World Wide Technology Raceway (Gateway)
World Wide Technology Raceway (Gateway) at a glance
- Location
- Madison, Illinois
- Type
- oval
- Length
- 1.25 mi (2.012 km)
- Turns
- 4
- Direction
- counter-clockwise
- Banking
- 11° in turns 1-2, 9° in turns 3-4
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 1997
- Owner
- Curtis Francois
- Capacity
- 57,000
- Address
- 700 Raceway Boulevard
- Phone
- +1 618-215-8888
- Website
- wwtraceway.com
Track map and layout
World Wide Technology Raceway is a mile-and-a-quarter oval just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, built with modest, progressive banking - 11 degrees in turns 1-2 and 9 degrees in turns 3-4 - that lets several grooves work at once. Beyond the oval, the facility carries an unusually wide mix of layouts on one property: two configurations of an infield road course, a quarter-mile NHRA-sanctioned drag strip, a dirt track, and a kart track, making it one of the most multi-purpose motorsports complexes in the country. The oval's moderate banking and asphalt surface put it stylistically between a short track and a bigger intermediate oval, producing racing that rewards both patience on tires and aggressive passing in traffic.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Oval | 1.25 mi | Primary configuration for NASCAR Cup and IndyCar racing. |
| Road course (short) | 1.6 mi | 10-turn infield configuration used for club and support racing. |
| Road course (long) | 2 mi | 14-turn infield configuration, the fuller road course layout. |
| Drag strip | 0.25 mi | NHRA-sanctioned quarter-mile strip hosting the Midwest Nationals. |
Events and race weekends
The raceway hosts both a NASCAR Cup Series weekend (the Enjoy Illinois 300, returned to Cup since 2022) and an IndyCar Series oval race (the Bommarito Automotive Group 500), giving it one of the more varied top-tier calendars among ovals its size. NHRA drag racing runs an annual Midwest Nationals event on the on-site drag strip, and the facility also hosts dirt-track and club road-racing programs across its multiple configurations through the year.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enjoy Illinois 300 | NASCAR Cup Series | June/July | Cup Series returned to the track in 2022 after prior Xfinity/Truck-only years. |
| Bommarito Automotive Group 500 | IndyCar Series | August | One of IndyCar's oval races, run at the track since 2017 (also 2001-2003). |
| NHRA Midwest Nationals | NHRA drag racing | varies | Held on the on-site quarter-mile drag strip. |
Getting there and parking
The track sits in Madison, Illinois, directly across the Mississippi River from downtown St. Louis, making St. Louis Lambert International Airport the closest major airport for fly-in fans. Most visitors drive from the St. Louis metro area given the short distance across the river. The track publishes shuttle and parking guidance for race weekends given the volume of St. Louis-area traffic converging on the site.
- St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) · about 20 min drive
Parking
General parking runs about $24/day paid in advance or by card at the gate, or $20/day cash-only on-site.
Hotels and camping near World Wide Technology Raceway (Gateway)
Because the track is minutes from downtown St. Louis across the river, most visiting fans stay in St. Louis and its Missouri suburbs, taking advantage of the city's much larger hotel supply and attractions. Some fans base themselves in the closer Metro East Illinois towns near the track itself for shorter commutes on race day.
Where to look
Downtown St. Louis and its Missouri suburbs are the main hotel hub, roughly 15-20 minutes from the track across the Mississippi River; Metro East Illinois towns offer closer, smaller lodging options.
Camping
On-site camping is offered in several tiers - General Camping, Nitro Farm, Tier 1, and premium Infield Camping - most accommodating RVs up to 15 by 50 feet.
RV
Infield Camping packages include amenities like a pump-out, water fill-up, electric hookup, ice, and multiple infield wristbands; a 13'6" height restriction applies to vehicles entering camping areas.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
World Wide Technology Raceway's infield road course configurations host regional club racing and driving events, including through organizations like the SCCA, in addition to its major national-series oval races. No dedicated public HPDE or ride-along program specific to the oval was confirmed for this guide; the drag strip separately runs regular grudge-racing and test-and-tune nights for drag racers.
