Christopher Bell lastly received his first win of the season final weekend, opening the Chase with a crown jewel victory on the Southern 500.
For Sunday’s race at World Huge Expertise Raceway in Madison, Illinois, Joey Logano is the pole-sitter at a monitor that is been a powerful one for the Fords at Workforce Penske. His teammate Austin Cindric received there in 2024.
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However all of the speak in NASCAR this week heading into the second race of the postseason Chase at Gateway is in regards to the polarizing Carson Hocevar.
The driving force of the No. 77 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports has a big and rising fanbase as he continues to emerge as a face of NASCAR. However whereas Hocevar may need loads of admirers within the grandstands, he hasn’t made many associates on the monitor. After final weekend at Darlington, Hocevar can add former Cup Sequence champion and RFK Racing co-owner Brad Keselowski to his increasing record of enemies.
Popping out of flip 4 on the 107th lap, Hocevar and Keselowski had been battling in the course of the pack for twenty fifth place. Hocevar gave Keselowski’s No. 6 Ford a bump on his left rear quarter panel after which drove by way of it, spinning the veteran out. Hocevar went on to complete eleventh whereas Keselowski settled for twenty third.
After the race, Keselowski informed Above The Yellow Line Media, “He bumped into me. … His day is coming, and it is coming laborious. Be careful, Carson.”
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Hocevar, listening to of Keselowski’s warning, then informed reporters, “I will tighten my belts.”
And so started a weeklong media saga centering round one in every of NASCAR’s most fascinating younger personalities, the 23-year-old Hocevar — competing in his first postseason — having a goal positioned on him by Keselowski, one in every of NASCAR’s most completed drivers and somebody who has by no means backed down from a battle.
Factors chief Denny Hamlin weighed in on his personal podcast, “Actions Detrimental,” saying there are “no adults” at Spire Motorsports and known as it an “unserious” group. NASCAR Corridor of Famer Kevin Harvick stated, “I’ve informed you since Day One what I might do (about Hocevar). You downshift that (expletive) and also you simply maintain the throttle down and drive him straight into the fence.”
Keselowski will not be within the Chase and has little to lose — other than a high-quality or different self-discipline from NASCAR — if he chooses to dump Hocevar at Gateway. Hocevar, nevertheless, is one in every of 16 drivers competing within the postseason, heading into the weekend in twelfth place, 89 factors behind Hamlin. No matter who wins or loses on Sunday, all eyes shall be on the No. 77 and the No. 6.
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Within the larger image, it might bode nicely for Logano’s hunt for a fourth championship if he can have an enormous factors day at World Huge Expertise Raceway, the place he is completed inside the highest 5 in every of his final 4 races there. Logano is eighth within the standings, trailing Hamlin by 72 factors.
“The automotive has received some uncooked pace in it, which may be very encouraging,” Logano stated.
Hamlin received right here final season and positioned second in each 2024 and 2023.
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See victory lane celebrations with 2026 NASCAR race winners
March 8: Ryan Blaney celebrates profitable the Straight Speak Wi-fi 500 at Phoenix Raceway.
(Meg Oliphant, Getty Photos)
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See victory lane celebrations with 2026 NASCAR race winners
March 8: Ryan Blaney celebrates profitable the Straight Speak Wi-fi 500 at Phoenix Raceway.
(Meg Oliphant, Getty Photos)
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See victory lane celebrations with 2026 NASCAR race winners
March 1: Tyler Reddick celebrates profitable the DuraMax Grand Prix Powered by RelaDyne at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas.
(Logan Riely, Getty Photos)
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See victory lane celebrations with 2026 NASCAR race winners
Feb. 22: Tyler Reddick celebrates profitable the Autotrader 400 at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, Georgia.
(Mady Mertens, Imagn Photos)
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See victory lane celebrations with 2026 NASCAR race winners
Feb. 15: Tyler Reddick celebrates along with his household and crew after profitable the 68th working of the Daytona 500 at Daytona Worldwide Speedway.
(Mike Watters, Imagn Photos)
This is all the pieces it’s essential know in regards to the Take pleasure in Illinois 300 at World Huge Expertise Raceway:
What time does the NASCAR Cup race at Gateway begin?
