March 14, 2022 | By Lee Spencer

State of Illinois, World Wide Technology Raceway partner in presenting Cup Series debut race

MADISON, Ill.—Race fans will have the opportunity to experience the Land of Lincoln when World Wide Technology Raceway hosts the Enjoy Illinois 300 NASCAR Cup race during the first weekend in June.

On Monday, Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and WWTR owner & CEO Curtis Francois were on hand to unveil the new sponsor and logos that will accompany the inaugural Cup race at the 1.25-mile track.

Enjoy Illinois 300, sponsored by the Illinois Office of Tourism, is expected to attract more than 83,000 fans to the region.

“The Enjoy Illinois 300 establishes Illinois’ own World Wide Technology Raceway as the country’s standout track for stock car, open-wheel, and drag racing alike,” said Governor Pritzker. “I promised to be our state’s best Chief Marketing Officer, and with the return of NASCAR to Illinois, visitors from around the nation have yet another reason to come explore all that Metro East has to offer.

“This is an incredible opportunity to showcase Illinois and we look forward to welcoming NASCAR fans to our great state.”

The metamorphosis of Gateway Raceway has been miraculous. When Francois says, “I did not expect to be announcing that Illinois would be the title sponsor of our Cup race—I was just happy to open the doors and get the weeds out of the parking lot 10 years ago,” he’s not kidding. Francois, the WWTR staff and a host of others throughout the community were instrumental in attracting NASCAR’s top tour to the region.

Francois is keenly aware of the economic effect the Enjoy Illinois 300 will have in the Metro East area—not only after the first Cup race but for many generations to come. A recent study conducted by Maryville University predicts the June race weekend will generate $60 million for the Bi-State region.

“The long-term impact on the community around us will be our lasting legacy,” Francois said. “This one NASCAR Cup Series race—if done well—can lead to many more and years of transformational economic change for the Metro East, generational impact that will survive all of us.

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

Francois was named 2021 Comcast Community Champion of the Year.  In addition to his efforts with WWTR, the track’s Raceway Gives Foundation has introduced STEM programs to area youth.

“What a great day,” Francois said. “Just to be able to partner with the state to really bring the eyes of the country on our race track, but also with the great tourism opportunity there is in the state of Illinois here, as well as in our entire region. Just a wonderful opportunity, to lead and step forward as a community and show the rest of the country they were racing town.”

On June 2, WWTR will kick off race week with a NASCAR hauler parade starting in downtown St. Louis then rolling across the Mississippi River to the track. Fans will be treated to a wide array of racing starting with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series on Friday, June 3 at Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, Illinois—nine miles north of WWTR. The Camping World Truck Series returns to action on Saturday, June 4, with the Toyota 200. And on Sunday, the NASCAR Cup Series takes center stage with the Enjoy Illinois 300.

Fans will also have access to a variety of food and entertainment across the 600-acre complex—just minutes from St. Louis.

“From the very beginning I recognized that being five minutes from the Arch really had its benefits,” Francois said. “We didn't realize exactly then how we would utilize all of those assets, but now as we're seeing, we were able to leverage Illinois assets with St. Louis assets— Greater Saint Louis Inc., working with our local leaders here on the Illinois side, there's a great camaraderie that's growing around this project.

“We all see that a successful project, a Cup race here at World Wide Technology Raceway can make a transformational difference in the Metro East.”