it?
As we move onto the final race of the regular season, it has been an undisputed Zilisch domination. Justin Allgaier started the season strong, but ever since Zilisch returned from his back injury, he has been unstoppable. Couple this tight battle with the fact that the Xfinity Series haven’t raced here since 2010, this Illinois race will be one that you won’t want to miss.
Drivers to watch
This is Allgaier’s home race, and he will want to put on a good show for the fans and take home the victory. He just needs to get through Zilisch first, who shows no signs of slowing down.
Zilisch holds the regular season lead by 20 points over Allgaier. Both will be fighting for that championship. Sam Mayer looks to round out the top three.
Carson Kvapil takes one of four remaining playoff positions, leaving Sheldon Creed and Taylor Gray in tenth and 11th with only five points separating the two. Both drivers should move on to the playoffs based on points scored, as the only threat they face is Harrison Burton.
Harrison is currently in 12th and only under threat from cousin Jeb Burton. This race will showcase the ultimate battle for all 13 of these drivers playoff-eligible drivers. Each will be looking to put together a perfect weekend.
Race Weekend Guide
Drivers are racing a distance of 200 miles over 160 laps. Stages one and two are 35 laps each. The final stage will have the remaining 90 laps of pure high pressure racing.
Practice is on Friday, September 5th at 17:05 EST (22:05 UK). Qualifying is on race day at 15:00 EST (20:00 UK).
Kickoff for the race is at 19:30 EST (00:30 UK) on Saturday, September 6th.
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