LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Race Preview: World Wide Technology Raceway

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In: NASCAR Cup Series News

Race Information

– Round: NASCAR Cup Series Race No. 15 of 36

– Track Location: World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Illinois

– Race Name: Enjoy Illinois 300

– Broadcast: Sunday, June 4th at 3:30 PM ET live on FS1 (TV), MRN (Radio) Sirius XM NASCAR Ch. 90

– Team Entrants:

 

Noah Gragson, No. 42 Sunseeker Resorts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
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World Wide Technology Raceway Stats

Truck Series: Starts: 2; Best start: 3rd; Best finish: 9th; Top-10s: 2; Laps led: 63

2023 NASCAR Cup Series Season Stats

Starts: 14, Best start: 10th; Best finish: 12th (Atlanta); Laps led: 2; Points position: 32nd
 

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Charlotte Recap: Noah Gragson suffered the same issue as teammate Erik Jones at Charlotte Motor Speedway last weekend. He moved through the field in the first stage and hit debris on track early in Stage 2. The debris tore a hole in the radiator and the team spent 50 plus laps in the garage fixing the car. Once he came back out, Gragson and teammate Jimmie Johnson were caught up in an accident and two laps later Gragson’s machine had a mechanical failure forcing an early retirement.

Gateway in Trucks: Gragson has two starts at the 1.25-mile track in St. Louis. He has two top-10 finishes and has completed all 320 attempted laps around the circuit. This will be his first attempt at World Wide Technology Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series and in any type of racing vehicle since 2018.

Local Spotter: Longtime spotter Earl Barban grew up in St. Louis and is a graduate of Jennings High School. In 1983, Barban enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve, where he served as a truck driver until 1988 and received the Navy Achievement Medal. Barban attended Florissant Valley campus of St. Louis Community College and the University of Missouri at Columbia. He worked on a friends sprint car team and did a driving stint at Pevely Speedway in St. Louis before going to work for Penske in NASCAR. Barban spotted for Jimmie Johnson in six of his seven championship seasons.

Quoting Noah Gragson: “I’m looking forward to St. Louis and hope we get to practice and qualify. The weather is really hurting us – when we don’t have a chance to make laps and have to start by the metric, we have to work hard to move forward and have been having some bad luck. I ran well in the trucks at this track so I am looking forward to getting some laps in the No. 43 Sunseeker Resorts Chevrolet.”
 

Erik Jones, No. 43 Bommarito Automotive Group Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
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World Wide Technology Raceway Stats

Truck Series: Starts: 3; Best start: 1st; Best finish: 5th; Top-five: 1; Top-10s: 1; Laps Led: 88 

Cup Series: Starts: 1; Best start: 21st; Best finish: 7th; Top-10s: 1; Laps Led: 4

2023 NASCAR Cup Series Season Stats

Starts: 14; Best start: 8th; Best finish: 6th (Talladega); Top-10s: 2; Laps led: 17; Points position: 27th
 

Charlotte in the Rear view: Practice, qualifying and the original running of the Coca-Cola 600 was postponed due to rain at Charlotte Motor Speedway. When the race started on Monday, Erik Jones would have to start from the 26th position. After the green flag dropped, Jones worked his way through the field and finished Stage 1 in the 11th position. Unfortunately, early in Stage 2 Jones hit a piece of debris, tearing a hole in the radiator, which forced the No. 43 team to the garage for repairs.  When Jones returned to the track 59 laps later, the team used the track time to adjust on the No. 43 as Jones hung on for a 32nd place finish.  

Trucking at St. Louis: Jones has three starts at World Wide Technology Raceway in the NASCAR Truck Series. He scored one top-five, led 88 laps and has two DNF’s in that series on the 1.25-mile oval.  

Dynamic Duo:  Jones and crew chief Dave Elenz had a successful first trip to World Wide Technology Raceway for its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race in 2022, managing a seventh-place finish. Jones ran 194 out of the 240 laps inside the top-15 and held an average position of tenth throughout the race.  

Meeting “That Jones Boy”: Fans will have the opportunity to meet the driver of the No. 43 Bommarito Automotive Group Chevrolet, as Jones will make an appearance on race day at the World Wide Technology Raceway.  At 11:10 am (local time) Jones will sign autographs for approximately 100 fans at the United States Air Force activation in the fan midway.

Jones Partners with MIS: Byron, Michigan native Jones will return to his “home” track of Michigan International Speedway (MIS) in August. To honor the hometown hero, MIS will offer a special Erik Jones Fan Experience ticket package which will include a DJ, games and a chance to meet Jones. The Erik Jones Fan Experience will be located in Lot 3 – click here for details. 

Quoting Erik Jones: “St. Louis is a great track, since it was new last year on the Cup schedule, we haven’t had the opportunity to run there as much as the other tracks, but when we do have the opportunity to compete there we have run well.  Last year we didn’t have a great start, but we worked our way up to a top-ten finish. With Bommarito back on the car this year I feel like we need to have that same goal in mind.  It is going to be our first time back on the road in a while and transitioning from a 600-mile race in Charlotte to a 300-mile race changes your mindset a bit, but I am excited to get back out there and race for a win.”

LMC PR

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