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NASCAR’s 2025 World Wide Technology Raceway Race Weekend: TV Schedule, Entry Lists, Race Info, and More

MADISON, ILLINOIS - JUNE 02: A general view of racing under cation during the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 at WWT Raceway on June 02, 2024 in Madison, Illinois. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)

Kauy Ostlien

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What’s Happening?

This weekend, the NASCAR Xfinity Series joins the NASCAR Cup Series for a doubleheader weekend with weighty playoff implications. For the Cup Series, it is race two of the Round of Sixteen, and for the Xfinity Series, their return to WWT Raceway serves as the cutoff race for their playoff.

  • WWT Raceway, often referred to as Gateway, is a low-banked 1.25-mile short track located on the border of Illinois and Missouri in Madison, Illinois. The track opened its oval in 1995, and has hosted all of the top divisions of American oval racing, including CART, IndyCar, ARCA, and NASCAR.
  • The NASCAR Cup Series did not race at WWT Raceway until 2022, but prior to that, the track was a staple of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck and Xfinity Series. The track was a staple of both series from the late 1990s until 2010, before its recent return to their schedule.
  • While the Cup Series has only raced at Gateway for three years, no driver has shown pure dominance, though the Penske Fords have won two of three races. Specifically, Joey Logano, who won the track’s inaugural event, has an average finish of third in his three starts.

Weekend TV Schedule (All Times EST)*

Friday, September 5: Xfinity Series Practice

  • 5:05 PM – 5:55 PM — Xfinity Series Practice on the CW App

Saturday, September 6: Xfinity Series Qualifying | Cup Series Practice and Qualifying | Xfinity Series Race

  • 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM — Xfinity Series Qualifying on the CW App
  • 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM — Cup Series Practice on TruTV
  • 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM — Cup Series Qualifying on TruTV
  • 7:30 PM — Xfinity Series Nu Way 200 Sauced by Blues Hog on the CW [TV] & MRN [Radio]

Sunday, September 7: Cup Series Race

  • 2:00 PM – Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 on USA [TV] & MRN [Radio]

*Track is located in Central Time

Race Facts: World Wide Technology Raceway

Track Facts: World Wide Technology Raceway
  • Year Opened: 1995
  • Length: 1.25 Miles
  • Banking: 11° in Turn 1 and 2; 9° in Turn 3 and 4
  • Surface: Asphalt
  • Rain Tires: Yes
  • Lights: Yes

Nu Way 200 Sauced by Blues Hog on the CW:
  • Race Length: 170 Laps (200 Miles)
  • Stages: 35 Lap Stage One, 35 Lap Stage Two, 90 Lap Final Stage
  • Most Recent Race Winner: Brad Keselowski (2010)

Enjoy Illinois 300 on USA:
  • Race Length: 240 Laps (300 Miles)
  • Stages: 45 Lap Stage One, 135 Lap Stage Two, 105 Lap Final Stage

2024 Enjoy Illinois 300 Results:
  • First: Austin Cindric — No. 2
  • Second: Denny Hamlin — No. 11
  • Third: Brad Keselowski — No. 6
  • Fourth: Tyler Reddick — No. 45
  • Fifth: Joey Logano — No. 22

Top Storylines of the Weekend

  • For the first time since 2010, the NASCAR Xfinity Series returns to WWT Raceway this weekend. During its time as a staple of NASCAR’s lower two National Divisions, Gateway saw some highlight moments, including that final 2010 season, with Carl Edwards wrecking Brad Keselowski for the win in the spring, and Keselowski rebounding with a win in search of the series championship.
  • Unlike the NASCAR Cup Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series hosts their playoff cutoff race in September. Entering this weekend, three open spots remain open with top drivers like Sheldon Creed, Taylor Gray, and Harrison Burton sitting above the cutoff line. Just below the cut line lies Harrison’s cousin Jeb, who is sitting just 31 points below a shot at the playoffs. Only one driver, Carson Kvapil, is locked in without a win.
  • This is race two of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Chase Briscoe is the first driver locked into the round of eight after a dominant performance at Darlington Raceway. But perhaps the most interesting story of last weekend was Toyota’s dominance and the struggles of Chevrolet and Ford. In total, three Chevrolets and one Ford found the top ten at Darlington, none of which were playoff drivers.

