After the intense battle at the playoff opener at Darlington, the garage now travels to the Gateway Motorsports Park for the second race in the Round of 16. This one’s special, not just for the drivers, but because it’s the first year for the World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, to host a playoff race in the Cup series. The home fans are excited, and among them is a special fan, none other than NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace, for whom Gateway is like a home track, having a grandstand in it named after him. But even he was surprised when he learned Gateway had been promoted to host a playoff race, and he explained why.

Opened in 1997, the Gateway has hosted a variety of NASCAR, IndyCar, and sports car events over the years. After some periods of disrepair and major upgr

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