NASCAR's San Diego Street Race
San Diego Naval Base Coronado Hosts NASCAR Cup Series Weekend with New Street Race
Anonymous
NASCAR will race on an active U.S. military base for the first time in its 78-year history this weekend. The inaugural Anduril 250 takes place Sunday, June 21, at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, with the green flag dropping at 4:29 PM ET on Amazon Prime Video. NASCAR.com reports the 3.4-mile street circuit winds past active aircraft carriers and fighter jets, making it one of the longest and most unusual tracks in Cup Series history.
The weekend is tied to the U.S. Navy's 250th anniversary and carries a total Cup Series purse of $11,849,963, according to Jayski. Three days of racing — trucks on Friday, the O'Reilly Series on Saturday, and the Cup race on Sunday — are all broadcast on Prime Video.
Full Schedule: Every Race, Time, and Channel
Friday, June 19 kicks off with NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series practice at 12:00 PM ET on NASCAR.com. A rare Cup Series practice session — rare because street circuits demand extra prep time — follows at 5:00 PM ET on Prime Video. The **Navy 250** Truck Series race runs at 7:00 PM ET, per Jayski.
Saturday brings Cup Series qualifying at 2:30 PM ET on Prime Video. The **United Rentals Driven to Serve 250** O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race starts at 5:00 PM ET. Sunday's main event, the **Anduril 250**, broadcasts on Prime Video starting at 4:00 PM ET, with the green flag at 4:29 PM ET. The race runs 75 laps over 255 miles, with stage breaks at laps 20 and 40, according to Jayski.
A 3.4-Mile Circuit Built Around Active Naval Hardware
The track layout is 3.4 miles long with 16 to 19 turns, making it the fifth-longest circuit in Cup Series history, per NASCAR.com. Unlike a standard street race, the course runs through an active federal military installation. Drivers will pass F-35 Lightning II jets and docked aircraft carriers. After the race, the trophy will be presented on the flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson, per DVIDS.
Amy Lupo, president of the NASCAR San Diego project and a veteran of the Clash at the Coliseum, called it a unique challenge. "Temporary events is my entire career," she told NASCAR.com, "but this required unprecedented coordination between NASCAR's design team and the U.S. Navy. We had to plan, plan, and overplan for an active military environment."
Who to Watch: Van Gisbergen Favored, Hamlin on a Hot Streak
Shane van Gisbergen enters Sunday as the heavy betting favorite at -160 odds. His road and street course experience drives that number. Denny Hamlin, despite winning three straight races at Nashville, Michigan, and Pocono, is listed at +4500, per Fox Sports. Bookmakers believe oval dominance won't carry over to a tight, technical street layout.
The 39-car entry list includes three notable open entries: Jimmie Johnson in the #84, Formula 1 driver Kevin Magnussen in the #91, and Corey Heim in the #67, according to Jayski. Damian Jackson, a former Navy SEAL now working as a jackman for 23XI Racing, will serve as a liaison between the team and the Navy SEAL Foundation during the weekend.
Why NASCAR Chose San Diego — and What Comes Next
NASCAR lost its Southern California home when Auto Club Speedway in Fontana was demolished in 2023. The "Clash at the Coliseum" experiment ended in 2025. The San Diego street race fills that gap, keeping the sport in the nation's second-largest media market. The San Diego Tourism Authority estimates the event will inject over $100 million into the local economy — similar to the impact of the 2023 Chicago Street Race, per NASCAR.com.
Title sponsor Anduril Industries is a Southern California-based defense technology company. NASCAR's Craig Stimmel called the partnership a natural fit, saying Anduril "brings that same drive and forward-thinking mindset to our sport," per NASCAR.com. While the race is tied to a one-time anniversary, Wikipedia notes there is internal discussion about making the Naval Base Coronado circuit a permanent biennial event, alternating with the Chicago Street Race.
Sentiment
NeutralNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
Publishers
4
Articles
3
Reach
4
Topics
A
AnonymousAuthor