Entry Lists

Cup Series

Notable and Open Entries:

  • #4 – Noah Gragson
  • #23 – Bubba Wallace
  • #33 – Austin Hill
  • #34 – Todd Gilliland
  • #35 – Riley Herbst
  • #38 – Zane Smith
  • #45 – Tyler Reddick

Xfinity Series

Notable Entries:

  • #07 – Nick Letiz
  • #11 – Daniel Hemric (i)
  • #17 – Corey Day
  • #19 – Aric Almirola
  • #32 – Jordan Anderson
  • #35 – TBA
  • #45 – Lavar Scott
  • #76 – Kole Raz
  • #91 – Matt Mills

Note: This article will be updated as more information about the weekend comes out.

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DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA - APRIL 06: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on April 06, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Lionel Racing Reveals First Wave of 2026 NASCAR Authentics Diecast

by Kauy Ostlien

What’s Happening?

Lionel Racing finally confirmed the first wave of 2026 NASCAR Authentics 1:64 scale diecast for Monday morning, with the line of retail-exclusive diecast featuring a new look for the new year.

  • This line will include six throwback paint schemes from NASCAR’s 2025 throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway. Though they did not release one in 2025, this move restarts an annual tradition of Lionel releasing at least one wave of cars carrying the colors of that prior season’s throwback designs.
  • Included in this wave of cars are Austin Cindric, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, William Byron, and Sammy Smith. Alongside these paint schemes’ debuts in the Authentics line is a new design for the packaging of the 2026 line of NASCAR Authentics.
  • Last season was somewhat turbulent for Lionel as, alongside issues with tariffs, the brand only released three waves of NASCAR Autentics, one wave of NASCAR Autentics Winners Circle diecast, and two waves of Haulers.
  • Lionel announcing the first wave of 2026 early on in the new year is perhaps a sign that 2026 could return this line to its regular release schedule. The post from Lionel Racing also confirmed that the brand will announce another wave by the end of the week, further hinting at a recommitment to the Authentics line.

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SPARTA, KY - JUNE 26: Chase Pistone, driver of the #9 NTS Motorsports Chevrolet, talks with his crew during practice for the NASCAR Camping World Series UNOH 225 at Kentucky Speedway on June 26, 2014 in Sparta, Kentucky. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Chase Pistone, NASCAR Trucks and Nationwide Series Driver, Passes Away

by Kauy Ostlien

What’s Happening?

Chase Pistone, a former competitor on the short track racing circuit in addition to NASCAR’s National Series, has passed away. Pistone, now a successful Legends Car owner, was 42.

  • Chase’s brothers Nick and Tom Pistone confirmed the North Carolina natives’ passing to LegendsNation.com. The cause of Pistone’s passing is unknown. The family asked that media share the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number, which is 988.
  • Pistone, the grandson of NASCAR legend “Tiger” Tom Pistone, made his way to NASCAR after competing on short tracks in Legends cars and Late Models. He would make his jump to NASCAR via the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2005, racing for Green Light Racing at Martinsville Speedway.
  • Pistone would continue his NASCAR pursuits in 2006, racing in ARCA and the NASCAR Busch Series. Unfortunately, these two starts, at Martinsville with the Busch Series and Iowa with ARCA, would be his last for nearly a decade.
  • Pistone returned to NASCAR in 2014, racing in a combined eight NASCAR Camping World Truck and Nationwide Series races. During this season, his final in NASCAR, the then 30-year-old scored his best National Series finish, ninth place in the Truck Series annual trip to Gateway.

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8 Takeaways From NASCAR At COTA

by Bryan Aguiar

Three races in, the 2026 season is finally starting to show its hand. COTA shifted narratives, exposed weaknesses, and raised new questions about contenders, pretenders, and everything in between.

  • Has Shane van Gisbergen officially been proven mortal after getting outraced late at Circuit of the Americas?
  • Is 19-year-old Connor Zilisch already ahead of schedule after slicing through the field multiple times?
  • With three straight wins, is Tyler Reddick basically a lock for the postseason this early?
  • And how concerned should the 48 team be after a rough weekend for Alex Bowman?

From substitute drivers being forced into action to points gaps growing faster than expected, COTA delivered more than just a road course chess match. There were momentum swings, reputation hits, and at least one young driver stacking up enemies before stacking up results.

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