In Madison, Illinois, tens of thousands enjoyed NASCAR festivities at World Wide Technology Raceway over the weekend, though the events were often associated with St. Louis or the St. Louis region.
During Sunday’s Enjoy Illinois 300 broadcast on FS1, a watermark reading “St. Louis” was displayed during the race. WWT Raceway owner Curtis Francois referred to the event as part of “the best sports city in the country,” in an interview with FOX 2.
Midway through the race, NASCAR shared a photo on the social media platform X of the Gateway Arch in the distance from the racetrack, highlighting the proximity of the Arch in St. Louis to the raceway in Madison, Illinois.
The use of the “St. Louis” branding has sparked some discussions on social media.
To clarify, WWT Raceway is located in Madison, Illinois, approximately a 10-minute drive from St. Louis along Interstate 55. St. Louis is in Missouri, and reaching the raceway requires crossing state lines into Illinois.
Madison, Illinois, is not part of St. Louis and is located in a different state. This has led some social media users to question why the event is associated with St. Louis.
A user on social media platform X (@M_McDaniel2012) provided a detailed response to NASCAR’s racetrack photo with the Arch in the background:
“One thing that gets me whenever NASCAR is to Gateway is that they label it as “St. Louis” in their marketing.
The Arch is to the West of the track.
General rule: If you see the Arch is west of you, you’re 99.9% of the time NOT in St. Louis (or even Missouri for that matter).
Miss me with the “close enough” or “metro area” noise.
Tell the people the truth.
You are in Madison, Illinois. There’s nothing wrong with Madison, Illinois.”
Similar comments
Comments on various FOX 2 social media posts (X and Facebook) over the weekend regarding Enjoy Illinois 300 highlighted the “St. Louis” branding of the race.
“Somebody really needs to let FS1 and all of the commentators that they are in MADISON ILLINOIS.”
“Not Missouri, it’s Illinois.”
“It’s just across the river from St. Louis.”
“Why is the hauler parade in St. Louis? The track is in Illinois. What a joke.”
Amid these comments were opposing viewpoints acknowledging why the event may be referred to as one for St. Louis.
“Well…. That’s where the track is. It’s also literally right across the river.”
“Everyone of the announcers say St. Louis. And it even shows up on TV as St. Louis.”
“Because 2,000,000 out of 2,800,000 people in the metro STL region live on the Missouri side.”
What gives?
NASCAR attracts an average television audience of around 3.85 million viewers per event each year. There are 42 different NASCAR racetracks in the United States and Canada.
Using a regional geographic label like “St. Louis” may help viewers understand the region where the race is taking place, especially since many NASCAR racetracks are not within the main cities they are associated with.
For example, the Chicagoland Speedway is in Joliet, Illinois, not Chicago. Using a “Chicago” label instead of “Joliet” may help more people understand the general area of the NASCAR event. A similar case applies for WWT Raceway by referencing St. Louis in relation to Madison, Illinois.
Why might there be frustrations with the “St. Louis” label?
It could be due to how people in St. Louis and its suburbs identify with their specific upbringing in the Greater St. Louis area.
The City of St. Louis comprises 79 different neighborhoods, while neighboring St. Louis County consists of 91 municipalities. The Greater St. Louis Area, including 15 counties across Missouri and Illinois, has many municipalities within each county.
Each neighborhood or suburb in Greater St. Louis offers unique characteristics historically, socially, economically, or by other measures. Locals may feel strongly about geographical representation and believe that a general “St. Louis” label ignores the distinct character of places like Madison, Illinois, outside the actual St. Louis City limits.
The history of St. Louis becoming an independent city and its relationship with St. Louis County may also contribute to complexities in how people perceive the city versus the region. The separation of the City and County in 1876, often attributed to financial motives, has led to ongoing discussions about merging the two entities.
While documentation on social perceptions of St. Louis City versus the region is limited, online discussions have touched on this topic. One participant noted that enjoying what St. Louis offers does not necessarily require living in the city itself.
In labeling something as “St. Louis” outside the city but within the region, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. Similar trends can be seen with sites like “The Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum” and “Six Flags St. Louis,” located in St. Louis County but not the City of St. Louis.
