The 2026 Enjoy Illinois 300 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on September 13, 2026, at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois. Contested over 247 laps on the egg-shaped asphalt oval, extended from the original 240 laps due to a double-overtime finish, it was the 28th race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, and the second race of the NASCAR Chase.
Kyle Larson won the race. Alex Bowman finished 2nd, and Joey Logano finished 3rd. William Byron and Ross Chastain rounded out the top five, and Austin Dillon, Connor Zilisch, Carson Hocevar, Denny Hamlin, and Austin Cindric rounded out the top ten.
Report
Background
World Wide Technology Raceway (formerly Gateway International Raceway and Gateway Motorsports Park) is a motorsport racing facility in Madison, Illinois, just east of St. Louis, Missouri, United States, close to the Gateway Arch. It features a 1.25-mile (2 kilometer) oval that hosts the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and the NTT IndyCar Series, a infield road course used by the SCCA, Porsche Club of America, and various car clubs, and a quarter-mile drag strip that hosts the annual NHRA Midwest Nationals event.
During the offseason, NASCAR announced that Gateway would now get the short track package, as opposed to running the intermediate package from previous years.
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points. (CC) denotes chase contender. Driver Team Manufacturer 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 2 Austin Cindric (CC) Team Penske Ford 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Noah Gragson Front Row Motorsports Ford 5 Kyle Larson (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 7 Daniel Suárez (CC) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 9 Chase Elliott (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 Ty Dillon Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 11 Denny Hamlin (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 Ryan Blaney (CC) Team Penske Ford 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 17 Chris Buescher (CC) RFK Racing Ford 19 Chase Briscoe (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Christopher Bell (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 Josh Berry Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22 Joey Logano (CC) Team Penske Ford 23 Bubba Wallace (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 24 William Byron (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 33 Austin Hill (i) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 34 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 35 Riley Herbst 23XI Racing Toyota 38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Ford 41 Cole Custer Haas Factory Team Ford 42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Toyota 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Toyota 45 Tyler Reddick (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 54 Ty Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 60 Ryan Preece (CC) RFK Racing Ford 71 Michael McDowell Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 77 Carson Hocevar (CC) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 88 Connor Zilisch (R) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 97 Shane van Gisbergen Trackhouse Racing ChevroletOfficial entry list
Practice Ryan Blaney was the fastest in the practice session, with a time of 33.170 seconds and a speed of .
Practice results Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 12 Ryan Blaney (CC) Team Penske Ford 33.170 135.665 2 22 Joey Logano (CC) Team Penske Ford 33.207 135.514 3 21 Josh Berry Wood Brothers Racing Ford 33.210 135.501 Official practice results
Qualifying Joey Logano scored the pole for the race with a time of 32.817 and a speed of .
Qualifying results Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 22 Joey Logano (CC) Team Penske Ford 32.817 137.124 2 5 Kyle Larson (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 33.093 135.980 3 12 Ryan Blaney (CC) Team Penske Ford 33.113 135.898 4 20 Christopher Bell (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 33.145 135.767 5 19 Chase Briscoe (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 33.199 135.546 6 77 Carson Hocevar (CC) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 33.236 135.395 7 23 Bubba Wallace (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 33.246 135.355 8 9 Chase Elliott (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 33.259 135.302 9 54 Ty Gibbs (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 33.261 135.294 10 11 Denny Hamlin (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 33.312 135.086 11 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 33.407 134.702 12 38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Ford 33.420 134.650 13 2 Austin Cindric (CC) Team Penske Ford 33.441 134.565 14 60 Ryan Preece (CC) RFK Racing Ford 33.487 134.381 15 7 Daniel Suárez (CC) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 33.492 134.360 16 21 Josh Berry Wood Brothers Racing Ford 33.503 134.316 17 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 33.492 134.360 18 45 Tyler Reddick (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 33.557 134.100 19 88 Connor Zilisch (R) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 33.572 134.040 20 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 33.583 133.996 21 17 Chris Buescher (CC) RFK Racing Ford 33.607 133.901 22 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 33.624 133.833 23 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 33.689 133.575 24 24 William Byron (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 33.700 133.531 25 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Toyota 33.713 133.480 26 41 Cole Custer Haas Factory Team Chevrolet 33.725 133.432 27 33 Austin Hill (i) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 33.768 133.262 28 42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Toyota 33.810 133.097 29 71 Michael McDowell Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 33.878 132.830 30 51 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 33.926 132.642 31 4 Noah Gragson Front Row Motorsports Ford 33.934 132.610 32 10 Ty Dillon Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 33.943 132.575 33 35 Riley Herbst 23XI Racing Toyota 34.062 132.112 34 34 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 34.065 132.100 35 97 Shane van Gisbergen Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 34.186 131.633 36 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet 34.215 131.521 Official qualifying results
