A NASCAR Cup Series auto race is coming to southwestern Illinois in 2022! The 1.25 mile World Wide Technology Raceway will be in Madison Sunday, June, 5 2022.

NASCAR events have been staged at the track, but this will be the track’s first race in NASCAR’s top division. From 1997-2010, the Xfinity Series ran 15 races at the track. In addition, the Camping World Truck Series competed there from 1998-2010 and from 2014 to present day.

Curtis Francois, owner of World Wide Technology Raceway, has worked to rebuild the track and expand its racing schedule since he purchased the facility nearly ten years ago.

Visit World Wide Technology Raceway’s website to see upcoming events.

At the early onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a team at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign immediately began to work on a solution to keep the campus open while keeping students safe and healthy. Quickly, a simple saliva COVID-19 test was created that is now not only being used by students on campus, but organizations across the state.

With the spread of COVID-19 being primarily by droplets from the nose and mouth, scientists decided analyzing saliva seemed logical. At the time of the initial creation of the saliva test, many other tests weren’t publishing results for days. However, the U of I saliva test shows results in mere hours because, the contents are subjected to a molecular chain reaction test to show the presence of COVID-19.

Read more ...

Southern Illinois University Carbondale has stopped their downward trend in enrollment by bringing in their largest freshman class in five years. This fall, 1,422 Salukis are starting their college career, bringing an increase of 4.5% from previous years.

“Our faculty, staff, students and alums have gone above and beyond to change the downward trajectory of the declines we have experienced since 2016,” said SIU Carbondale Chancellor Austin Lane. “I want to personally thank each of them for rallying around enrollment and working tirelessly to show the unique opportunities future Salukis have. Today’s news is the result of all that effort.”

Read more ...

One of the most plate-filling sandwiches, the horseshoe, originated in Illinois’ capitol city! The horseshoe features toast on the bottom, a layer of juicy meats, piled with french fries and Springfield’s specialty cheese sauce on top. 

The tasty meal was created by the Leland Hotel’s head chef Joe Schweska in the 1920s. The idea began when Schweska was in need of a new lunch item. His wife Elizabeth had seen a recipe that incorporated a cheese sauce and suggested using it on top of an open-faced sandwich. Schweska knew he had to develop his own sauce recipe using a sharp white cheddar.

The horseshoe is a staple at many Springfield restaurants. Over the years, other cities throughout the state have mimicked the savory meal.

There are a number of restaurants that are well-known for their horseshoe, including D’Arcy’s Pint, Dublin Pub, Westwoods Lodge and Obed & Isaac’s.

For more information, visit EnjoyIllinois.com.