Enjoy Illinois 300
Location: Madison, Illinois
Course: Worldwide Technology Raceway at Gateway
Format: 1.25-mile oval
Laps: 160
Enjoy Illinois 300 Preview
Christopher Bell kicked off his effort in The Chase in perfect fashion by winning a week ago at Darlington. After being locked out of Victory Lane the entire season, his breakthrough came at a time it may have mattered the most. His points from the win moved him into second position behind Denny Hamlin in the standings, and positions him well to take advantage of his positive momentum in the final nine races of the season. Other contenders will be anxious to ensure that doesn’t happen, though. Before the championship fight fixes its attention on some more traditional ovals, the competitors tackle the unique World Wide Technology Raceway this weekend. The oblong track features shallow banking with differing turns at each end of the speedway. This week’s race will only be the fifth time the series has run here, and the last three winners all started on the front two rows. Denny Hamlin is the defending race winner, and he may be one to watch this week as he works to make up for a late tumble down the finishing order last week at Darlington.
Key Stats at World Wide Technology RacewayNumber of races: 4Winners from pole: 2Winners from top-5 starters: 3Winners from top-10 starters: 4Winners from 21st or lower starters: 0Fastest Race: 133.889 mphPrevious World Wide Technology Raceway Winners
2025 – Denny Hamlin
2024 – Austin Cindric
2023 – Kyle Busch
2022 – Joey Logano
Flat turns and a narrow racing groove make track position a critical factor at Gateway. Only four NASCAR Cup Series races have been run at the circuit, but no driver has won from worse than seventh on the grid. In fact, only one of 13 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races at Gateway has been won from outside the top 10 starting positions. The same pattern holds true for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, where only two drivers have won at Gateway after starting lower than 10th in 24 races. In short, qualifying position matters this week. Getting off pit road first in the final round of stops could also be a key advantage. We have seen multiple drivers hold off the competition, fresh tires or not, on flat tracks this season, and every team will be working to give its driver that advantage Sunday afternoon.
RotoWire NASCAR DFS Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the Enjoy Illinois 300
Based on standard $50K salary cap
Tier 1 DraftKings Value Picks
Christopher Bell – $11,000
Ryan Blaney – $10,700
Denny Hamlin – $10,500
Joey Logano – $10,200
Tier 2 DraftKings Value Picks
Chase Briscoe – $9,700
Tyler Reddick – $9,500
Ty Gibbs – $9,200
Chase Elliott – $8,500
Tier 3 DraftKings Value Picks
Austin Cindric – $8,200
Josh Berry – $7,900
Bubba Wallace – $7,700
Chris Buescher – $7,600
Tier 4 DraftKings Value Picks
Ryan Preece – $7,000
Daniel Suarez – $6,700
Shane van Gisbergen – $6,200
Zane Smith – $6,100
Optimal DraftKings Lineup for the Enjoy Illinois 300
Joey Logano – $10,200
Chase Briscoe – $9,700
Austin Cindric – $8,200
Josh Berry – $7,900
Chris Buescher – $7,600
Shane van Gisbergen – $6,200
Among the active drivers, Joey Logano (DK $10,200, FD $12,500) holds one of the best finishing averages at Gateway. The Team Penske driver won this race in 2022 and hasn’t finished lower than fifth in any race since. His average result is 3.5 from four series starts, and he has the extra motivation of working his way up standings to compete for the title. Logano has been in this position in the past and has proven that he can ignite a championship charge at the right time. Gateway should be a venue that can help him build off of his ninth-place finish at week ago at Darlington.
This track was never a good one for Chase Briscoe (DK $9,700, FD $11,500), but that changed last season with his move to Joe Gibbs Racing. Briscoe’s best Gateway finish from three prior starts was 17th in 2024 despite starting the 2022 race from pole position. His average finish in that span was 25th, but last season with JGR, he started on the second row and went on to finish second, leading 15 laps. With a pole and last year’s runner-up finish as evidence, Briscoe is shaping up to be a contender this weekend.
All Team Penske drivers are worthy selections this week, which brings us to Austin Cindric (DK $8,200, FD $9,500). He has been on a nice run of form recently with top-15 finishes in the last four races, including a 13th-place finish last week at Darlington to start The Chase. He sits 14th in the standings, and this week’s track is one where he could make up some ground. Cindric won at Gateway in 2024 and has an average finish of 11.0 from his four starts. He has also never finished outside of the top 20 here.
Another driver on a good run of form right now is Josh Berry (DK $7,900, FD $8,500). His uptick in finishes began when it was announced he would not be returning to Wood Brothers Racing in 2027. That set him off on a string of six consecutive top-10 finishes, bringing his total on the season to eight. This past week it was announced he will land at Legacy Motor Club next season to continue his career in the Cup Series. Unfortunately, Berry crashed out of the last two Gateway races, but he qualified 12th for last year’s race. With his streak of top-10 finishes still going strong, and last year’s top-15 starting spot, Berry could be a productive add further down the pricelist for rosters this weekend.
This week’s race at Gateway could also be a boost for Chris Buescher (DK $7,600, FD $7,500). His championship effort got off in lackluster fashion with a 20th-place finish at Darlington. That result was his fourth consecutive finish of 18th or lower. Those fortunes should change this week, though. Buescher’s average Gateway finish is 11.7 from three starts and he scored a top-10 there last season. Buescher needs to end his current downturn in results and this week’s race gives him the opportunity to do it.
Shane van Gisbergen (DK $6,200, FD $5,500) could also impress this week. This oblong track with flat corners plays to SVG’s strengths. Some of his best oval finishes this season have come on similar circuits, and this week’s race sets him up to continue demonstrating his overall oval improvement. He was 14th at Richmond and finished 11th at Martinsville earlier this season. With only one prior series start at Gateway, SVG should improve this time around.
NASCAR Cup Series Betting Picks for the Enjoy Illinois 300
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 10:00 PM ET Friday
Race Winner – Joey Logano +700
Top-Five Finish – Chase Briscoe +150
Top-10 Finish – Chris Buescher +230
Gateway has been a great track for Joey Logano, and he should view this week’s race as an opportunity to gain some ground in the championship hunt. He won the 2022 edition of this event and has gone on to finish in the top five every race here since. After starting the 10-race run to the end of the season with a top-10 at Darlington, Logano brings both momentum and confidence into this week’s race, which are two valuable elements to boost his chances this week.
Last season’s race showed what Chase Briscoe can accomplish. After only finishing as high as 17th in his three Gateway starts prior to then, Briscoe knocked it out of the park with a second-place finish and 15 laps. We knew he could be fast at the track having started on pole in 2023, but last year’s race brought the picture into focus for him. With another year under his belt at Joe Gibbs Racing, Briscoe is well positioned to begin adding to his top-five tally at this track.
Chris Buescher may be getting overlooked by oddsmakers this week due to his current dip in form. That trend is undeniable, but this week’s venue offers him a prime opportunity to change the narrative. Buescher’s average Gateway finish is 11.7 across three races, and he finished ninth there last year. It is always difficult to reverse momentum in the NASCAR Cup Series, but Buescher is arriving at the right track to do it this week.
Mapping out your wagers for the Cup Series race? Check out the latest Sportsbook Promo Codes to get special offers and make the most of your bets.
The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it’s possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. C.J. Radune plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: DraftKings: cjradune, RaceDayScore: cjradune.