This weekend, the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series head to Illinois to take on World Wide Technology Raceway (Gateway).

Photo by Jeff Curry/Getty Images

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ next event is schedule for Sept. 11 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

NASCAR Cup Series’ Enjoy Illinois 300

  • Sunday, September 7
    • 3 p.m. (All times Eastern)
  • 240 laps
    • Stages end on laps 45, 140, 240
  • USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
  • Last year’s winner: Austin Cindric

Photo: Dominic Aragon/TRE

The Gateway race is the second race of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. The winner, if in the playoffs, is guaranteed to advance into the Round of 12.

No part-time open cars are entered for the race, with 36 drivers on the entry list.

Odds for NASCAR Cup Series at Gateway August 2025

Christopher Bell is the opening odds-on favorite to win Sunday. Below are the opening odds for all drivers as of Tuesday, Sept. 2, per the Caesar’s Sportsbook.

  • Christopher Bell +450
  • Ryan Blaney +500
  • Denny Hamlin +650
  • Kyle Larson +850
  • Chase Briscoe +950
  • Joey Logano +1000
  • William Byron, Tyler Reddick +1200
  • Austin Cindric +1600
  • Bubba Wallace +1800
  • Josh Berry, Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski +2000
  • Kyle Busch +2200
  • Ross Chastain +3000
  • Chris Buescher, Austin Dillon, Carson Hocevar +3500
  • Alex Bowman, Ty Gibbs, Ryan Preece +5000
  • Erik Jones +7500
  • John Hunter Nemechek +10000
  • A.J. Allmendinger +12500
  • Daniel Suarez +15000
  • Michael McDowell +20000
  • Justin Haley, Zane Smith, Shane Van Gisbergen +25000
  • Noah Gragson +30000
  • Todd Gilliland, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. +35000
  • Cole Custer, Riley Herbst +50000
  • Ty Dillon +75000
  • Cody Ware +250000

NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Nu Way 200

  • Saturday, September 6
  • 160 laps
    • Stages end on laps 35, 70, 160
  • CW, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
  • Last winner (2010): Brad Keselowski

Photo: Dante Ricci/The Racing Experts

With 38 entries for the Gateway race, all drivers will make the field for the first NXS race at the track in 15 years.

Odds coming soon.

Dominic Aragon is currently the editor-in-chief for The Racing Experts.

From Grants, New Mexico, USA, Aragon started watching NASCAR in 2004 and has been covering the sport since 2009. Aragon is a 2012 graduate of Grants High School and a May 2016 graduate of the University of New Mexico with a B.A. in Mass Communications & Journalism. Aragon has worked in local and national media, as a musician, and an educator. He is co-author of the 2024 book “All of It: Daytona 500 Champion Tells the Rest of the Story” with racer Geoff Bodine.

Aragon, his wife Feliz, and son Christopher currently reside in Grants, New Mexico, USA.

You can reach Dominic at daragon@theracingexperts.net.