MADISON, Ill. — World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) is set to host its second annual NASCAR Cup Series Race next summer as NASCAR officials made the announcement Wednesday.
The inaugural Enjoy Illinois 300 NASCAR Cup Series took place June 5 after a weekend of events at WWTR, including a guest appearance by Richard Petty. The sold-out weekend brought more than 100,000 in attendance to the raceway, according to an impact report, as well as brought in an estimated $60 million to the area.
“Our inaugural race in June delivered a sold-out crowd and fantastic racing,” said Curtis Francois, WWTR owner and CEO, in a press release.
“We are thrilled to have NASCAR return, along with our title and presenting sponsors – the Illinois Department of Tourism and TicketSmarter – to deliver another epic weekend of racing.”
The NASCAR Cup series will be Sunday, June 4, 2023, with a start time to be announced along with details of that weekend’s events, according to the press release.
The second Enjoy Illinois 300 will be presented by TicketSmarter.
“We want to be with fans who appreciate live events, and the incredibly loyal NASCAR following provides an ideal venue for our brand,” said Jeff Goodman, CEO of Kansas-based TicketSmarter, in the press release.
The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Toyota 200 will be a part of that weekend of racing, which will take place Saturday, June 3, 2023.
“The 2022 Enjoy Illinois 300 was an incredible sold-out event, welcoming thousands of fans to our state and encouraging tourists to explore everything Illinois has to offer,” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said in the press release.
“The power of NASCAR’s Cup Series holds remarkable potential for the Metro East area to prosper and continue hosting America’s best racing fans for years to come.”
WWTR is the only venue in the U.S. to host the premier series for each of the three preeminent racing organizations, including NASCAR, INDYCAR and NHRA, according to the press release.
“The Gateway Region, NASCAR, Curtis and the entire WWT Raceway team, the business community, and fans from 49 states made history with last year’s Enjoy Illinois 300 Cup Race,” said David L. Steward, founder and Chairman of World Wide Technology, the largest Black-owned company in the United States.
“Together with the Confluence Music Festival and STEM activities for our youth, we will make St. Louis and Southwestern Illinois the place to be during race week again in 2023. Our region is blessed to be the model for top-tier motor sports racing.”
For more information on the NASCAR Cup Series inaugural impact report, click here.
