USA Today via Reuters
Jun 5, 2022; Madison, Illinois, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kurt Busch (45) leads NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch (18) and NASCAR Cup Series driver Christopher Bell (20) during the Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
Jun 5, 2022; Madison, Illinois, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kurt Busch (45) leads NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch (18) and NASCAR Cup Series driver Christopher Bell (20) during the Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-USA TODAY Sports
Illinois was an exceptional race, with the weekend full of fun. We saw the 2018 Cup Series Champion Joey Logano steal the win in the inaugural race at the Gateway International Raceway. The #22 car took the win in the last laps of the race from Kyle Busch. It was an amazing outing for the youngest Cup Series Champion in NASCAR.
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However, seeing Joey Logano take the win wasn’t the only good thing this weekend brought us. In fact, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, a local newspaper, announced that the Gateway International Raceway will return to NASCAR in 2023!
The NASCAR Cup Series will return to Gateway in 2023, per @STLtoday. pic.twitter.com/TjsFjvbgr5
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) June 6, 2022
This is incredible news, as we will see the track on the NASCAR calendar once again next year! First introduced in 1967, the track hosted some of the most fun races. However, economic downturns led to the closure of the track. Soon the facility deteriorated, leaving it’s future uncertain.
Fortunately, a St. Louis local called Francois purchased the track in 2011. And, after over a decade of renovations, we saw the track return to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022. Although, the track hosted IndyCar races in 2017 and NASCAR’s Trucking Series in 2018. We saw no trace of a Cup Series.
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Of course, we saw the first race unfold and be extremely fun. And, fortunately, we will get to relive the excitement again next year! Moreover, the fans seem quite happy too.
NASCAR Fans React To Gateway Returning To The 2023 Calendar
The fans sure seem happy! And some of them have their own predictions for the next race.
I might get slack for this, but PJ1 or resin might actually be good for this track, the top works, they need a compound on the botttom so cars can stick a bit.
— sportsguy070 (@CjNascar6767) June 6, 2022
Nah, let them race as the track intended. They were hitting slide jobs and staying close. Just need more time to figure out the racing there
— Matt Reid (@ItIsMeMatt) June 6, 2022
While others shared their happiness and looked at see what made Gateway such a good race.
Makes sense since the crowd sold out and overall it appears there's a solid positive rating from it. I do hope they figure out a way to improve the racing more, as it definitely leaves a lot to be desired, but I do think we've hit something special here at Gateway.
— Theel (@48_champion) June 6, 2022
The guys running Gateway know what they're doing, even though the track isn't great. The Indycar races have had consistently strong crowds despite the racing often being meh.
— Max Leitschuh (@LightShoo) June 6, 2022
Good to hear @WWTRaceway just needs to iron out the concession situation then things would have been perfect
— zachariah ferry (@promking2013) June 6, 2022
However, some other fans had some suggestions for next year.
From what people shared on Twitter the only things they need to work on are getting ppl parked faster as someone said the lines came to a stand still and may be more concession stands or workers in the current ones as one guy said his wife waited to order food through one stage.
— Terri Quinn (@taireocuinn) June 6, 2022
Great news! Can we PLEASE get @WWTRaceway to address pedestrian egress nightmare before then? THREE pedestrian exit bridges along the frontstretch side for 50k+ fans. "Come on, man!"
— Greg Wilson (@Petty4345Fan) June 6, 2022
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Good to hear @WWTRaceway just needs to iron out the concession situation then things would have been perfect
— zachariah ferry (@promking2013) June 6, 2022
A lot of fans seem to be troubled by the concession, and understandably so.
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To sum it up, there is no denying that St. Louis proved to be an incredible race this weekend. So, it certainly deserves to be back next year. However, will it be a staple track going forward? Or will it die down again?
