Bommarito Automotive Group 500 – WWTR 2026

World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, is just a stone’s throw across the Mississippi from St. Louis and looks back on a history spanning the late 1990s. The first major event at the facility was a CART Series race on May 24, 1997, held one day before the legendary Indianapolis 500. This laid the foundation for a track that quickly secured a permanent place in the North American motorsports calendar.

Over the years, the facility has evolved into a versatile motorsports complex that today hosts not only the IndyCar Series, but also NASCAR races, drag racing, and numerous other events. This versatility has made the venue equally attractive to fans and series alike, providing it with continuity across various name changes and corporate partners.

In terms of layout, the track presents itself as a compact oval measuring 2.012 kilometers in length with only four turns, giving it a distinctive egg-shaped silhouette reminiscent of the former Twin Ring Motegi in Japan. Turns one and two exhibit characteristics similar to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, while turns three and four are more reminiscent of Phoenix Raceway. This combination creates varying vehicle balance within a single lap and presents teams with unique setup challenges.

In recent race history, Josef Newgarden stands out, setting the track record that still stands today in 2017 with a time of 0:24.632, demonstrating the high speeds possible on this short but intense oval. At the most recent IndyCar Series race, Kyle Kirkwood prevailed in 2025, joining the list of winners who have excelled on this demanding layout.

For the 2026 edition of the Bommarito Automotive Group 500, World Wide Technology Raceway once again brings that mix of historical depth and fast-paced track characteristics that has made it a fixture in American motorsports for nearly three decades.