MADISON, Ill. –  In less than 90 days, the Metro East will be in the national spotlight as World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) holds its first NASCAR Cup Series Race. Today officials unveiled that it will be called the Enjoy Illinois 300.

What You Need To Know

  • Enjoy Illinois 300 name of NASCAR Cup Series Race to be held at World Wide Technology Raceway on June 5

  • Event expected to bring 83,000 fans and $60M to the area

  • World Wide Technology Raceway is only racetrack in the U.S. to host the elite series from each of the three major race sanctioning bodies – NASCAR, INDYCAR, and NHRA

  • On June 2 there will be a NASCAR hauler parade through downtown St. Louis leading to raceway,  officially commencing the start of Cup Series race

“We are showing the world one of the best places to enjoy Illinois is right here in the Metro East,” said Gov. JB Pritzker during today’s announcement at the raceway in Madison, Ill.

The Illinois Office of Tourism spent $700,000 dollars on the title sponsorship. The race will be on June 5 and it’s expected to bring at least $60 million to the region.

“It’s going to put us on the map with tourism, it is going to fill the hotels, it’s going to create shopping opportunities, bring loads of jobs,” said Mark Kearn

The Rawlings Sports Business Management Department at Maryville University projects the event will also attract more than 83,000 fans. The event also is expected to bring hundreds of new jobs, thousands of nights of hotels stays, and will have local bars and restaurants serving up thousands of meals.

“It’s like a Super Bowl and a World Series happening at the same time at the same place. It’s just going to be epic,” said Curtis Francois, Owner & CEO of WWTR.

Gov. JB Pritzker receives helmet from Curtis Francois during announcement about Enjoy Illinois 300 race

He also said the long term-impact on the community will be the raceway’s lasting legacy to the area. He said if this one cup series is done well it can lead to many more and years of transformation and economic change for the Metro East.

“We have the race, now it is up to us to harness this opportunity and make a difference in our community,” said Francois.

Francois’ vision started 10 years ago and he joked the his “dream team” helped make this happen.

Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Belleville) was part of that team from the start and said Francois bought the raceway just days before it was going to be sold for scrap. He thanked Francois for his commitment to the community, the track and the region.

There will be a flurry of activity at the raceway over the next few months in preparation for the race. A new fan walk is being finished. It will allow fans to interact with teams while they work in their garages. There will also be suite renovations, pavement work, and discussions with IDOT to improve traffic flow.

The raceway will also work with its sponsor, World Wide Technology, to bring state of the art tech and great connectivity to the fan experience.  Francois said there will be live entertainment, concerts, great food, and driver engagement opportunities spread throughout the venue.

There are more than 250 annual events at the raceway. It will also be the only racetrack in the U.S. to host the elite series from each of the three major race sanctioning bodies – NASCAR, INDYCAR, and NHRA.

Race week

Race week will kick off on Thursday, June 2 with a NASCAR hauler parade through downtown St. Louis, which will cross the Mississippi River and arrive at the track, officially commencing the start of Cup Series race. 

The week will feature several other events, such as: the World of Outlaws Late Model Series at nearby Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, Illinois, on Friday, June 3; the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Toyota 200 on Saturday, June 4 and conclude with the Enjoy Illinois 300 on Sunday, June 5.

For more information about the Enjoy Illinois 300 NASCAR Cup Series Race at World Wide Technology Raceway, visit WWTRaceway.com. To purchase tickets to the NASCAR Cup Series race, visit WWTRaceway.com or call 618-215-8888.