The NASCAR Cup Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison will move to Sept. 7 next year and become the second of the 10-race Cup Series playoffs.
WWTR also has been awarded a 2025 Xfinity race, which will be run Sept. 6. Xfinity is the second-tier series for stock cars.
The changes elevate the profile of the events at the track and would appear to be motivated in part by three straight sellouts for the Enjoy Illinois 300 since its debut in 2022.
“We’re truly honored that NASCAR selected World Wide Technology Raceway as one of only 10 NASCAR Cup Series playoff venues,†track owner Curtis Francois said. “NASCAR was looking for what’s best for the sport, and WWTR fits that perfectly.â€
The crowd of 57,000 in June included fans from 48 states and 20 countries, according to WWTR data.
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The track’s race in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will not return in 2025, but Francois said he is open to that race resuming in the future. The track was awarded a Cup Series race three years ago after previously hosting the NASCAR truck series since 2014 and the Xfinity series — known by different names over the years — from 1997 to 2010.
The 2025 Xfinity race will be the first for the series since Francois purchased the track and reopened it in 2011.
Justin Algaier, who is from Spaulding, Illinois, and considers WWTR his home track, leads the Xfinity points standings this season.
“It’s great to know that we are going back,†he said in a statement. “To be able to race so close to home is incredibly special to not only myself but to my family.â€
Races in the series often include drivers from the Cup Series when they are run the same weekend at the same site.
The addition further expands WWTR’s menu of events to include every race for the major racing affiliates, including NASCAR, IndyCar and NHRA.