Race
Race results
Stage results
Stage One Laps: 45
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 22 Joey Logano (CC) Team Penske Ford 102 20 Christopher Bell (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 5 Kyle Larson (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 84 12 Ryan Blaney (CC) Team Penske Ford 75 9 Chase Elliott (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 77 Carson Hocevar (CC) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 57 19 Chase Briscoe (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 48 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39 54 Ty Gibbs (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 210 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 1
Stage Two Laps: 86
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 5 Kyle Larson (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 102 22 Joey Logano (CC) Team Penske Ford 93 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 84 12 Ryan Blaney (CC) Team Penske Ford 75 21 Josh Berry Wood Brothers Racing Ford 66 11 Denny Hamlin (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 60 Ryan Preece (CC) RFK Racing Ford 48 45 Tyler Reddick (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 39 19 Chase Briscoe (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 210 23 Bubba Wallace (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 1
Final Stage results
Stage Three Laps: 109
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 2 5 Kyle Larson (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 247 732 11 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 247 383 1 22 Joey Logano (CC) Team Penske Ford 247 544 24 24 William Byron (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 247 335 20 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 247 326 22 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 247 317 19 88 Connor Zilisch (R) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 247 308 6 77 Carson Hocevar (CC) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 247 349 10 11 Denny Hamlin (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 247 33 10 13 2 Austin Cindric (CC) Team Penske Ford 247 2711 26 41 Cole Custer Haas Factory Team Chevrolet 247 2612 23 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 247 3413 25 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Toyota 247 2414 7 23 Bubba Wallace (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 247 2415 28 42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Toyota 247 2216 17 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 247 2117 14 60 Ryan Preece (CC) RFK Racing Ford 247 2418 9 54 Ty Gibbs (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 247 2119 4 20 Christopher Bell (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 247 2720 29 71 Michael McDowell Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 247 1721 27 33 Austin Hill (i) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 247 022 30 51 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 247 1523 35 97 Shane van Gisbergen Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 247 1424 34 34 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 247 1325 18 45 Tyler Reddick (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 247 1526 36 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet 247 1127 21 17 Chris Buescher (CC) RFK Racing Ford 238 1028 16 21 Josh Berry Wood Brothers Racing Ford 231 1529 15 7 Daniel Suárez (CC) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 229 830 32 10 Ty Dillon Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 227 731 8 9 Chase Elliott (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 215 1232 5 19 Chase Briscoe (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 213 1133 31 4 Noah Gragson Front Row Motorsports Ford 198 434 33 35 Riley Herbst 23XI Racing Toyota 176 335 3 12 Ryan Blaney (CC) Team Penske Ford 155 1636 12 38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Ford 130 1Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 11 among 5 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 18 for 87 Red flags: 2 for 8 minutes and 4 seconds Time of race: 3 hours, 47 minutes, and 23 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television USA Sports covered the race on the television side. Leigh Diffey, Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte called the race from the broadcast booth. Dave Burns, Kim Coon, and Marty Snider handled pit road, while Trevor Bayne provided analysis from the pace car for the television side.
USABooth announcersPit reportersPace car Lap-by-lap: Leigh DiffeyColor-commentator: Jeff BurtonColor-commentator: Steve Letarte Dave BurnsKim CoonMarty Snider Trevor Bayne
Radio MRN had the radio call for the race, which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Kyle Rickey & PRN Radio's Brad Gillie called the action for MRN when the field races thru the front straightaway. Tim Catafalmo called the action for MRN from atop the Sunoco tower outside the exit of turn 2 when the field races thru turns 1 & 2. Nathan Prouty worked the action for MRN when the field races thru turns 3 & 4. Pit road was operated by lead pit reporter Steve Post, Brienne Pedigo, and Jason Toy.
MRN Booth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Brad GillieAnnouncer: Kyle Rickey Turns 1 & 2: Tim CatafalmoTurns 3 & 4: Nathan Prouty Steve PostBrienne PedigoJason Toy
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Denny Hamlin 2,168 5 2 Kyle Larson 2,159 (–9) 1 3 Christopher Bell 2,150 (–18) 1 4 Ryan Blaney 2,135 (–33) 1 5 Tyler Reddick 2,126 (–42) 2 6 Joey Logano 2,117 (–51) 1 7 Ty Gibbs 2,117 (–51) 3 8 Chase Briscoe 2,109 (–59) 3 9 Carson Hocevar 2,080 (–88) 10 Bubba Wallace 2,078 (–90) 2 11 Chase Elliott 2,075 (–93) 2 12 Austin Cindric 2,060 (–108) 2 13 Chris Buescher 2,057 (–111) 1 14 Ryan Preece 2,055 (–113) 1 15 William Byron 2,054 (–114) 3 16 Daniel Suárez 2,049 (–119)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Toyota 1,257 2 Chevrolet 1,082 (–175) 3 Ford 1,032 (–225)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
References