NASCAR at World Wide Technology Raceway & Portland International Raceway

NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 Presented by TicketSmarter
World Wide Technology Raceway Distance: 300 miles (240 laps)
Sunday, June 5 3:30 p.m. ET TV: FS1, 2 p.m. ET Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 45), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 140), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 240)
The Purse: $7,013,085

NASCAR Xfinity Series Pacific Office Automation 147
Portland International Raceway Distance: 147.5 miles (75 Laps)
Saturday, June 4 4:30 p.m. ET TV: FS1, 4 p.m. ET Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 25), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 50), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 75)
The Purse: $1,258,443

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Toyota 200
World Wide Technology Raceway Distance: 200 miles (160 Laps)
Saturday, June 4 1:30 p.m. ET TV: FS1, 12:30 p.m. ET Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 35), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 70), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 160)
The Purse: $696,198

NASCAR Cup Series

World Wide Technology Raceway welcomes the NASCAR Cup Series
For the first time, the NASCAR Cup Series will be visiting World Wide Technology Raceway just outside St. Louis, Illinois for the Enjoy Illinois 300 presented by TicketSmarter this Sunday, June 5 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

World Wide Technology Raceway, located in Madison, Illinois, was originally built as a road course in 1985 and was known as St. Louis International Raceway Park. The road course was demolished in 1996 to make way for the 1.25-mile paved oval and accompanying drag strip that are still there today. The facility now has more than 700 acres welcoming fans this weekend.

Though this will be the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series event this weekend, World Wide Technology Raceway has hosted 15 NASCAR Xfinity Series races from 1997-2010 and 21 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races from 1998-2010 and 2014-2021.

In total, 24 drivers entered in this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race have experience in either the NASCAR Xfinity Series or NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at World Wide Technology Raceway. Nine different drivers have won in those series at World Wide Technology Raceway, led by Kevin Harvick with three NASCAR national series wins at the 1.25-mile track (NXS 2000, 2001 and NCWTS 2010); followed by Christopher Bell (NCWTS 2016), Kyle Busch (NXS 2009), Ross Chastain (NCWTS 2019), Cole Custer (NCWTS 2015), Justin Haley (NCWTS 2018), Brad Keselowski (NXS 2010), Martin Truex Jr. (NXS 2004) and Bubba Wallace (NCWTS 2014).

All the action begins this weekend with practice on Friday, June 3 at 5:05 p.m. – 5:55 p.m. ET (on FS1). Then Busch Light Pole Qualifying will be held on Saturday, June 4 at 11 a.m. ET on FS1.

NASCAR and Illinois have some history
Word Wide Technology Raceway will become the fourth different track the NASCAR Cup Series has competed on in the state of Illinois with this weekend’s Enjoy Illinois 300 presented by TicketSmarter this Sunday, June 5 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

The NASCAR Cup Series first competed in the state of Illinois on Saturday, July 10, 1954 at Santa Fe Speedway, a half-mile dirt track located in Willow Springs, IL. The event had 23 cars entered and was scheduled for 200 laps (100 miles). Dick Rathman won the race driving a 1954 Hudson for car owner John Ditz.

It wasn’t until two years later that the NASCAR Cup Series returned to the state of Illinois, only this time it was at the famous Soldier Field in Chicago. On July 21, 1956, the NASCAR Cup Series saw 25 cars compete at the half-mile paved track inside the stadium for 200 laps (100 miles). The race was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Fireball Roberts driving a Ford for car owner Pete DePaolo.

The NASCAR Cup Series has also competed at Chicagoland Speedway from 2001-2019 for 19 races.

In total, there have been 97 NASCAR national series races in the state of Illinois among five different tracks. The NASCAR Cup Series has made 21 starts in the state of Illinois.

“St. Louis is making history with the Enjoy Illinois 300 NASCAR Cup Series race weekend – a spectacular, must-see four-day celebration for our region,” said David L. Steward, Founder and Chairman of World Wide Technology. “When not cheering for the world’s best drivers, fans will enjoy several genres of live music and activities that showcase technology and innovation, reflecting our goal of making World Wide Technology Raceway the most tech‑forward track, entertainment and education venue in racing.”

