Gateway's 2026 NASCAR Race is Complete. Next Cup Race in 2027
The last NASCAR Cup Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway in 2026 was the Enjoy Illinois 300 on Sunday, September 13, 2026. The next NASCAR Cup Series race at Gateway will appear here once NASCAR's 2027 schedule is released.
About World Wide Technology Raceway
World Wide Technology Raceway (Gateway) opened in 1997 across the Mississippi River from St. Louis in Madison, Illinois, and hosted IndyCar, Xfinity, and Truck Series racing for the next two decades. The 1.25-mile egg-shaped asphalt oval was added to the Cup Series schedule in 2022 as part of NASCAR's effort to bring Cup competition to new markets. Gateway's tight, narrow configuration and short straightaways produce racing that feels more like a short track than a traditional intermediate, with cars running in close formation and frequent contact in the corners. The Enjoy Illinois 300 has run there each summer since the Cup debut, often serving as a key playoff cutoff event and producing some of the most physical racing on the regular-season schedule.
Gateway is owned by Curtis Francois, a local businessman who personally bought the track out of bankruptcy in 2011 after it had closed entirely. Eleven years later, his refurbished facility was hosting the NASCAR Cup Series.
Top Performers at Gateway
| Rank | Driver | Starts | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 | Avg Fin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joey Logano | 5 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 3.4 |
| 2 | Connor Zilisch | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7.0 |
| 3 | Kyle Larson | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7.8 |
| 4 | Denny Hamlin | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 9.6 |
| 5 | Christopher Bell | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10.6 |
| 6 | Austin Cindric | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10.8 |
| 7 | William Byron | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 11.4 |
| 8 | Ross Chastain | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 14.2 |
| 9 | Ryan Blaney | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 14.6 |
| 10 | Ty Gibbs | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14.8 |
Recent Winners at Gateway
Intermediate Context
Gateway is one of 16 intermediates on the 2026 Cup schedule. Historically, Joey Logano leads all Cup drivers at this venue with a 3.4 average finish across 5 starts. Drivers who excel on intermediates tend to carry that form here. Check their track type stats in S-EDGE™.
Scorzia Edge™ Preview — Gateway
Loading Scorzia Edge…