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Heading into the 15th race of the season, NASCAR returns to World Wide Technology Raceway to kick off its schedule for the month of June. After hosting the NASCAR Cup Series for the first time last year, WWTR will host the Cup and Truck Series races this weekend.
The 1.25 oblong oval in St. Louis, Missouri consists of 11 degrees of banking in turns 1 and 2 and 9 degrees in 3 and 4. Joey Logano emerged as the winner of the Enjoy Illinois 300 race last season, with Kyle Busch and Kurt Busch rounding off the top-three finishers.
The green flag for the 240 laps Enjoy Illinois 300 is set to drop at 3:30 pm ET this Sunday (June 4). You can watch the live telecast on FS1 and MRN.
Let's take a look at the five drivers who will be making the headlines on Sunday.
#5 Ryan Blaney
Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney is coming in hot form after winning the Coca-Cola 600. He finally ended his 59-race winless streak to win NASCAR's crown jewel race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Last year, Blaney had to settle for fourth place after battling Kurt Busch for the third position till the checkered flag. The #12 driver's form indicates he will better his result on the track this weekend.
#4 Tyler Reddick
Taking the reigns of the #45 Toyota from Kurt Busch, Tyler Reddick will compete against Blaney for the top positions this year at WWTR. The 23XI Racing driver is currently on a two-race streak of top-five finishes, including the All-Star Race.
Reddick will be driving the car that managed a third-place finish last year and the Toyotas are expected to be strong at the 1.25-mile oval. He already has a race win in the bag, and five top-five finishes this season. Expect Reddick to continue the strong form of the #45 on the St. Louis track.
#3 Bubba Wallace
23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace has been in the news on and off the track. Keeping aside Wallace's off-track news, the #23 Toyota driver has managed an upturn in results despite an underwhelming start to the season.
Wallace is currently on a four-race streak of top-five finishes, including the NASCAR All-Star Race. Ever since his last-lap crash at Talladega, Wallace, and 23XI Racing have upped their game for the short tracks.
With the momentum on his side, Wallace is looking for his first regular-season win to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in his career.
#2 Kyle Larson
Kyle Larson and Hendrick Motorsports have been a formidable threat each weekend on different kinds of tracks. Larson has already scored two wins this season and his form hasn't regressed. He also has the highest odds for Sunday's race at WWTR.
A rare mistake in the Coca-Cola 600 meant the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion missed out on a strong result. Last time out at the 1.25-mile oval in St. Louis, the #5 Chevrolet driver was the highest-finishing HMS driver in 12th place. Considering his current form Larson will better his results on the track.
#1 William Byron
William Byron had a stellar start to his 2023 Cup Series campaign, as he currently sits with three race wins halfway into the regular season. Not only has Byron stepped up this year, but he also has hands down beaten Hendrick Motorsports' star drivers.
Byron finished second in the Coca-Cola 600 unable to challenge Blaney for the win. This weekend the #24 driver has the second-highest odds behind his teammate for the second running of the Enjoy Illinois 300.
