World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway

World Wide Technology Raceway Gateway, formerly Gateway Motorsports Park and Gateway International Raceway, is a motor racing facility located in Madison, Illinois, in the metropolitan area of ​​the city of Saint Louis, Missouri. Opened in 1997, it was owned by Dover Motorsports, which owns the ovals of Dover, Nashville Superspeedway and previously Memphis, until in 2011 it was bought by Curtis Francois. Its name refers to the, a structure near the racetrack that symbolizes the westward expansion of the United States.

The 1.25 mi Gateway oval has a similar format to Darlington Raceway: the two curves have different radii of turn, and the straightaways don't. they are parallel. The first corner is tighter and banked at 11 degrees, while the second corner is wider and banked at 9 degrees. The facilities also include a 1.5 mi road course, used for regional auto and motorcycle racing, and a 0.25 mi drag racing track, in particular to the National Hot Rod Association, which emerged in 1967 under the name St. Louis Raceway Park.

From 1997 through 1999, Gateway hosted a 300-mile CART race in late May, specifically the Saturday before the Indianapolis 500. The category visited the oval a fourth time in 2000 in the month of September. The IndyCar Series raced at Gateway each August for the next three years, for a total distance of 250 miles (400 km). As an accompaniment to these two categories, the Indy Lights contested a 100-mile (160 km) race in all editions except 1999, while the Formula Atlantic opened for Champ Car from 1998 to 2000 with a 100 km race, CART scheduled Gateway the day before to serve as their weekend open-wheel alternative without direct conflict. For 2000, the race was moved to the fall. In 2001, it was dropped from the CART series schedule, and switched alliances to the Indy Racing League. After mediocre attendance, the event was dropped altogether after 2003. It was later re-added to the schedule for 2017.

Meanwhile, the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series have held a 250-mile and 200-mile (320 km) race at Gateway since 1997 and 1998, respectively. With Memphis closing in 2010, Gateway received a second NASCAR Nationwide Series race that year. Neither NASCAR nor the NHRA visited Gateway in 2011.

Entrepreneur Curtis Francois re-opened Gateway in 2012. In 2014, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returned to Gateway as part of that series' schedule. The IndyCar Series will return to Gateway for the 2017 season. Gateway also hosts NHRA and USAC Silver Crown races.

The facilities were owned by Dover Motorsports, a group that also owned what is now Memphis International Raceway, along with Dover International Speedway, and the Nashville Superspeedway. After being shuttered on November 3, 2010, it was announced on September 8, 2011 that the facility would be re-opened by St. Louis real estate developer and former Indy Lights driver Curtis Francois and renamed Gateway Motorsports Park.

Track history
St. Louis International Raceway Park was built in 1967 as a drag racing facility by Wayne and Ruth Meinert. In 1985, a road course was constructed featuring 2.2 mi and 1 mi configurations. In 1994,, promoter of the Grand Prix of Long Beach, acquired the facility, demolishing the existing tracks over the course of 1995–1996 for the construction of a new oval speedway.

Current Tracks
The 1.25 mi oval is a favorite for many racers due to the unique shape and different degrees of banking in each corner. Turns 1 & 2 have similar characteristics to New Hampshire Motor Speedway while Turns 3 & 4 are similar to Phoenix International Raceway. The track's egg shape mimics the legendary Darlington Raceway and Twin Ring Motegi race tracks.

The 2 mi infield road course is also used by sports car clubs and motorcycle organizations through the warmer months. This road course hosted a round of the AMA Superbike Championship in 1995. Canadian Miguel Duhamel won the superbike class in blistering hot conditions.

In early-January 2008, it was announced that the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers would move their sponsorship from the NASCAR Craftsman Truck race to the NASCAR Nationwide Series race, and was called the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250. At the 2008 event, Carl Edwards became the fourth driver to win two NASCAR Nationwide Series events at Gateway.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Gateway was sponsored by, becoming the Camping World 200. Coincidentally, the race was won by defending Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday Jr. driving the No. 33 Camping World-sponsored truck for Kevin Harvick Inc.

In 2010, Gateway received a second Nationwide Series race due to the closure of Memphis Motorsports Park. The date was the former late fall event at Memphis. This was the last NASCAR event held at Gateway until 2014, as Dover Motorsports announced it would not seek sanctioning for the three events held at the track in 2010. The facility made no announcements concerning any of the other track's events. The former Nashville Superspeedway got Gateway's place on the schedule in July, while the race date for October would still be vacant. The NHRA would not schedule any races at Gateway for its 2011 season.

