NASCAR is taking a trip across the entire country towards Naval Base Coronado for an all-new race on the 2026 schedule. The 17th round of the Cup Series season will take place around a massive, temporary street course existing entirely within an active military base.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the first-ever running of the Anduril 250 at Qualcomm Circuit on the historic Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, California:
Naval Base Coronado Qualcomm Circuit Track Specs
Track Length: 3.4 miles (5.472 km)
Turns: 19, including new chicane put in place just before final corner
Expected laptime: Between 2mins 10s and 2min 15s
Take a Virtual Tour Around the Naval Base Coronado Course
Watch: iRacing presents first look at Naval Base Coronado course
What Makes This Event and Circuit Unique
San Diego track construction
Photo by: Orlando Ramirez Getty Images
NASCAR has never competed at an active military base before, but that is just scratching the surface when considering what makes the Anduril 250 and its support races so unique, even among other ambitious street course events in the sport’s recent past.
Teams are requesting more spotters than we’ve ever seen before, and there are going to be at least three dozen corner workers due to so many intricate sections and blind-spots around the track.
“It’s very much going to be a survival race,” said Brad Keselowski after touring the layout. “Really challenging for the drivers.”
The track is extremely rough in several sections with bumps that are going to keep these cars right on the edge of disaster, and could even lead to flat tires and rear diffuser damage if the drivers aren’t careful. They will have to cross railroad tracks during the lap and at one point, will be just feet away from San Diego Bay in another.
And depending on what corner you’re looking at, it’s not unreasonable to think that it’s two completely different circuits with how much it varies throughout the lap. While some sections are incredibly wide, other parts barely allow two cars to move through side-by-side. It’s also far faster than a traditional street course, with lots of flowing, sweeping S-corners.
Answering Common Questions About San Diego Race
San Diego
Is this an exhibition race?
This is not an exhibition race, like the pre-season Clash or the All-Star Race in May. It is a points-paying race that counts towards the championship. It will have three stages and award the same amount of points as any other traditional race on the schedule.
Will it return in 2027?
The 2027 schedule has not yet been confirmed, but the prevailing belief is that this is a one-year deal, and NASCAR is considering a return to the Chicago Street Course for 2027. Series officials have previously indicated a desire to create new temporary street course events every year, visiting different cities and expanding the sport’s reach by focusing on new markets.
Which divisions are racing this weekend?
All three national divisions are racing this weekend, beginning with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series on Friday, the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series on Saturday, and the NASCAR Cup Series on Sunday.
Can drivers run multiple races?
Full-time drivers cannot run multiple races in San Diego due to it being seen as an unfair advantage with this being an new course for all drivers. However, part-time drivers (like Jimmie Johnson) can enter multiple races. One exception is Austin Hill due to the unique circumstances, as he is filling the second RCR Cup entry following the tragic passing of Kyle Busch.
Can fans attend?
Absolutely! However, there is a different policy for Friday, putting military members and their families first, but there are still a limited number of seats open to the public for that day as well. Of course, camping is kind of out of the question, for obvious reasons…
Full San Diego Weekend Schedule
Friday, June 19
12pm EST — NASCAR Truck practice #1 — N/A
1pm EST — NASCAR Truck practice #2 — N/A
2pm EST — NASCAR Truck qualifying — FOX SPORTS 2
3:30pm EST- NASCAR O’Reilly practice #1 — CW APP
5pm EST — NASCAR Cup practice #1 — PRIME VIDEO
7pm EST — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race — FOX SPORTS 1
Saturday, June 20
1pm EST — NASCAR O’Reilly qualifying — CW APP
2:30pm EST — NASCAR Cup qualifying — PRIME VIDEO
5pm EST — NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race — THE CW NETWORK
Sunday, June 21
4pm EST — NASCAR Cup Series race — PRIME VIDEO
Important Story Lines to Follow
Kevin Magnussen in the Paddock
Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Kevin Magnussen makes NASCAR Cup debut with Project 91
Trackhouse is bringing Project 91 back, running a fourth entry at Naval Base Coronado. Magnussen joins Helio Castroneves, Kimi Raikkonen, and Shane van Gisbergen as drivers of the Project 91 entry. The ex-F1 driver is also following in the footsteps of his father, Jan, who made a single Cup start at Sonoma during the 2010 season. The Dane has never raced in any level of NASCAR before this, so it will be quite the challenge for the highly experienced racer.
