WWTR Event Info:
Date: Sunday, September 7
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Madison, Illinois
Format: 240 Laps, 300 Miles, Stages: 45-140-240
TV: USA
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)
Weekend Schedule:
Friday: 5:05 p.m. ET, Xfinity Practice (CW App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 3 p.m. ET, Xfinity Qualifying (CW App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 4:30 p.m. ET, Cup Practice (TruTV, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 5:40 p.m. ET, Cup Qualifying (TruTV, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 7:30 p.m. ET, Xfinity Race (CW, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 3 p.m. ET, Cup Race (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Pace Laps:
- The NASCAR Cup Series heads to World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) this weekend for the second race of the Round of 16, as Gateway hosts just its fourth ever Cup event.
- WWTR marks the final race before the start of the Xfinity Series playoffs, with both Sam Mayer (3rd) and Sheldon Creed (10th, +65 to cutline) firmly in the playoff picture.
- Mayer (874) sits third in the regular-season points standings behind Justin Allgaier (904) and Connor Zilisch (924) with just one race remaining before the Round of 12.
- Mayer (9.6) holds the second highest average finish among full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers this season, behind only Zilisch (8.8).
- Mayer has finished inside the top five in four of his previous five starts including Indianapolis (2nd), Iowa (1st), Watkins Glen (2nd), and Daytona (4th).
- He has started inside the top 10 in 11 of his last 12 starts dating back to Nashville Superspeedway in May, including his lone pole of the season at Indianapolis Motor Speedway five weeks ago.
Cole Custer Team Info:
Crew Chief: Aaron Kramer
Partner: Haas/Andy’s
Sheldon Creed Team Info:
Crew Chief: Jonathan Toney
Partner: Road Ranger
Sam Mayer Team Info:
Crew Chief: Jason Trinchere
Partner: Audibel
Custer at Gateway (Cup)
Starts: 1
Wins: —
Top-10s: —
Poles: —
- Custer will make his second career start at Gateway this weekend, where he finished P29 in his Cup debut at the track in 2022.
- He has also made three career truck starts at WWTR, earning the pole in 2014 and claiming victory a year later in 2015.
Creed at Gateway (Xfinity)
Starts: —
Wins: —
Top-10s: —
Poles: —
Creed is set to make his debut in the Xfinity Series at Gateway this weekend, a place he has found victory lane twice at in the Truck Series in 2020 and 2021.
Mayer at Gateway (Xfinity)
Starts: —
Wins: —
Top-10s: —
Poles: —
Mayer will also make his Xfinity Series debut at WWTR this Saturday. He had one career Truck start in 2020 where he finished fourth and led 24 laps after starting 15th.
Where They Stand
Cup Points Standings (41: 33rd): Custer is 33rd in the Cup Series points standings with 353 points heading into Gateway this Sunday.
Xfinity Points Standings (41: 4th, 00: 10th): Mayer sits fourth in the Xfinity points standings with 874 total points on the season, behind the three multi-winners, while Creed is in 10th place with 662 points.
