World Wide Technology Raceway and Tri-City Speedway to host
#CupTimeSTL Short Track Classic to kick off St. Louis NASCAR race weekend
November 4, 2021, St. Louis – Officials from World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) – the home of NASCAR, INDYCAR and NHRA in the St. Louis-Metro East region – today announced they will serve as promoter of a major dirt racing event at Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, Illinois, on Friday, June 3, 2022. The event, named the #CupTimeSTL Short Track Classic, will feature dirt Late Models, winged Sprint Cars, winged Outlaw Karts and other special classes and will serve as the official kick-off to WWTR’s inaugural NASCAR Cup Series weekend.
“Kevin and Tammy Gundaker at Tri-City Speedway have a beautiful venue. It’s a short drive from our facility, and we have long worked together to cross-promote the sport,” said Chris Blair, WWTR’s Executive Vice President and General Manager. “As soon as we were informed the NASCAR Cup Series was coming to the St. Louis region, we put the wheels in motion to work with the team at Tri-City to showcase the tremendous short-track racing in the area. Fans traveling from across the nation will be a part of our biggest weekend ever. In addition, it provides another convenient opportunity for many of the NASCAR Cup and Truck Series drivers and their families who compete in dirt racing events to race on an incredible track.”
Located just seven miles from WWTR, Tri-City Speedway hosts many of the top traveling Late Model, Sprint Car, Modified and Midget series. The track also boasts one of the strongest weekly racing programs in the nation. Tri-City’s loyal fan base, convenient location to major interstates and well-manicured venue are key parts of the success of racing in the St. Louis region.
“It’s a great privilege to be partners with World Wide Technology Raceway for this historic event,” said Tri-City Speedway owner and promoter Kevin Gundaker, who has operated the Granite City facility with his wife, Tammy, since 2005. “Since Curtis Francois bought the speedway, his foundation for the facility has been built on including the grassroots racing fan. His decision to promote a dirt race in conjunction with their NASCAR Cup Series weekend is spot on with his mission. It’s going to be a tremendous week of racing in our area, and we all are working together to make the show spectacular. Our fans and our racers are already excited, and the buzz around the area is incredible.”
Tickets for the #CupTimeSTL Short Track Classic will be sold through the WWTRaceway.com ticket office and offered in convenient packages for purchasers of the June 4 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event as well as the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series event on June 5, 2022. The event is expected to sell out. Fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets as part of the pre-sale packages offered by WWTR or when tickets go on sale to the general public on December 1.
For more information on WWTR, please call (618) 215-8888 or visit www.WWTRaceway.com. Follow WWTR on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About World Wide Technology Raceway
World Wide Technology Raceway is the home of INDYCAR, NASCAR and NHRA racing in the St. Louis region. Located just five minutes from downtown St. Louis and covering more than 600 acres, WWTR is the largest outdoor entertainment facility in the area. WWTR’s facilities include a 1/4-mile drag strip, 1.25-mile superspeedway, recently-expanded 2.0-mile road course, a state-of-the-art karting facility, a 14-acre, multi-purpose dirt off-road venue and the Gateway Drive-In Theater at World Wide Technology Raceway (a drive-in entertainment venue able to accommodate 3,000 cars). WWTR acquired Gateway National Golf Links, adjacent to the speedway property, in 2019. WWTR was the recipient of the 2017 Outstanding Facility of the Year Award from the Race Track Business Conference and the 2017 Spirit of St. Louis Award from the St. Louis Attractions Association. In 2018, owner and CEO Curtis Francois received the Innovator Award from the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission in recognition of his work for restoring World Wide Technology Raceway (known then as Gateway Motorsports Park) to prominence. The 2021 season marks Francois’ 10th year as owner and CEO of WWTR.
About Tri-City Speedway
Tri-City Speedway is a high-banked, 3/8-mile oval dirt track, located at 5100 Nameoki Road in Granite City, Illinois. For more information, please visit www.tricityspeedway.net or call (618) 931-7836.