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League: NASCARSport: MotorsportsCountry: United StatesCategory: Scores & Results

NASCAR Cup Series prepares for second round of chase at Gateway

15 sources • 4 min read • Latest: Sep 15, 2026, 9:07 AM

Last updated Sep 15, 2026

NASCAR Cup Series prepares for second round of chase at Gateway
Summary

NASCAR Cup and O'Reilly series drivers head to WWT Raceway in Illinois this weekend for the second round of the 2026 Chase for the championship. Denny Hamlin arrives as the defending winner of the Cup race at the venue and currently holds a 12-point lead over Southern 500 winner Christopher Bell in the standings. The weekend schedule includes practice and qualifying sessions beginning Friday, followed by the O'Reilly race on Friday night. The Enjoy Illinois 300 Cup Series race is set for Sunday, September 13, at 3:00 p.m. EST. Thirty-six entries are confirmed for the Cup event, which features a 240-lap race divided into three stages. Coverage for the Cup race will be available on USA, with additional options provided for international viewers.

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By the Numbers
  • •WWT Raceway hosts the second round of the 2026 NASCAR chase.
  • •Denny Hamlin enters the weekend leading the championship standings by 12 points.
  • •The Cup Series race features 36 entries over 240 laps on Sunday.
  • •Practice and qualifying for the Cup Series take place on Friday afternoon.
  • •Christopher Bell sits second in the standings following his Southern 500 win.
Latest Updates
  • 9:07 AMYahoo Sports — NASCAR Chase gets new chaser while Denny Hamlin rechecks his mirror. Bristol is next
  • 12:50 AMYahoo Sports — Why Bristol Could Be the First Real Test of NASCAR’s New Chase Format
  • 8:15 AMYahoo Sports — NASCAR Chase Standings Are Tight Heading Into Bristol
  • 8:13 AMYahoo Sports — Gateway Turns the Chase Upside Down After Larson Victory
  • 3:09 AMYahoo Sports — NASCAR Cup Series Standings After Gateway: Full Chase Points Update
  • 2:18 AMYahoo Sports — Who Won the NASCAR Enjoy Illinois 300 Race? Full Gateway Results From Wild Finish
  • 11:15 PMYahoo Sports — Who Won The NASCAR Cup Series Race at World Wide Technology Raceway? Full Race Results
  • 11:13 PMYahoo Sports — Who won NASCAR Gateway race? Winner is Kyle Larson, plus full results
What they're saying
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Kyle Larson survived a chaotic afternoon at World Wide Technology Raceway and emerged with the victory in Sunday’s Enjoy Illinois 300, winning the second race of NASCAR’s 2026 championship Chase. And “survived” is an appropriate way to describe it. The Sept. 13 race at Gateway featured 18 cautions, 87 caution laps and 11 lead changes […] The post Who Won the NASCAR Enjoy Illinois 300 Race? Full Gateway Results From Wild Finish appeared first on HEAVY.

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Kyle Larson didn’t just leave World Wide Technology Raceway with a trophy. He left Gateway firmly in the middle of the NASCAR Cup Series championship fight. Larson’s victory in Sunday’s chaotic Enjoy Illinois 300 vaulted him from seventh to second in the Chase standings, shrinking what had been a 49-point deficit to Denny Hamlin after […] The post NASCAR Cup Series Standings After Gateway: Full Chase Points Update appeared first on HEAVY.

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NASCAR Cup and O'Reilly drivers will compete at WWT Raceway (Gateway) this weekend for the second round of the 2026 Chase for the championship. Denny Hamlin is the defending winner of the Cup race at Gateway, and enters this race 12 points clear of Southern 500 winner Christopher Bell in the championship standings. In this story, you can find all the information you need to watch all the ...Keep reading

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