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NASCAR Cup qualifying (single lap) | 0:32.468 | Michael McDowell | Ford Mustang | 2024 |
Spectator guide
Grandstands run along the frontstretch facing pit road, with capacity up to 57,000 for major events, giving fans a broad view across the mile-and-a-quarter oval. Summer race weekends near St. Louis are typically hot and humid, with a real chance of afternoon storms, so fans should plan for sun and heat exposure in the grandstands.
Seating
Frontstretch grandstands face the start/finish line and pit road; the track's official seating chart details individual sections for both the NASCAR and IndyCar weekends.
Best places to watch
Seats near the start/finish line give the best view of pit stops and the widest sweep of the oval's moderate banking.
Bag policy
Clear bags are encouraged; one soft-sided cooler up to 14" x 14" x 14" and one carry-in item such as a backpack or purse are permitted per person.
Weather
- June-August: Hot, humid St. Louis-area summer weather, often in the 80s-90s°F with a chance of afternoon thunderstorms.
History of World Wide Technology Raceway (Gateway)
From drag strip to superspeedway
The site began in 1967 as St. Louis International Raceway, a drag racing facility built on low-lying land that earned it the local nickname 'The Swamp.' A road course configuration was added in 1985. In 1994, developer Chris Pook bought the property for $21.5 million and spent roughly $25 million rebuilding it into a modern oval and drag strip complex, which opened under the Gateway International Raceway name by 1997.
NASCAR and IndyCar years
The rebuilt oval quickly attracted top-level racing, hosting NASCAR's Truck and Xfinity Series alongside an IndyCar oval date that ran from 2001 through 2003. Dover Motorsports operated the facility from 1998 to 2010, but the track's fortunes declined and it faced closure by November 2010.
Rescue and rebranding
Local real estate developer and former Indy Lights driver Curtis Francois bought the struggling facility in September 2011 and reopened it as Gateway Motorsports Park, investing in renovations across the complex's oval, road courses, and drag strip. IndyCar returned to the oval in 2017, and the venue was renamed World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in 2019 following a naming-rights partnership.
Cup Series arrival and present day
After years hosting NASCAR's lower national series, the track landed a full NASCAR Cup Series date in 2022 with the Enjoy Illinois 300, cementing its place as a top-tier oval within easy reach of the St. Louis market. Today the raceway operates as a genuinely multi-format complex - oval, two road course configurations, a drag strip, and a dirt track under construction or in use - hosting NASCAR Cup, IndyCar, NHRA drag racing, and club events across a single sprawling property.
Frequently asked questions
How long is World Wide Technology Raceway?+
The main oval is 1.25 miles; the property also has two infield road course configurations and a quarter-mile NHRA drag strip.
Is Gateway close to St. Louis?+
Yes, the track is in Madison, Illinois, just across the Mississippi River from downtown St. Louis, about 15-20 minutes away.
When did NASCAR Cup Series racing return to Gateway?+
2022, with the Enjoy Illinois 300, after years of the track hosting NASCAR's Xfinity and Truck Series but not Cup.
Does IndyCar race at World Wide Technology Raceway?+
Yes, the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 runs on the oval; IndyCar raced there 2001-2003 and has returned annually since 2017.
What was the track called before World Wide Technology Raceway?+
It was known as St. Louis International Raceway, then Gateway International Raceway, then Gateway Motorsports Park before being renamed World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in 2019.
Who owns the track today?+
Curtis Francois, a local real estate developer and former Indy Lights driver, who bought the facility in 2011 to save it from closure.
Other tracks nearby
- Putnam Park Road Course · 192 mi · road course
- Ironman Raceway · 195 mi · motocross
- Indianapolis Motor Speedway · 223 mi · road course & oval
- Chicagoland Speedway · 224 mi · oval
- Loretta Lynn's Ranch · 226 mi · motocross
- NCM Motorsports Park (National Corvette Museum) · 233 mi · road course
Facts checked against 6 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-09.