NASCAR is gearing up for a return to Southern California, with NASCAR confirming that San Diego will host NASCAR in 2026.
The event will take place at Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado, marking the first time the city has ever welcomed NASCAR’s premier series and the first ever event on an active military base, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States Navy.
“NASCAR embodies the very best of the American spirit through speed, precision and an unyielding pursuit of excellence. Hosting a race aboard Naval Air Station North Island, the birthplace of naval aviation, it’s not just a historic first, it’s a powerful tribute to the values we share: grit, teamwork and love of country,” said Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan.
“From the flight deck to the finish line, this collaboration reflects the operational intensity and unity of purpose that define both the United States Navy and NASCAR. We’re proud to open our gates to the American people, honor those who wear the uniform, and inspire the next generation to step forward and serve something greater than themselves.”
All three of NASCAR’s top series will race at the Coronado track, with the Truck Series kicking off the weekend on Friday, June 19, followed by the Xfinity Series on Saturday, June 20, and the premier Cup Series wrapping things up on Sunday, June 21 (local time).
The location promises to deliver a spectacular setting, featuring panoramic views of San Diego Bay, the Coronado Bridge, Point Loma, and the downtown skyline.
This new event will replace the Chicago Street Race on the 2026 calendar. NASCAR has announced that the Chicago race will “hit pause in 2026 to afford us the time necessary to work collaboratively with the City of Chicago to explore a new potential date, with a goal to return to the streets of Chicago in 2027.”
The agreement to hold the San Diego street race is a one-year deal, NASCAR confirmed Wednesday.
The Chicago event became a fan favourite after its dramatic debut in 2023, where New Zealand’s Shane van Gisbergen made headlines by winning the inaugural race in his Cup Series debut, something no driver had done since Johnny Rutherford 60 years earlier.
Driving for Trackhouse Racing’s Project 91, van Gisbergen made a bold charge through the field to secure a historic victory.
Since then, the Kiwi star has continued his dominance on street and road courses, claiming wins in the inaugural NASCAR event in Mexico earlier this year, and repeating success in Chicago (in both Xfinity and Cup Series) and at Sonoma.
NASCAR Executive Vice President Kennedy stated that the official layout for the San Diego street course will be revealed sometime this fall.
The track is anticipated to span approximately three miles, which would make it the longest road course on the current NASCAR schedule, surpassing the 2.42-mile Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City, which holds that distinction in 2025.
According to Kennedy, the course will weave through streets on the naval base and incorporate sections of the tarmac.
“It’ll be a blend of traditional kind of street racing … where we’ll be wind through some of the streets on the base, we’ll be going past (aircraft) carriers and eventually go out onto the tarmac, probably by some military aircraft, maybe a couple of F-18s out here and then back toward the entrance of the base,” Kennedy said.
Van Gisbergen would no doubt enter the event as a favourite.
The San Diego race will be the first NASCAR points-paying event in Southern California since the closure of Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, which last hosted in 2023.
While NASCAR has recently competed in Southern California through exhibition events at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, San Diego offers a new and untapped market for the sport.
Although San Diego has never previously hosted a NASCAR race, the region has a legacy in stock car racing. Riverside International Raceway, located about 90 minutes away, was a mainstay on the NASCAR calendar until 1988.
That track closed shortly after Rusty Wallace won the final Budweiser 400 there. With Auto Club Speedway’s future uncertain and the West Coast left without a permanent race, San Diego presents a timely opportunity.
The open space and scenic surroundings of the naval base make it an ideal location for a custom-designed road course, and the potential economic impact on the city is expected to be substantial.
An official announcement from NASCAR was posted this morning, as NASCAR continues to evolve its schedule and expand its fan base on the West Coast.
