Keelan Harvick, left, and his father former NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick, right, race in the 13th annual Masters of the Pros 200 race on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, at the Owosso Speedway.
San Diego, California – San Diego is officially joining the NASCAR map — and it’s doing so in spectacular fashion.
On Tuesday, NASCAR unveiled new details for its first-ever race weekend in San Diego, set to take place Father’s Day Weekend 2026 at Naval Base Coronado. The event will feature all three premier national series — the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series — as part of a historic, military-themed celebration that’s already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated events on the 2026 calendar.
And if the early details are any indication, this won’t be just another street race.
The newly revealed 3.4-mile street circuit, the longest on the 2026 NASCAR schedule, will wind through the base with 16 corners combining high-speed straights, technical turns, and sweeping views of San Diego Bay and the city skyline.
“It’s so exciting to finally share the street course layout and provide this first look for our long-time and new fans,” said Amy Lupo, president of NASCAR San Diego. “Anticipation for this event is already high, and we know this course layout will raise that level of excitement even higher. We can’t wait to see how the best drivers in the world meet this challenge while celebrating America’s Navy.”
The race — officially dubbed the NASCAR Cup Series Anduril 250: Race the Base — will take place Sunday, June 21, 2026, with a weekend lineup that begins Friday, June 19, during Navy Community Day. That day will be open exclusively to members of the U.S. Navy stationed at Coronado and a select number of Coronado residents, culminating with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event. The following two days will open to the public, featuring the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series on June 20 and the Cup Series finale on June 21.
Tickets will be available for pre-sale beginning October 23, with public sales starting November 7.
Beyond the racing, the event carries major symbolic weight. Hosted on one of the world’s foremost naval installations, the race will double as a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy, complete with tributes, exhibits, and military flyovers.
The course itself will pay homage to naval history. The Ellyson Start-Finish Line — named after Commander Theodore Ellyson, the Navy’s first aviator — kicks off the lap. Drivers will make a quick right-hander before tackling a pair of 90-degree left turns that line up with San Diego Bay.
Other highlights include Carrier Corner (Turn 5), a tight left-hander framed by two active aircraft carriers; the Coronado Chicane (Turn 8), a challenging midsection expected to test braking and precision; and Runway Road (Turn 14), which sits near the north end of Runway 18/36 at Halsey Field, giving drivers a runway-level perspective of naval aviation.
For fans, grandstands and hospitality suites will be spread throughout the 3.4-mile layout, offering one-of-a-kind views of both the action and the base’s military backdrop.
The combination of world-class racing, naval history, and San Diego’s coastal scenery has already made the event one of the most talked-about additions to NASCAR’s 2026 schedule.
For one weekend next summer, the roar of stock cars will echo across San Diego Bay — and fans will witness something that’s never been done before: NASCAR racing at the birthplace of naval aviation.