Surprise live entertainment announcements are still to come, but the lineup currently includes:

Old Dominion
Nelly
Cole Swindell
Jimmie Allen
Kameron Marlowe
Dee Jay Silver
Alexandra Kay
Tim Dugger
River Kittens
The Steve Ewing Band
Dr. Zhivegas
Joe Dirt & The Dirty Boys
Marquise Knox
Saint Boogie Brass Band
DJ Mahf
Red and Black Brass Band
Lamar Harris
Michael B. Whit
Malena Smith
FanFare (World Wide Technology employee band)
Special performances by The Muny, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Jazz St. Louis and The Sheldon; featuring: Kennedy Holmes, Keyon Harrold, Brian Owens, Jean Baylor and Shedrick Mitchell

Hamlin becomes third multiple win Cup driver of 2022
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin won the Coca-Cola 600 last weekend becoming the third different driver this season to win multiple races; joining Ross Chastain and William Byron (each have two). He also solidified his resume by becoming just the 12th driver in NASCAR Cup Series history to win all three ‘Crown Jewel’ events on the schedule – the Daytona 500, the Southern 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 – and just the second active driver to accomplish the feat joining Kevin Harvick. Now, Hamlin can focus on racking up Playoff points this regular season to ensure he has a chance to win the last major accomplishment in the sport he has yet to conquer – the series title.

In 14 starts this season, Hamlin has two wins (Darlington, Charlotte) and three top fives. He is currently 17th in points but thanks to his wins is guaranteed a spot in the Playoffs.
Looking to this weekend, Hamlin has made two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at World Wide Technology Raceway posting a pole (2006) and one top-five finish (third).

Playoff Bubble: Just five postseason spots still open
Heading to World Wide Technology Raceway, the only new track on the schedule this season, there’s a unique possibility for one of the drivers that has yet to win this season to add his name to winners list.

Nine different drivers that are entered in the NASCAR Cup Series have won in the NASCAR Xfinity Series or NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at World Wide Technology Raceway and seven of the former WWTR winners are looking for their first Cup win of 2022, led by Kevin Harvick (NXS 2000, 2001 and NCWTS 2010) with three NASCAR national series wins at the 1.25-mile track; followed by Christopher Bell (NCWTS 2016), Cole Custer (NCWTS 2015), Justin Haley (NCWTS 2018), Brad Keselowski (NXS 2010), Martin Truex Jr. (NXS 2004) and Bubba Wallace (NCWTS 2014).

Richard Childress Racing’s Tyler Reddick is currently in the Playoff hot seat, the 16th and final postseason transfer position on points, with an eight point advantage over 17th place Aric Almirola following Charlotte Motor Speedway. If the series has its 12th different winner this weekend, and it is not Reddick, then he could possibly be bounced out of Playoff transfer spot if the winner is ranked below him in points moving Kevin Harvick to the coveted final Playoff spot.

Both Reddick and Almirola have made NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at World Wide Technology Raceway- Reddick posted one top 10 in three Truck starts and Almirola posted three top 10s in three Truck starts at the 1.25-mile track.

Blaney leads Cup Series in Stage wins, but has yet to visit Victory Lane
Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney leads the NASCAR Cup Series in Stage wins this season with four, but has yet to find Victory Lane, a winless streak that has reached 24 races dating back to Daytona (August) 2021.

This season, Blaney has put up three poles, four top fives and six top 10s in 14 starts.

At World Wide Technology Raceway, Blaney has made one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start back in 2014 posting a seventh-place finish.

NASCAR Cup Series, Etc.

DAV, Ford and No 21 to celebrate this weekend with special paint scheme – The No. 21 Wood Brother Racing Ford will celebrate the 100-year relationship between Ford and DAV (Disabled American Veterans) with a unique paint scheme at the NASCAR Cup Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway on June 5.

DAV created its transportation network in 1987. Since 1996, Ford has donated 247 vehicles. DAV members and their families have purchased more than 30,000 Ford vehicles through the Ford X-Plan Partner Recognition Program. Ford Transits and Explorers are among those provided and some include mobility solutions to meet the needs of disabled veterans. Each Ford DAV vehicle has a uniform, exterior graphics package. For the St. Louis Cup Series race, the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang will have a paint scheme emblematic of those graphics.

“Our family has had the great fortune of being supported by Ford for more than 70 years, so we’re proud to commemorate this 100th year of Ford and DAV partnering to help veterans,” said Eddie Wood, co-owner of Wood Brothers Racing. “Caring for our service men and women, especially those who suffered injuries, is a duty we all share as Americans.”

Martin Truex Jr. to make 600th NASCAR Cup Series career start this weekend – Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. will make his 600th NASCAR Cup Series career start this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway.

Truex made his NASCAR Cup Series career debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway on October 31, 2004 for Dale Earnhardt Inc. In 599 career Cup starts, he has one championship (2017), 31 series wins, 131 top fives and 254 top 10s.

B.J. McLeod to make 300th NASCAR national series start this weekend – B.J. McLeod will attempt to make his 300th NASCAR national series start this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway (NCS 97 starts, NXS 161 and NCWTS 41).

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Xfinity Series to race at Portland International Raceway for the first time
To stay on par with new and exciting things happening this year at NASCAR, the Xfinity Series will be heading to Oregon to race for the very first time at Portland International Raceway, a track built on history.

