World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, will present the seventh annual Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline NTT INDYCAR SERIES Weekend on August 26-27.
The cars and stars of the Indianapolis 500 will take to WWTR’s challenging 1.25-mile oval on Sunday, August 27 at 2:30 p.m. Central for the grueling, 260-lap Bommarito Automotive Group 500. The Bommarito Automotive Group 500 is the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ final oval race of the 2023 season. The USAC Silver Crown Series will kick off the Sunday afternoon of auto racing action with the OUTFRONT 100 at 12:15 p.m.
The INDY NXT series takes center stage on Saturday, August 26, with the OUTFRONT Showdown. INDY NXT is a developmental feeder series, one step away from the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. INDYCAR practice and qualifying also will take place on Saturday.
The Vintage Indy exhibit will be on track both days with vintage Indy Car exhibition runs on both days. The restored cars, ranging from the 1930s to 1980s, will be on display on the midway both days. Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and 2001 WWTR victor Al Unser Jr. will drive the Vintage Indy pace car during exhibition runs and will greet fans at the midway display.
Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato scored the closest Bommarito 500 victory in WWTR history, taking the checkered flag over Ed Carpenter by just .040 seconds in 2019.
Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden has won four of the seven Bommarito 500s held at WWTR.
“I absolutely love racing in St. Louis,” said Newgarden. “World Wide Technology Raceway is a high-commitment track. It’s different from the other short ovals we go to. It’s on the longer end of what would be considered a short oval. But it’s still tight, compact short-oval racing. Just really high-speed commitment and I think that’s what makes me like this place. I love a race track where you’ve got to be committed in the corners. This track requires that. It’s smooth. It’s high grip. You’re able to carry a lot of speed for a long duration in places like Turns 3 and 4. That kind of racing style is something that I love. It’s part of the reason why we’ve had success here.”
Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou is the current NTT INDYCAR SERIES points leader, followed by Scott Dixon in second and Newgarden in third.
Three NTT INDYCAR SERIES teams and seven drivers will test at WWTR in preparation for the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 on Thursday, August 17, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. One section of the WWTR grandstands will be open free of charge to spectators.
Past WWTR Indy Car winners include:
1997 Paul Tracy
1998 Alex Zanardi
1999 Michael Andretti
2000 Juan Pablo Montoya
2001 Al Unser Jr.
2002 Gil de Ferran
2003 Helio Castroneves
NTT INDYCAR SERIES
2017 Josef Newgarden
2018 Will Power
2019 Takuma Sato
2020 Scott Dixon (first race)
Josef Newgarden (second race of the weekend)
2021 Josef Newgarden
2022 Josef Newgarden
For INDYCAR tickets and information, please call WWTR at (618) 215-8888 or visit wwtraceway.com. Follow @WWTRaceway on social media.
WWTR PR
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