On November 3, 2010, Dover Motorsports announced that Gateway was officially closing and ceasing all racing operations. On September 8, 2011, it was officially announced that Gateway would re-open in 2012 and host the 15th AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals from September 28–30, under the leadership of Curtis Francois. On December 6, 2012, USAC announced that the track would have a USAC Traxxas Silver Crown Series date in 2013 on June 1.

In February 2013, Francois announced the addition of Chris Blair as Executive Vice President and General Manager. Furthermore, plans were announced for the addition of a world class karting facility (which opened as the Gateway Kartplex in June 2014), an off-road venue (which opened in May 2015 with a TORC Series event) and a revitalization plan for the track's road course.

On May 1, 2013, Curtis Francois finalized the purchase of Gateway Motorsports Park, officially making the facility locally owned and operated.

On October 25, 2013, it was announced that the Camping World Truck Series would be returning to Gateway on June 14, 2014 for the first time since 2010. Bubba Wallace would win the first NASCAR event under the track's new ownership.

In October 2016, it was announced that the Verizon IndyCar Series was returning to Gateway on August 26, 2017 for the Bommarito Automotive Group 500. After IndyCar Series teams experienced issues with the surface during a May 2, 2017 open test on the oval, track officials undertook a multimillion-dollar renovation of the racing surface. The repaving project began June 19 and was completed in late July 2017.

On April 17, 2019, announced it had acquired naming rights for the track, renaming it to World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.

On August 21, 2021, due to the outstanding success of the event, it was announced before the green flag of the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 that the NTT IndyCar Series would be returning to the track for another five year deal. The 2021 edition also saw former F1 competitor Romain Grosjean make his first ever career oval track start. His debut attempt would result in a respectable 14th place finish.

On September 15, 2021, it was announced WWT Raceway at Gateway would be added to the NASCAR Cup Series schedule for the very first time for the 2022 season. Five thousand ticket deposits were placed within the first 24 hours of the announcement.

Track length of paved oval
The track length is disputed by the major series that run at Gateway Motorsports Park. The NASCAR timing and scoring use a length of 1.25 mi. This length was used by IRL in their races between 2001 and 2003, too. This length was used by IRL in their races between 2001 and 2003, too. The CART measured for the inaugural race in 1997 a length of 1.27 mi. This length was also used in the following races between 1998 and 2000.

Current events

 * NASCAR Cup Series
 * TBA (2022)
 * NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
 * CarShield 200 (1998–2010, 2014–present)
 * IndyCar Series
 * Bommarito Automotive Group 500 (2001–2003, 2017–present)
 * NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series
 * NHRA Midwest Nationals (1997–2010, 2012–present)
 * Indy Lights
 * Mazda St. Louis Indy Lights Oval Challenge (1997–1998, 2000–2003, 2017–present)
 * Pro Mazda Championship
 * St. Louis Pro Mazda Oval Challenge (2017–present)
 * NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series
 * NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series
 * National Hot Rod Diesel Association
 * Formula Drift (2018–present)

Previous events

 * ADRL Tour (2006)
 * American Indycar Series (1988, 1990)
 * Americas Rallycross Championship (2019)
 * ARCA Midwest Tour
 * Illinois Lottery 40 (2016–2017)
 * ARCA Menards Series
 * PapaNicholas Coffee 150 (1986, 1997, 2001, 2004–2007, 2018)
 * ARCA Menards Series East & West
 * Monaco Cocktails Gateway Classic 150 (2018)
 * ARTGO Challenge Series (1997)
 * ASA National Tour (2000)
 * ASA Late Model Series (2008–2009)
 * Atlantic Championship (1998–2000)
 * Can-Am (1985–1986)
 * NASCAR Xfinity Series
 * 5-Hour Energy 250 (1998–2010)
 * NASCAR Autozone Elite Division – Midwest Series (1998–2003)
 * NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southeast Series (1999)
 * Trans-Am Series (1985)
 * TORC: The Off-Road Championship (2015)
 * USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series presented by Traxxas (1997–2001, 2013–2014, 2016)

Lap records

 * NASCAR Nationwide Series: Brad Keselowski and Reed Sorenson*, 33.158 sec. (135.714 mph), July 18, 2009
 * NASCAR Truck Series: Cole Custer, 32.985 sec. (136.426mph), 2014
 * Indy Racing League: Helio Castroneves, (175.965 mph), August 10, 2003
 * CART: Raul Boesel (187.963 mph) May 22, 1997