What was once America’s largest public housing project for nearly 40,000 Kaiser shipyard workers and their families during and after World War II is now a 1.97-mile paved road course that has hosted over 50 years-worth of racing events.

Portland International Raceway is built on 268 acres of what was once known as the City of Vanport. Less than 15 years after the city was washed away by a flood in 1948, the City of Portland acquired the land. With the growing interest in sports car and drag racing in the 1960s, Portland International Raceway was born and has been hosting regular races since 1965.

NASCAR first visited Portland International Raceway with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 1999 and 2000. Greg Biffle won the 1999 Truck Series race and Andy Houston won in 2000.

This weekend the competitors will be challenged 147.75 miles (75 laps) and the event will be broken up into three stages that are 25 laps each.

Drivers will kick off the inaugural Pacific Office Automation 147 at Portland International Raceway on Saturday, June 4 at 4:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR radio.

NASCAR and Oregon go way back

The NASCAR Xfinity Series will become the second NASCAR national series to compete at Portland International Raceway with the Pacific Office Automation 147 on Saturday, June 4 at 4:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR radio and the first time the series has competed in the state of Oregon.

Looking back, NASCAR’s first national series competition in the state of Oregon was actually at Portland Speedway, a half-mile paved oval, on May 27, 1956. It was a NASCAR Cup Series race, and the event was won by Herb Thomas driving a Chrysler for car owner Carl Kiekhaefer. In total, the NASCAR Cup Series made seven starts at Portland Speedway between two season 1956-1957 producing six different winners.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series was the first national series for NASCAR to compete at Portland International Raceway and did so from 1999-2000. The Camping World Truck Series also visited Portland Speedway from 1995-1998.

NASCAR Xfinity Series, Etc.

Mason Filippi and Connor Mosack to attempt Xfinity Series debut – Two drivers this weekend, Mason Filippi and Connor Mosack will be attempting to make their NASCAR Xfinity Series career debuts this weekend at Portland.

IMSA Pilot Challenge driver Mason Filippi, with the support of OpenFender, will attempt his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in the No.91 DGM Racing Chevrolet at Portland International Raceway this weekend. Filippi, a California native, has quickly climbed the ranks of SRO and IMSA and has experience at Portland International Raceway, including a win and a third-place finish.

Connor Mosack, a 23-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina native will be joining Joe Gibbs Racing this weekend in the No. 18 Toyota for his debut in the Xfinity Series. Mosack competes full time for TeamSLR in the TA2 division.

His racing career began at 18-years old when he started in Legends cars and after winning five championships, he transitioned to Late Model stock cars. Since then, he’s ran the full CARS Tour, where he won the 2020 Rookie of the Year title and has posted some ARCA Menards starts with Young’s Motorsports and Bret Holmes Racing the last two seasons.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Triple Truck Challenge to kick off at World Wide Technology Raceway
The Triple Truck Challenge was introduced in 2019 as a three-race program that provides drivers in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series an opportunity to win up to $500,000 in bonus money.

The Triple Truck Challenge will award a $50,000 bonus to the race winner of any one of the three events; win two of the three races and pocket an additional $150,000; win all three and collect a cool half a million dollars.

For the 2022 season, the Triple Truck Challenge also known as the ‘The Trip’ will be held at the following tracks:

World Wide Technology Raceway (June 4)
Nashville Superspeedway (June 24)
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (July 9)

The previous winners of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Triple Truck Challenge are:

2019 Season – Greg Biffle (Texas), Brett Moffitt (Iowa), Ross Chastain (WWTR)

2020 Season – Sheldon Creed (Daytona RC), Zane Smith (Dover), Sheldon Creed (WWTR)

2021 Season – Sheldon Creed (Darlington), Todd Gilliland (COTA), John H. Nemechek (Charlotte)

This season will mark the third-time World Wide Technology Raceway has hosted a Triple Truck Challenge NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race (2019, 2020 and 2022).

Camping World Trucks return to World Wide Technology Raceway
No other national series has competed more at World Wide Technology Raceway than the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and this weekend will mark the 22nd running of the Toyota 200 on Saturday, June 4 at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

World Wide Technology Raceway is located in Madison, Illinois just outside St. Louis and was originally built as a road course in 1985 and was known as St. Louis International Raceway Park. The road course was demolished in 1996 to make way for the 1.25-mile oval and accompanying drag strip that are still there today.

The first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway was held on September 19, 1998 and was won by Rick Carelli driving a Chevrolet for truck owner Marshal Chesrown. Carelli won the race after leading 72 laps of the scheduled 160 with an average speed of 99.764 mph (02:00:17).

