2023 Enjoy Illinois 300
# 2023 Enjoy Illinois 300

The 2023 Enjoy Illinois 300 presented by TicketSmarter was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on June 4, 2023, at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois. Contested over 243 laps – extended from 240 laps due to an overtime finish, on the 1.25-mile (2.01 km) paved oval motor racing track, it was the 15th race of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season.

## Report

### Background

World Wide Technology Raceway (formerly Gateway International Raceway and Gateway Motorsports Park) is a motorsport racing facility in Madison, Illinois, just east of St. Louis, Missouri, United States, close to the Gateway Arch. It features a 1.25-mile (2 kilometer) oval that hosts the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and the NTT IndyCar Series, a 1.6-mile (2.6 km) infield road course used by the SCCA, Porsche Club of America, and various car clubs, and a quarter-mile drag strip that hosts the annual NHRA Midwest Nationals event.

Corey LaJoie replaced Chase Elliott for the race, who was parked by NASCAR for an deliberate collision against Denny Hamlin the race prior; Carson Hocevar took over LaJoie's No. 7 car as a result.

**Entry list**

* (R) denotes rookie driver.
* (i) denotes the driver ineligible for series driver points.

| No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet |
| 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford |
| 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing | Ford |
| 7 | Carson Hocevar (i) | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 9 | Corey LaJoie | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford |
| 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 15 | Gray Gaulding (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford |
| 16 | A. J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet |
| 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing | Ford |
| 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 21 | Harrison Burton | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford |
| 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford |
| 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
| 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 31 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet |
| 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 38 | Todd Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 41 | Ryan Preece | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 42 | Noah Gragson (R) | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet |
| 43 | Erik Jones | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet |
| 45 | Tyler Reddick | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
| 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet |
| 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 51 | J. J. Yeley (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford |
| 54 | Ty Gibbs (R) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 77 | Ty Dillon | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 78 | B. J. McLeod | Live Fast Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet |
| Official entry list ||||

## Practice

Joey Logano was the fastest in the practice session with a time of 32.881 seconds and a speed of 136.857 mph (220.250 km/h).

### Practice results

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 32.881 | 136.857 |
| 2 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 32.892 | 136.811 |
| 3 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 32.953 | 136.558 |
| Official practice results |||||||

## Qualifying

Kyle Busch scored the pole for the race with a time of 32.802 and a speed of 137.187 mph (220.781 km/h).

### Qualifying results

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | R1 | R2 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 33.025 | 32.802 |
| 2 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 32.797 | 32.810 |
| 3 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 32.877 | 32.870 |
| 4 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 32.872 | 32.903 |
| 5 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 32.979 | 33.001 |
| 6 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 33.074 | 33.006 |
| 7 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 32.998 | 33.030 |
| 8 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 32.847 | 33.090 |
| 9 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 32.880 | 33.140 |
| 10 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 32.919 | 33.203 |
| 11 | 16 | A. J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 33.008 | — |
| 12 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 33.063 | — |
| 13 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 33.086 | — |
| 14 | 21 | Harrison Burton | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 33.106 | — |
| 15 | 54 | Ty Gibbs (R) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 33.110 | — |
| 16 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 33.119 | — |
| 17 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 33.148 | — |
| 18 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 33.149 | — |
| 19 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing | Ford | 33.151 | — |
| 20 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 33.191 | — |
| 21 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 33.194 | — |
| 22 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 33.209 | — |
| 23 | 31 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 33.218 | — |
| 24 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 33.224 | — |
| 25 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 33.277 | — |
| 26 | 7 | Carson Hocevar (i) | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 33.279 | — |
| 27 | 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing | Ford | 33.285 | — |
| 28 | 38 | Todd Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 33.321 | — |
| 29 | 41 | Ryan Preece | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 33.435 | — |
| 30 | 9 | Corey LaJoie | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 33.442 | — |
| 31 | 43 | Erik Jones | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet | 33.445 | — |
| 32 | 42 | Noah Gragson (R) | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet | 33.639 | — |
| 33 | 77 | Ty Dillon | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 33.778 | — |
| 34 | 78 | B. J. McLeod | Live Fast Motorsports | Chevrolet | 33.797 | — |
| 35 | 15 | Gray Gaulding (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 33.867 | — |
| 36 | 51 | J. J. Yeley (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 34.061 | — |
| Official qualifying results |||||||

## Race

### Race results

**Stage results**

Stage One Laps: 45

| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 10 |
| 2 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 9 |
| 3 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 8 |
| 4 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 7 |
| 5 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 6 |
| 6 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 5 |
| 7 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 4 |
| 8 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 3 |
| 9 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 2 |
| 10 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 1 |
| Official stage one results ||||||

Stage Two Laps: 95

| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 10 |
| 2 | 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 9 |
| 3 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 8 |
| 4 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 7 |
| 5 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 6 |
| 6 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 5 |
| 7 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 4 |
| 8 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 3 |
| 9 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 2 |
| 10 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 1 |
| Official stage two results ||||||

