Track: World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway
Location: Madison, Illinois
Track length: 1.25 miles
When: 3 p.m. ET
Where to tune in: USA Network, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Race purse: $
11,233,037
Race distance: 240 laps | 300 miles
Stages: 45 | 140 | 240
Sunday's starting lineup | Pit stall assignments
Can Team Penske be perfect at upcoming favorable tracks?
MADISON, Ill. -- Toyota was at its usual best last Sunday at Darlington Raceway and struck first in The Chase presented by Mobil 1 as Christopher Bell took the checkered flag in the marathon Southern 500.
While Team Penske's Ryan Blaney was passed by Bell for second in points, the No. 12 Ford driver cut into points leader Denny Hamlin's championship lead by nine points with a gritty top-five run at the South Carolina oval. Now, Penske will have the edge as The Chase descends upon World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway Sunday with Bristol Motor Speedway on deck.
Blaney assessed the next two weeks as a huge part of staying in the hunt for the title.
MORE: Weekend schedule | At-track photos: WWTR
"
It's no secret that the Toyotas have been really good on the mile-and-a-halves," Blaney said. "They've been good everywhere, but mile-and-a-halves, they've kind of had a leg up on us a little bit. That's places that we really worked hard to try to get better at. Those guys are probably going to have big days at Kansas and Vegas and Charlotte. Those three in a row are going to be a huge testament of '
are we in this championship or not.'
"I
agree that this weekend and
Bristol are very important for us to stay in the hunt and have really good days to be in touch with those guys when we run into those three (tracks). I always have confidence when we go back to places that we've struggled, that we're going to be better because that's just how you have to think. But you can't deny their speed they've had there and how we've been a little bit off. We've closed the gap a little bit, but they've still got some pace on us at those places, so yes, very important next two weeks.
Gateway weekend has started well for Team Penske as Joey Logano will lead the field to green for Sunday's Enjoy Illinois 300.
Sitting tied for eighth in points, the three-time Cup champion laid out what the path looks like for the No. 22 team if it wants to be in the mix for a fourth series title.
"Y
ou got to average 40-plus points," Logano said. "I think it's somewhere in that range is where I believe it's going to be. Could be way different. We don't really know, right? But I think that's where you're going to have to be by the end of 10 weeks is average 40 throughout the races. So that's 70 one week and 20 next week. However you get there, doesn't matter. I think that's at least a realistic goal for us. If we can accomplish that, I'm gonna be pretty proud of our team. Hopefully, that ends up with a trophy."
RELATED: Saturday recap
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Chris Graythen | Getty Images[/caption]
The faster, the better
Tracks that utilize the 750 horsepower package make up half of the events in the 2026 Chase, and Sunday's Cup Series race at Gateway marks the midpoint of three in a row with that setup to begin the championship run.
Take a look at the ten drivers that have capitalized the most this season with the package -- ranked by most points scored:
[table id=825 /]
Speed reads
Race-day essentials:
• Gateway hub: Key information, pit stalls, additional results
| Read more
• Sunday Setup: Crew chiefs say keeping brake temps in check is key to success
| Read more
• Paint Scheme Preview: The best designs in "The Prairie State"
| View gallery
• Neil Paine: Hamlin stumbled at Darlington — but don't write him off yet
| Read more
• NASCAR Classics: Dig into the video vault for full-race replays from WWTR
| Watch now
• Power Rankings: Larson eyes title after Darlington resurgence
| This week's ranks