Published on September 4, 2025 12:03 pm
Last Updated on September 4, 2025 12:03 pm
MADISON, Ill. – NASCAR announced that the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule will see the highly anticipated return of World Wide Technology Raceway, which will host the second race of the Playoffs on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026.
The 1.25-mile raceway, known for its history of exciting racing and over-the-top showmanship, sets the ultimate backdrop for the intensity of NASCAR Playoff racing. This marks a continuation of NASCAR’s commitment to the St. Louis region by bringing the Cup Series to the venue for a fifth consecutive season. The 2026 visit will mark the second consecutive season that WWT Raceway will play host to the second of three races in the opening Round of 16 of the Cup Series Playoffs.
The event weekend also will once again feature the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (formerly NASCAR Xfinity Series) regular-season finale that will help determine the series’ 12-driver Playoff field on Saturday, Sept. 12.
“We’re thrilled that NASCAR is once again bringing the Cup Series Playoffs and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series back to World Wide Technology Raceway in 2026,” WWT Raceway Owner and CEO Curtis Francois said. “The fans in this region are passionate and create an extraordinary atmosphere for the entire weekend. We are proud of how this event continues to evolve and we anticipate it continuing to grow again next season.”
The 300-mile Cup Series Playoff race will be broadcast by NBC Sports. The 200-mile O’Reilly Auto Parts Series event will be televised live on The CW Network.
“The 2026 schedule announcement could not come at a better time for us as we begin our marketing efforts for next season,” WWT Raceway Executive Vice President and General Manager Chris Blair said. “We’re excited that we can share the exact date and event details for the upcoming WWT Raceway season while our NASCAR fans are on site for this year’s event. It’s one of the main questions we get from our attendees and I’m happy we can share the good news with them this year. We will have several ticket renewal and upgrade station locations throughout the venue during the 2025 event to help fans lock in their ticket plans, secure the best seats and take advantage of special early-buyer promotional offers.”
With the 2026 NASCAR dates now official, the track and its partners with the Confluence Music Festival can get a head start on securing preferred talent for next year. Confluence features live music on stages located inside the track, multiple locations on the midway and in the campground beginning Thursday of race week. This year’s festival includes 20 music acts, including headliners Jon Pardi, Ella Langley and Lil Jon.
The upcoming Enjoy Illinois 300 NASCAR doubleheader is scheduled for Sept. 5-7, with ticket renewals for the 2026 event beginning Saturday of this year’s event. 2025 ticket holders will have an exclusive renewal window through Friday, Oct. 31. An upgrade and relocation period for continuing fans will take place Monday, Nov. 3 through Friday, Nov. 21. Tickets for first-time ticket buyers and the general public will be available for purchase on Monday, Dec. 1.
The 2026 dates for both the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals and NTT INDYCAR SERIES are scheduled to be released by Sept. 1. Fans will be able to secure advance tickets for all three 2026 major events during the NASCAR event weekend.
For more information or to purchase tickets to the upcoming NASCAR weekend, please visit wwtraceway.com or call the ticket office at (618) 215-8888 ext. 1.