World Wide Technology Raceway Fan Guide: Cooler Policy, Bag Policy and What to Bring (2026)

Part of the Happy Hour Racing Track Fan Guide series, where we pull the real entry rules for every track on the schedule so you are not the person arguing with a security guard at the gate.

Cooler Policy at World Wide Technology Raceway

World Wide Technology Raceway gives you one number to remember. Each guest may bring in one soft-sided cooler with a maximum size of 14 inches by 14 inches by 14 inches. That is a generous allowance by modern standards, and it is the same limit whether you are there for the NTT IndyCar Series Bommarito Automotive Group 500 in June or any other weekend on the calendar.

The word that matters in that sentence is soft-sided. A wheeled hard cooler, a rotomolded box, a hard-shell six-pack carrier, none of that is getting through a grandstand gate. If your cooler cannot be squeezed and unzipped, plan on leaving it in the car.

The track also puts the inspection burden on you. Its published guideline says soft-sided coolers measuring 14x14x14 are permitted, but it is up to the guest to open it for inspection. Pack accordingly. A cooler that opens flat and shows everything on the first zip moves through the line in seconds. A cooler with three layers of ice packed over sandwiches turns into a five-minute conversation while the people behind you get impatient.

What goes inside is simple. Plastic bottles and aluminum cans are on the permitted list. Alcoholic beverages of any kind are not, and neither is glass in any form. The track is direct about this, noting that its vendors will have alcohol options for sale inside. Water, sports drinks, soda and food you packed at home all travel fine.

Bag Policy at World Wide Technology Raceway

The bag policy runs alongside the cooler policy rather than replacing it. Each person is permitted one soft-sided cooler at that 14 by 14 by 14 maximum plus one carry-in item, which the track describes as a backpack or a purse. That is your bag allowance.

There is no strict clear-bag mandate here, which separates World Wide Technology Raceway from a lot of stadiums and a few tracks. What the raceway does say is that clear bags are encouraged to expedite entry. Translated, an opaque backpack will be opened and searched, and a clear bag will get a glance and a wave. On a big race day that difference adds up.

Every item brought through a grandstand gate is subject to search by raceway security personnel, and the track states plainly that it is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Bring what you need and leave the valuables you cannot afford to lose in the car.

Prohibited Items

This is the list the raceway publishes. All of it stays home or stays in the vehicle:

• Alcoholic beverages of any kind
• Firearms, fireworks of any kind and items restricted by local, state and federal laws
• Bicycles, scooters, skateboards and golf carts
• Glass containers
• Umbrellas
• Folding chairs
• Laser pointers
• Pets, except certified service animals
• Aerosol cans
• Balloons and beach balls
• Illegal substances
• Sticks, bats, poles or clubs

Security also reserves the right to turn away anything it considers inappropriate, a safety hazard, or something that would diminish another fan's enjoyment of the event. That is standard language at every track and it is the clause that covers whatever creative item is not already on the list.

Two more that catch people out. Drones are strictly prohibited at World Wide Technology Raceway, and that is not a soft rule. The venue has an exclusive operating agreement with a single FAA-licensed provider, and no other drone operator flies there without written approval from the general manager. Second, smoking is prohibited in the grandstands. Designated smoking areas are available on the concourse, and the track says violators of the smoking policy will be removed from the facility.

What You Can Bring

The permitted list is short and useful:

• One soft-sided cooler, maximum 14 inches by 14 inches by 14 inches, and one carry-in item such as a backpack or purse
• Plastic bottles and aluminum cans, non-alcoholic only
• Binoculars
• Scanners
• Cameras
• Seat cushions
• Strollers, if accompanied by a child

The stroller rule has a wrinkle worth knowing before you load the car. Strollers may not inhibit guest movement or block aisles, and they are not allowed into the grandstands at all. The track's own guidance is to leave the stroller on the concourse underneath the grandstands, where you can secure it to the chain link fence. If you are bringing a small child, plan for a carrier or a lap once you climb to your seats.

Note what is missing from the permitted list. Folding chairs are prohibited, so a seat cushion is your only comfort upgrade in the grandstands. Umbrellas are prohibited too, which means a hat, sunscreen and a poncho are the answer for both sun and rain. A June afternoon in the Metro East does not forgive people who skipped the sunscreen.

Grandstands, Seating and the Layout

The oval is 1.25 miles and it is not symmetrical, which is exactly why drivers like it. Turns one and two are tighter and more heavily banked than turns three and four, so the car that is perfect at one end tends to be a handful at the other. IndyCar runs 260 laps for 325 miles here, and the compromise setup gives you a race where the field spreads, comes back together on restarts, and rewards anyone who can save fuel through the flatter end.

All of it is visible from the grandstands. This is a smaller footprint than the superspeedways, so there is no bad-sightline section where you lose half the field behind a tunnel. Seats near start-finish put you over the pit stops. Seats toward turn one give you the heaviest braking and the best passing zone. The tower end is where you will hear the most from the crowd.

Camping is offered for the major race weekends, with both a west campground and an infield option, and packages include campground wristbands. One thing to underline: campground wristbands are not valid for gate admission. Camping and a grandstand ticket are two separate purchases. Packages, prices and move-in dates are set per event, so check the raceway's camping page for the weekend you are attending rather than assuming last year's terms carried over.

