Credit: NASCAR/Denny Hamlin post-race winning press conference in 2025 at WWT Raceway
MADISON, Ill. — NASCAR heads to the 1.25-mile World Wide Technology Raceway near Gateway for the ultimate gateway to the Chase after the opener at Darlington Raceway.
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The NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series will each race while the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series has the weekend off.
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240 laps (Stages: 45/140/240)
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USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
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Practice and Qualifying: Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on truTV, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
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Last year’s winner: Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin couldn’t have come to a better track than World Wide Technology Raceway Gateway after using a mulligan in the opening round of the Chase at one of his best tracks. Hamlin won last year and is one of three Chase drivers with a Cup win at the track.
Joey Logano won in the Cup Series’ first trip to the track – in 2022 – while Austin Cindric won in 2024. That may mean Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney is due for a win at the track. Blaney has led 120 of 968 laps completed but never won a Cup race at the track.
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Logano is the only driver with a top-five finish in every WWT Raceway Cup race to date. His worst finish is fifth in 2024 and 2025.
Hamlin’s stiffest competition may come from within. Christopher Bell won at Darlington Raceway and closed Hamlin’s point lead to 12 – heading to a track where Bell has led the second-most laps among active drivers (80).
MORE: NASCAR Cup Chase: Bell Leads JGR Recovery to Win at Darlington
Looking for a non-Chase driver? Quasi-Penske teammate Josh Berry could be the guy, as he’s had six straight top-10 finishes that earned him a ride for 2027.
NOTE: Remembering Kyle Busch, this was the site of his final career Cup win. He still holds the record for most laps led among all Cup drivers at the track (202).
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MORE: Denny Hamlin Retains NASCAR Chase Lead After Darlington Disaster
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180 laps (Stages: 45/90/180)
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The CW, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
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Practice and Qualifying: Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN Unlimited/ESPN app
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Last year’s winner: Connor Zilisch (No. 88 JR Motorsports team)
The series heads to WWT Raceway after Sheldon Creed won at Darlington. Here are some notables for the entry list with just 36 cars:
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Jordan Anderson is his No. 32 Chevrolet.
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Brennan Poole and Lavar Scott expected to be in Alpha Prime’s first Fords – Nos. 44 and 45.
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Dawson Cram in Mike Harmon’s No. 47 Chevrolet.
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Austin J. Hill in Joey Gase’s No. 53 Chevrolet
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Gase in BJ McLeod’s No. 55 Chevrolet
The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series is racing at the 1.25-mile track for only the second time since 2010. Last year was the return of the track for the first time since 2010. Here is how the Chase drivers finished last year in the race:
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Justin Allgaier: 28th with 28 laps led
Late-race issues shuffled Allgaier and Creed back.
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Sammy Smith: 33rd, three laps down
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Sam Mayer: 35th after a crash/completed 134 of 160 laps
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Carson Kvapil: 37th with a blown engine after 38 laps
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Rajah Caruth: Did not race
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Christopher Bell +400 to win
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Kyle Larson, Joey Logano +750
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Tyler Reddick, Ty Gibbs +1200
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Chase Elliott, Austin Cindric, Josh Berry +2200
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Ross Chastain, Brad Keselowski, Carson Hocevar +5000
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Alex Bowman, Erik Jones +10000
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Daniel Suarez, Michael McDowell, Shane van Gisbergen +12500
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Austin Dillon, Zane Smith +15000
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John Hunter Nemechek +20000
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AJ Allmendinger, Connor Zilisch +30000
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Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Noah Gragson +35000
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Riley Herbst, Cole Custer +75000
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*Odds according to Caesars Sportsbook.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. The National Council on Problem Gambling help-line is also often cited at 1-800-522-4700.
NOAPS odds are pending.
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