From right to left: World Wide Technology chairman and founder David Steward with his son, Dave Jr.
Gateway Motorsports Park is getting a little bit of a makeover.
On Wednesday, technology solutions provider company World Wide Technology announced that it's entering into a long-term naming rights commitment, renaming the sports facility World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. The announcement was made at WWT's 2019 Global Leadership Forum Summit, which connects STEAM organizations that are "engaging, educating, empowering, and transforming underserved communities and building tomorrow's workforce."
"The support of WWT will help ensure that our track will compete for North America's most elite races and offer an innovative and exhilarating fan experience for years to come," said Curtis Francois, CEO of Gateway Motorsports.
At a press conference that included athlete and East St. Louis native Jackie Joyner-Kersee and race car driver Darrell "Bubba" Wallace Jr., WWT founder and chairman David Steward described the initiative as starting at an unlikely source: his surprise birthday party. There, Steward says, Larry Albus told him, "'I didn't know what to bring you. What I'm going to [give] you is something you won't believe. I heard you're a fan of racing.'" Steward, a racing and car fan whose father was a mechanic, was named a grand marshal of the Indy race at Gateway.
"There was not a pit I didn't go to," Steward said.
WWT plans to use its assets to bring new STEAM initiatives, technology to enhance the fan experience, and diversity to the track.
The new initiative is in part to inspire young children of color, which is in line with the Global Leadership Forum's mission.
"I never understood why there wasn't a whole lot of diversity in racing," Steward said, adding that he felt the raceway was a fresh start to bring the fan experience to a whole new level. Joyner-Kersee added that she hoped it would empower and impact youth in St. Louis and East St. Louis. "The river should not divide us," she said.
Francois added that it was Gateway Motorsports' intent to make "St. Louis the next great American racing city." He started rebuilding and investing in Gateway about eight years ago, and expressed that when it comes to sporting events, "St. Louis over-delivers."
