The NASCAR Cup Series hits World Wide Technology Raceway (Gateway) on Sunday, September 7, where the technical 1.25-mile short-flat layout turns braking zones, corner entry, and pit execution into make-or-break moments. With tight restarts and long green-flag stretches common, this is a spot to target drivers with entry stability, restart craft, and clean pit work.
Enjoy Illinois 300 Date/Time & TV
- Event: Enjoy Illinois 300 — NASCAR Cup Series (Playoffs: Round of 16)
- Date / Start: Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025 — 3:00 p.m. ET
- TV: USA Network
- Radio: MRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
- Location: World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Illinois
Track Facts (WWT Raceway)
- Configuration: 1.25-mile oval with unequal corners (heavier braking into T1–T2; tighter T3–T4)
- Banking: ~11° (T1–T2) / ~9° (T3–T4)
- Race Distance: 300 miles / 240 laps
- Stage Ends: Lap 45 / Lap 140 / Checkered at Lap 240
- Keys to Winning: Qualifying track position, restart execution, long-run balance, tidy pit stops
Last Year’s Winner (2024)
Austin Cindric converted late-race execution and clean air into the 2024 Enjoy Illinois 300 victory.
Anticipated Weather — Sunday September 7, 2025
Sunny and seasonable around St. Louis with highs in the mid-70s°F, light wind, and a low chance of rain. Expect stable track temps and modest fall-off; strategy tilts toward track position + pit execution over weather chaos.
Current Odds to Win — Enjoy Illinois 300 (Outrights)
(Live market; prices move throughout the week.)
- Christopher Bell +550
- Ryan Blaney +600
- Denny Hamlin +750
- Chase Briscoe +850
- Kyle Larson +900
- Joey Logano +1000
- Tyler Reddick +1200
- William Byron +1200
- Austin Cindric +1400
- Bubba Wallace +2200
- Chase Elliott +2200
- Kyle Busch +2500
- Josh Berry +2500
- Brad Keselowski +2800
- Chris Buescher +3000
- Ross Chastain +3000
- Carson Hocevar +3500
- Alex Bowman +4000
- Austin Dillon +4000
- Ty Gibbs +4000
- Ryan Preece +5000
- Erik Jones +6000
- AJ Allmendinger +10000
- Daniel Suárez +10000
- John Hunter Nemechek +10000
- Justin Haley +10000
- Michael McDowell +10000
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr. +20000
- Cole Custer +25000
- Noah Gragson +25000
- Shane van Gisbergen +25000
- Todd Gilliland +25000
- Zane Smith +25000
- Riley Herbst +50000
- Ty Dillon +50000
- Cody Ware +250000
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2025 Enjoy Illinois 300 Picks & Predictions
Top Picks
- Ryan Blaney (+600): Short-flat ace; elite entry stability and long-run pace fit Gateway perfectly.
- Christopher Bell (+550): Qualifying upside and Toyota short-flat toolkit; tough to beat from the front row.
Value Plays
- Joey Logano (+1000): Former Gateway winner; restart craft + pit-road precision are real edge multipliers.
- Brad Keselowski (+2800): RFK balance trending up; tire management can convert a top-10 car into podium equity.
Long-Shot Sprinkles
- Erik Jones (+6000): Proven feel on short-flats; right caution timing opens top-five potential.
- Chris Buescher (+3000): Underrated median-lap ranks on flats; live for a late run if he starts inside Row 5.
Live-Bet Angle
Target cars whose lap times fall off the least by lap 25–35 of a run—those are your best bets for night-phase strength and clean-air conversion after cycles.
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Enjoy Illinois 300 Snapshot
- When/Where: Sun, Sept. 7, 2025 — 3:00 p.m. ET, WWT Raceway (Gateway), Madison, IL
- Layout/Distance: 1.25-mile oval; 240 laps / 300 miles
- 2024 Winner: Austin Cindric
- Weather: Sunny, mid-70s°F, light wind, low rain risk — strategy favors track position + pit execution