The Take pleasure in Illinois 300 is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 13, at World Huge Expertise Raceway in Madison, Illinois.
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What TV channel is the NASCAR Cup race at Gateway on?
The Take pleasure in Illinois 300 shall be broadcast on USA Community. Pre-race protection will begin at 2:30 p.m. ET.
Leigh Diffey could have the decision alongside analysts Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte, whereas Dale Jarrett will supply extra evaluation from the pit field. Burton and Letarte will be part of host Marty Snider on pre- and post-race exhibits. Former Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne would be the pace-car analyst.
Will there be a stay stream of the NASCAR Cup race at Gateway?
Subscribers to YouTube TV, Hulu + Dwell TV and Sling TV can watch by way of these companies as nicely.
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HBO Max will proceed to supply stay streams of in-car cameras, whereas MRN will carry the stay radio broadcast.
What number of laps is the NASCAR Cup race at Gateway?
The Take pleasure in Illinois 300 is 240 laps across the 1.25-mile asphalt monitor for a complete of 300 miles. The race could have three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 45 laps; Stage 2: 95 laps; Stage 3: 100 laps.
Who received the NASCAR Cup race at Gateway final yr?
Denny Hamlin is the reigning champion, ending forward of Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe final season.
The NASCAR Cup Sequence has raced at World Huge Expertise Raceway — positioned about six miles northeast of downtown St. Louis — since 2022. The flat oval has seen a mixture of producers win, with Joey Logano and Austin Cindric taking checkered flags in Fords, Hamlin profitable final yr in a Toyota, and Kyle Busch profitable within the No. 8 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing in 2023. That victory was the final of Busch’s Cup Sequence profession earlier than his premature dying this spring.
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Gateway has renamed its trophy in honor of Busch — the all-time laps chief on the monitor — calling it, “The Rowdy Trophy.”
What’s the lineup for the Take pleasure in Illinois 300?
(Automotive quantity in parentheses, Chase drivers designated with asterisk)
*Joey Logano (22) — Ford, Workforce Penske
*Kyle Larson (5) — Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
*Ryan Blaney (12) — Ford, Workforce Penske
*Christopher Bell (20) — Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
*Chase Briscoe (19) — Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
*Carson Hocevar (77) — Chevrolet, Spire Motorsports
*Bubba Wallace (23) — Toyota, 23XI Racing
*Chase Elliott (9) — Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
*Ty Gibbs (54) — Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
*Denny Hamlin (11) — Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
Alex Bowman (48) — Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
Zane Smith (38) — Ford, Entrance Row Motorsports
*Austin Cindric (2) — Ford, Workforce Penske
*Ryan Preece (60) — Ford, RFK Racing
*Daniel Suarez (7) — Chevrolet, Spire Motorsports
Josh Berry (21) — Ford, Wooden Brothers
AJ Allmendinger (16) — Chevrolet, Kaulig Racing
*Tyler Reddick (45) — Toyota, 23XI Racing
Connor Zilisch (88) — Chevrolet, Trackhouse Racing
Ross Chastain (1) — Chevrolet, Trackhouse Racing
*Chris Buescher (17) — Ford, RFK Racing
Austin Dillon (3) — Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
Brad Keseloski (6) — Ford, RFK Racing
*William Byron (24) — Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
Erik Jones (43) — Toyota, Legacy Motor Membership
Cole Custer (41) — Chevrolet, Haas Manufacturing unit Workforce
Austin Hill (33) — Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
John Hunter Nemechek (42) — Toyota, Legacy Motor Membership
Michael McDowell (71) — Chevrolet, Spire Motorsports
Cody Ware (51) — Chevrolet, Rick Ware Racing
Noah Gragson (4) — Ford, Entrance Row Motorsports
Ty Dillon (10) — Chevrolet, Kaulig Racing
Riley Herbst (35) — Toyota, 23XI Racing
Todd Gilliland (34) — Ford, Entrance Row Motorsports
Shane van Gisbergen (97) — Chevrolet, Trackhouse Racing
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47) — Chevrolet, HYAK Motorsports
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