HFT Weekend Preview: WWT Raceway.

Saturday O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Action:

• Date: Saturday, September 12th at 7:30 p.m. ET
• Track: World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, IL
• Race Distance: 180 laps / 225 miles
• Broadcast: CW | MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Sunday Cup Series Action:

• Date: Sunday, September 13th at 3 p.m. ET
• Track: World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, IL
• Race Distance: 240 laps / 300 miles
• Broadcast: USA | MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
  

On-Track Activity:Saturday:

• 1 p.m. ET – O’Reilly Practice
  CW App | MRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
• 2:05 p.m. ET – O’Reilly Qualifying
  CW App | MRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
• 3:30 p.m. ET – Cup Practice
  TruTV | MRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
• 4:35 p.m. ET – Cup Qualifying
  TruTV | MRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
• 7:30 p.m. ET – O’Reilly Race
  CW | MRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Sunday:

• 3 p.m. ET – Cup Race
  USA | MRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Race Weekend Quick Hits:

• NASCAR heads to World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) this weekend for the second O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race of The Chase, marking Gateway's second consecutive NOAPS event after the track was absent from the schedule from 2011-24.
• Sheldon Creed earned his second career O’Reilly Auto Parts Series win last weekend at Darlington, charging to the front late and leading the final 53 laps. The victory moved Creed (2,128) into second in the NOAPS Chase standings, just seven points behind Justin Allgaier (2,135).
• After earning his first win of the season earlier this year at EchoPark Speedway, Creed has put together a breakout campaign, ranking second in the NOAPS in wins (2), average finish (10.2), top-five finishes (10) and top-10s (17).
• Sam Mayer continued his strong of strong qualifying runs, earning his eighth top-10 starting spot in the last nine races before finishing eighth at Darlington last weekend and climbing to ninth in the Chase standings.
• Cole Custer has made three career Craftsman Truck Series starts at WWTR, earning the pole in 2014 and claiming victory a year later in 2015.

Cup Driver Lineup:No. 41 Driver: Cole Custer
Hometown: Ladera Ranch, CA
Crew Chief: Aaron Kramer
Partner: Haas / Bonanza WinesCuster’s Gateway Cup Series History:

• Starts: 2
• Wins: —
• Top-10s: —
• Poles: —
  

Key Numbers:

• Custer will make his third career Cup Series start at Gateway this weekend, where he finished 27th in last season’s race.

O’Reilly Auto Parts Driver Lineup:No. 00 Driver: Sheldon Creed
Hometown: Alpine, CA
Crew Chief: Jonathan Toney
Partner: Road Ranger
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase Standings: 2ndCreed’s Gateway O’Reilly Auto Parts Series History:

• Starts: 1
• Wins: —
• Top-10s: —
• Poles: —
  

Key Numbers:

• Creed is set to make his second career O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start at Gateway this weekend. In last year’s event, he ran inside the top 10 for much of the race before a mechanical issue on a late restart dropped him to a 30th-place finish.
• Creed has found success at Gateway in the Truck Series, capturing back-to-back victories at the track in 2020 and 2021.

No. 41 Driver: Sam Mayer
Hometown: Franklin, WI
Crew Chief: Jason Trinchere
Partner: Starkey
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase Standings: 9thMayer’s Gateway O’Reilly Auto Parts Series History:

• Starts: 1
• Wins: —
• Top-10s: —
• Poles: —
  

Key Numbers:

• Mayer will make his second O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start at WWTR this Saturday after qualifying fourth in last year’s event. His race was cut short on lap 134 following a multi-car incident while running inside the top 10.
• In his lone Truck Series start at Gateway in 2020, Mayer delivered a standout performance, charging from 15th to finish fourth while leading 24 laps.

HFT Darlington Recap: Sheldon Creed charged to the front late and led the final 53 laps at Darlington to capture his second career NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory, while Sam Mayer grabbed his 11th top-10 finish with an eighth-place run last Saturday. On Sunday night, Cole Custer battled through 500 miles and finished 33rd.