The 21 previous NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races at World Wide Technology Raceway have produced 12 different pole winners and 19 different race winners. Greg Biffle (1998, 2000) and Ted Musgrave (2001, 2005) lead the Camping World Truck Series in poles at World Wide Technology Raceway with two each.

Sheldon Creed (2020, 2021) and Ted Musgrave (2001, 2005) lead the series in wins at World Wide Technology Raceway with two each. This weekend, just one former World Wide Technology Raceway winner is entered in the Toyota 200 – John Hunter Nemechek (2017).

All of the on-track activity begins for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with practice on Friday, June 3 from 6:05 p.m. – 6:35 p.m. ET, directly followed by Cometic Gaskets Pole Qualifying at 6:35 p.m. ET.

Points leader John Hunter Nemechek is the only former WWTR winner entered this weekend
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver standings leader John Hunter Nemechek returns to World Wide Technology Raceway as the only former winner entered in the field this weekend and will look to become just the third different driver in series history to win multiple races at the 1.25-mile racetrack; joining Sheldon Creed (2020, 2021) and Ted Musgrave (2001, 2005).

Nemechek’s 2022 season got off to a slow start but has since rebounded taking the points lead following Texas. In 10 starts this season, he has put up one win (Darlington), five top fives and seven top 10s.

This weekend, keep an eye on the No. 4 team and Nemechek. The 25-year-old has made six starts at World Wide Technology Raceway posting one win (2017), two top fives and three top 10s.

Playoff Bubble: Six races left to decide five open postseason spots
ThorSport Racing’s Matt Crafton sits in the 10th position in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver standings – the final transfer spot into the Playoffs – as the series heads to World Wide Technology Raceway for the 11th race of the 16-race regular season.

Five drivers have locked themselves into the Payoffs by virtue of their wins this season – Zane Smith (three wins), John H. Nemechek, Ben Rhodes, Chandler Smitha and Stewart Friesen (each have one win). That leaves just five spots still up for grabs with just six races left to decide the postseason field.

Crafton in 10th is 25 points up on Tanner Gray in 11th – the first spot outside the Playoff cutoff – in the driver standings. Crafton is 52 points up on Derek Kraus in 12th in the series driver standings.

Of the drivers outside the Playoff cutoff chasing Matt Crafton in the final postseason transfer spot, Tanner Gray (14.5) has the best average finish at World Wide Technology Raceway; followed by Derek Kraus (16.5), Timmy Hill (18.0), Austin Wayne Self (20.0) and Tyler Ankrum (24.6). Matt DiBenedetto and Colby Howard will be making their series track debuts this weekend at WWTR.

Matt Crafton has made 18 series starts at World Wide Technology Raceway posting three top fives and 10 top 10s. His average finish at the 1.25-mile track is 12.1.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Etc.
Deegan looking to build on career-best finish at Gateway – Team DGR’s Hailie Deegan returns to World Wide Technology Raceway, the track where she posted her career-best NASCAR Camping World Truck Series finish (seventh-place) last season. It was the best finish by a female competitor in the series not on a superspeedway. Now, the California native returns to the 1.25-mile track looking to get her 2022 season heading in the right direction.

This year, Deegan has made 10 starts this season posting five top-20 finishes and an average finish of 24.6.

Last year at World Wide Technology Raceway, Deegan started 19th and raced her way up to a seventh-place finish; becoming just the fourth female in series history to post a top-10 finish joining Jennifer Jo Cobb, Natalie Decker and Angela Ruch.

Hocevar knocking on Victory Lane’s door – Niece Motorsport’s driver Carson Hocevar has led laps in six races this season, has accumulated the fourth-most laps out front this year (135 laps led, 10.03% of laps completed) and has finished runner-up twice, but is still looking for his first career win in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

In 10 starts this season, Hocevar has collected three top fives, and five top 10s.

This weekend, Hocevar could become the second driver in series history to win their first career race at World Wide Technology Raceway joining Justin Haley (2018).

Hocevar has made two series starts at World Wide Technology Raceway posting one top-10 finish and an average finish of 11.5.

Rajah Caruth to attempt NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career debut this weekend – Spire Motorsports will tap up-and-coming ARCA Menard Series star Rajah Caruth to attempt to make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career debut this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway in the Toyota 200 on Saturday, June 4 at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Caruth is currently running fulltime in the ARCA Menards Series for Max Siegel and leads the driver standings after five races. Caruth is also a graduate of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program.

This weekend, Caruth will be in the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado with crew chief Kevin Manion.

Caruth has also made two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts this season at Richmond and Dover.

NASCAR
http://www.nascar.com/
Graphics & Photos Courtesy of NASCAR

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.