Chris Blair was 9 years old when he turned on his television set and watched the legendary Richard Petty take the checkered flag at the 1979 Daytona 500.
“Petty was like a god to me when I was a kid,” remembers Blair, who grew up to become the current Executive Vice President & General Manager of World Wide Technology Raceway. “Watching him win that race was one of the biggest things ever, you know?”
It’s this precious recollection that keeps playing Blair's head as he and his massive team prepare to welcome 80,000-plus NASCAR fans to the St. Louis region to witness the sport’s premier series for the very first time.
“It’s going to be real special seeing all the cars out on that track, because 10 years ago, people said that it would never happen,” says Blair of the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 race weekend. “We overcame the odds to make this happen.” World Wide Technology Raceway has already served as a home to INDYCAR and NHRA racing in the St. Louis region.
Granted, these days have have been a long time coming for Blair and his team. Among the changes to World Wide Technology Raceway, which has undergone a $100-million renovation, is its expansive growth from 170 acres to 620 acres. The facility now features an 18-hole golf course, as well as new parking areas, a lake, and 1,200 new campsites. And it isn't just racing that the team has been dreaming about. Race weekend festivities kick off with a special beer release on Tuesday, May 31, and include a series of of events leading up to the 300-mile race on June 5. Among them is the inaugural Confluence Festival, which will feature STEM activities, such as World Wide Technology's RaceAR racing simulations, and esports alongside an extensive musical lineup.
“One of the key things that we wanted to do is to make it more like going to a festival than it is like going to a sporting event,” Blair says of the fest. “We didn't want this to be an event where people begin walking in five minutes beforehand. We wanted this to be an event that people could soak in and be entertained for an entire day.”
To that end, Blair and his team secured a long list of major music acts to perform across five stages June 3-5, including country music powerhouses Old Dominion and Cole Swindell along with up-and-coming artists such as Kameron Marlowe and Alexandra Kay. But perhaps even more importantly is the influx of homegrown talent that will be on display throughout the event, including everyone from the River Kittens to Nelly.
“We're looking at how we can continue to build and firmly establish this event as something that people mark on their calendars every year,” he says. “We want this to become a family tradition where they come back each year because they know the tremendous value they're getting with their ticket purchase.”
The NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 weekend runs June 3-5 at World Wide Technology Raceway. Tickets are still available.