### Final Stage results

Stage Three Laps: 100

| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Points |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 1 | 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 243 | 59 |
| 2 | 3 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 243 | 51 |
| 3 | 6 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 243 | 44 |
| 4 | 22 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 243 | 34 |
| 5 | 5 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 243 | 39 |
| 6 | 2 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 243 | 50 |
| 7 | 13 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 243 | 37 |
| 8 | 7 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 243 | 40 |
| 9 | 21 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 243 | 28 |
| 10 | 4 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 243 | 35 |
| 11 | 17 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 243 | 26 |
| 12 | 27 | 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing | Ford | 243 | 25 |
| 13 | 10 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 243 | 26 |
| 14 | 11 | 16 | A. J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 243 | 23 |
| 15 | 28 | 38 | Todd Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 243 | 22 |
| 16 | 23 | 31 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 243 | 21 |
| 17 | 29 | 41 | Ryan Preece | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 243 | 20 |
| 18 | 31 | 43 | Erik Jones | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet | 243 | -41 |
| 19 | 24 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 243 | 18 |
| 20 | 15 | 54 | Ty Gibbs (R) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 243 | 17 |
| 21 | 30 | 9 | Corey LaJoie | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 243 | 16 |
| 22 | 8 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 243 | 20 |
| 23 | 14 | 21 | Harrison Burton | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 243 | 14 |
| 24 | 36 | 51 | J. J. Yeley (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 243 | 0 |
| 25 | 33 | 77 | Ty Dillon | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 243 | 12 |
| 26 | 18 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 243 | 11 |
| 27 | 34 | 78 | B. J. McLeod | Live Fast Motorsports | Chevrolet | 243 | 10 |
| 28 | 19 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing | Ford | 243 | 9 |
| 29 | 35 | 15 | Gray Gaulding (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 242 | 0 |
| 30 | 20 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 236 | 7 |
| 31 | 16 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 223 | 6 |
| 32 | 12 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 219 | 10 |
| 33 | 32 | 42 | Noah Gragson (R) | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet | 197 | 4 |
| 34 | 25 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 193 | 3 |
| 35 | 9 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 174 | 2 |
| 36 | 26 | 7 | Carson Hocevar (i) | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 91 | 0 |
| Official race results ||||||||

### Race statistics

* Lead changes: 10 among 5 different drivers
* Cautions/Laps: 11 for 67 laps
* Red flags: 3 for 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 5 seconds (1 for a lightning delay, 1 for wreck clean-up, and 1 for repairs to the Turn 1 SAFER Barrier)
* Time of race: 3 hours, 28 minutes, and 16 seconds
* Average speed: 87.508 miles per hour (140.830 km/h)

## Media

### Television

Fox Sports covered the race on the television side. Mike Joy, Clint Bowyer and Michael Waltrip called the race from the broadcast booth, with Kenny Wallace joining for Stage 2. Jamie Little and Regan Smith handled the pit road for the television side. Larry McReynolds provided insight from the Fox Sports studio in Charlotte.

FS1 :

| Booth announcers | Pit reporters | In-race analyst |
| - | - | - |
| Lap-by-lap: Mike Joy Color-commentator: Clint Bowyer Color-commentator: Michael Waltrip Color-commentator: Kenny Wallace (Stage 2) | Jamie Little Regan Smith | Larry McReynolds |

### Radio

MRN had the radio call for the race and was also simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle, and Rusty Wallace called the race for MRN from the booth when the field raced down the front straightaway. Dave Moody called the race from turns 1 & 2 while Kurt Becker called the race from turns 3 & 4. Pit Road for MRN was manned by Steve Post, Brienne Pedigo and Kim Coon.

MRN Radio :

| Booth announcers | Turn announcers | Pit reporters |
| - | - | - |
| Lead announcer: Alex Hayden Announcer: Jeff Striegle Announcer: Rusty Wallace | Turns 1 & 2: Dave Moody Turns 3 & 4: Kurt Becker | Steve Post Brienne Pedigo Kim Coon |

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 1 | Ryan Blaney | 495 |
| 1 | 2 | William Byron | 482 (–13) |
| 1 | 3 | Kevin Harvick | 473 (–22) |
| 1 | 4 | Martin Truex Jr. | 472 (–23) |
| 4 | 5 | Ross Chastain | 466 (–29) |
| | 6 | Christopher Bell | 455 (–40) |
| 3 | 7 | Kyle Busch | 451 (–44) |
| | 8 | Denny Hamlin | 451 (–44) |
| 2 | 9 | Kyle Larson | 411 (–84) |
| 3 | 10 | Tyler Reddick | 411 (–84) |
| 2 | 11 | Brad Keselowski | 403 (–92) |
| 2 | 12 | Joey Logano | 401 (–94) |
| 1 | 13 | Chris Buescher | 393 (–102) |
| 1 | 14 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 368 (–127) |
| | 15 | Bubba Wallace | 334 (–161) |
| 2 | 16 | Daniel Suárez | 313 (–182) |
| Official driver's standings ||||
| Pos | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1 | Chevrolet | 567 |
| 2 | Toyota | 523 (–44) |
| 3 | Ford | 512 (–55) |