Getting There and Race-Day Tips

The address is 700 Raceway Blvd., Madison, Illinois, and the track sits about five minutes from downtown St. Louis. That proximity is the whole appeal. You can stay in the city, eat in the city, and still be parked before the first support session.

The raceway publishes its own INDYCAR race day routes, and they are worth reading before you leave the hotel because the lot you bought determines the road you take:

• Orange general parking, ADA and camping on the west side: exiting Interstate 55/70, go south toward Collinsville Road, turn right onto Collinsville Road, go an eighth of a mile and turn right into the facility at the Dirtplex entry.
• Suite and VIP parking in the Brown South Lot: follow signs to Illinois 203 north and turn left into the facility at the main entry gate. Have credentials and hang tags visible before you exit I-55/70.
• Purple lots at the north end: follow signs to Illinois 203 north and turn left into the facility roughly 600 feet past the main entry gate.

Bring cash. Orange general parking and the limited North 40 lot are sold day-of for cash only, as is motorcycle parking. Card-only travelers get stuck at the entrance.

If you would rather not drive at all, the St. Louis transit connection is genuinely good. Fans can park free at Park-Ride lots at MetroLink stations on either side of the river, ride the train to the Emerson Park Transit Center, and catch a shuttle straight to the raceway. Shuttle service and additional pickup locations are announced per event weekend, so confirm the schedule for your race before you build a plan around it.

Fan Tips

• Pack the cooler to open, not to survive a heat wave. You are the one opening it for inspection. Loose ice over a flat layer beats a tightly packed brick.
• Use a clear bag even though you do not have to. The track says it expedites entry, and that is not marketing. It is the fastest lane at the gate.
• No umbrella means plan for weather twice. Hat and sunscreen for the afternoon, a packable poncho for the June storm that shows up out of nowhere.
• A seat cushion is not optional. Aluminum grandstand benches plus a 260-lap race is a long afternoon without one, and cushions are explicitly permitted.
• Bring a scanner or rent one. Scanners are on the permitted list, and an oval this size makes team radio the difference between watching cars and understanding a fuel window.
• Arrive earlier than you think. Everything funnels off the same interstate, and the best general parking goes to the people who showed up first.

Common questions about World Wide Technology Raceway

What size cooler can you bring to World Wide Technology Raceway?

One soft-sided cooler per guest with a maximum size of 14 inches by 14 inches by 14 inches. Hard-sided coolers are not permitted, and the guest is responsible for opening the cooler for inspection at the gate.

What is the bag policy at World Wide Technology Raceway?

Each guest may bring one carry-in item such as a backpack or purse in addition to the soft-sided cooler. Clear bags are encouraged to expedite entry but are not required, and all items are subject to search.

Can you bring food and drinks into World Wide Technology Raceway?

Yes. Plastic bottles and aluminum cans are permitted along with food packed in your soft-sided cooler. Alcoholic beverages of any kind and glass containers are prohibited, and alcohol is sold by vendors inside.

Are umbrellas allowed at World Wide Technology Raceway?

No. Umbrellas are on the prohibited items list. Bring a hat, sunscreen and a packable poncho instead.

Are chairs or seat cushions allowed at World Wide Technology Raceway?

Seat cushions are permitted. Folding chairs are prohibited, so a cushion is your only seating upgrade in the grandstands.

Are strollers allowed at World Wide Technology Raceway?

Strollers are permitted if accompanied by a child, but they are not allowed into the grandstands and may not block aisles. The track directs guests to leave strollers on the concourse underneath the grandstands, secured to the chain link fence.

What items are prohibited at World Wide Technology Raceway?

Alcohol, firearms, fireworks, bicycles, scooters, skateboards, golf carts, glass containers, umbrellas, folding chairs, laser pointers, pets other than certified service animals, aerosol cans, balloons, beach balls, illegal substances, and sticks, bats, poles or clubs. Drones are also strictly prohibited.

Can you smoke at World Wide Technology Raceway?

Not in the grandstands. Designated smoking areas are available on the concourse, and the track states that violators of the smoking policy will be removed from the facility.

The Bottom Line

World Wide Technology Raceway is one of the friendlier gates on the IndyCar schedule. A 14 by 14 by 14 soft cooler plus a backpack is a real day's worth of food and drink, there is no clear-bag mandate to plan around, and the drive from downtown St. Louis is short enough that a race weekend here doubles as a city trip. Pack a cushion, skip the umbrella, bring cash for parking, and leave the hard cooler at home.

Policies change from season to season and sometimes from event to event. Confirm everything before you travel using the official World Wide Technology Raceway Gate Guidelines, and call Guest Services at (618) 215-8888 ext. 1 if you have a question about a specific item. Race day route and parking details come from the raceway's official INDYCAR Race Day Routes page.

Gear Up for the IndyCar Season

If you are heading to Madison in June, or watching from home, here is in-stock IndyCar gear from the Happy Hour Racing shop.

• IndyCar 2025 Checkered Flag Sublimated T-Shirt at $39.95
• Checkered Flag Sports 109th Running Indy Patch Snapback Hat, black at $29.95, and you cannot bring an umbrella so a hat is the plan
• 109th Indianapolis 500 In Motion Blue Tee at $24.95
• Checkered Flag Sports 109th Indianapolis 500 Teal Logo Navy Tee at $24.95
• Checkered Flag Sports Indianapolis 500 Snake Pit Tee at $24.95

See the full IndyCar collection at Happy Hour Racing.