Jimmie Johnson returns for double duty in special home race
California native and 7x NASCAR Cup champion Jimmie Johnson has started 701 Cup races in his career, but San Diego is so close to home for the NASCAR Hall of Famer and Legacy Motor Club co-owner, so he just couldn’t miss it. He will drive a third entry for the LMC team in Sunday’s Cup race, and will also compete in Friday’s Truck race with Tricon Garage. Johnson plans for the 2027 Daytona 500 to be his final Cup race.
Can Reddick hold onto championship lead against surging Hamlin?
In just four races, Denny Hamlin has erased much of Tyler Reddick’s once-massive championship lead, tearing it down from 129 points to just 19 points after his third consecutive win of the 2026 season at Pocono. Street/road courses are a weakness for Hamlin, but there’s still the very real possibility we could see the first change atop the standings this entire season. Certainly something to keep an eye on!
Will Shane van Gisbergen street/road course dominance continue?
SVG has won six of the last seven road/street course races, finishing P2 in the only race he failed to conquer. Being a brand-new course, most drivers believe the already-dominant Kiwi is going to be unstoppable around the 3.4-mile course in San Diego. It’s also critical that he does well, as the No. 97 is just barely inside the Chase field at the moment, and needs to build a buffer at these tracks where he can be victorious while still learning ovals.
How will Bell manage with fractured left wrist?
At Michigan, a 63G impact left Christopher Bell with a fractured left wrist, but he raced on at Pocono despite the discomfort. It was difficult, but he managed. However, San Diego will be an entirely different story, and the challenge for the JGR driver — who currently sits tenth in points — cannot be understated. The team did have Brandon Jones on standby as a possible relief driver at Pocono, and will likely do so again this weekend … just in case.
The final Cup race on Prime Video
San Diego also serves as the finale of Prime Video’s five-week stretch broadcasting NASCAR Cup races. After San Diego, TNT takes over four the rest of the summer, featuring the $1 million-to-win in-season tournament.
Who Are The Top Five Drivers to Watch?
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing
Photo by: Chris Graythen – Getty Images
Shane van Gisbergen: The clear favorite. SVG is rewriting the record books with seven Cup wins since winning on debut in 2023, all on road/street courses. Those victories include the Chicago Street Course, Watkins Glen, Sonoma, the Charlotte Roval, and Mexico City. He has finished no worse than sixth on any of these tracks since going full-time in Cup at the start of the 2025 season.
Connor Zilisch: SVG’s rookie teammate, and a driver who is currently suffering through a nightmarish rookie season. But the rising star is extremely capable on road and street courses, and has beaten SVG head-to-head in multiple NASCAR O’Reilly races. He showed flashes of speed at COTA and Watkins Glen earlier this year, but misfortune prevented him from securing a result that reflected his true pace.
Tyler Reddick: The only driver to beat SVG in the recent past, and a very capable road racer with two wins at COTA, another at Road America, and a fourth at the Indianapolis RC. Reddick is desperate to build back up his points lead, and knows this is the perfect opportunity to push back against Hamlin, so expect the No. 45 near the front.
Ty Gibbs: The JGR driver finally reached Victory Lane for the first time in Cup earlier this year at Bristol, but he has been very close to winning multiple road course races in the past as well. He even won on debut in the NASCAR O’Reilly Series at the Daytona Road Course. In Cup, nearly a third of his total career top fives have been on road courses, and he was in contention for the win earlier this year at both Watkins Glen and COTA.
Michael McDowell: The only Spire driver yet to reach Victory Lane this year, and he finished second to SVG in the most recent road course race at Watkins Glen. He also has a Cup win at the Indianapolis RC. McDowell finished inside the top five in four of the last five road course races, and is one of the most experienced road racers in the entire field.
