NASCAR is moving its street circuit from the streets of Chicago’s Grant Park to the roads and tarmacs of San Diego’s Naval Base Coronado for a never-before-seen type of NASCAR race.
Photo by NASCAR
Track Facts: NASCAR’s San Diego Street Circuit at Naval Base Coronado
When rumors first circulated that NASCAR could head to San Diego, race fans in Southern California pitched their location and ideas for the event. However, what NASCAR had in mind was something unlike any other, with the sport announcing on Jul. 23 that the race, scheduled for 2026, will be held at Naval Base Coronado.
Though this is not NASCAR‘s first venture in street racing, it is NASCAR’s first race at a venue of this type. The weekend will not only be a celebration of auto racing in Southern California but also mark the return of NASCAR to the market and celebrate the United States and the United States Navy, both of which will be celebrating their 250th birthdays in 2026.
Naval Base Coronado, technically in Coronado, California, will serve as the setting for one of the most unique and visually eye-catching events in NASCAR history. The base, known as “the Navy’s West Coast Quarterback,” has 17 squadrons, three aircraft carriers, and four Navy SEAL teams, among other valuable military assets.
Photo by NASCAR
While this event will have the normal pomp and circumstance of a NASCAR race weekend, its special nature goes far beyond that of just a unique race at a special, scenic venue.
Racing in Southern California has a rich history, with NASCAR traveling to tracks such as Ontario Motor Speedway, Riverside International Speedway, and Auto Club Speedway throughout its history. However, each of those tracks has seemingly met the same fate throughout time.
When NASCAR left the now mostly abandoned Auto Club Speedway in 2023, it marked the end of a long tradition of point races in both Northern and Southern California. At that time, NASCAR still had a preseason race at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 2024; however, that contract ended after that season.
Unfortunately, NASCAR would not return to the Southern California market in 2025. However, with its contract expiring with the city of Chicago, rumors swirled that NASCAR was considering San Diego as a temporary option to tap into the massive Southern California market once again. Now, that dream is a reality, and NASCAR is back in one of its western homes.
UPDATE: October 21: NASCAR Unveils Layout
The layout for the race at Naval Base Coronado will be 3.4 miles long and feature 16 turns. The layout, which primarily runs along the outer edge of the main base, features portions with aircraft carriers as the backdrop and a major section set on the base’s tarmac.
The current layout of the circuit is unknown, though it will be a roughly three-mile course using the base’s streets and some portions of the tarmac.
In the NASCAR announcement video, a track layout on a map of the base was shown. However, NASCAR officials have confirmed that this is not the official layout for the track and was made for the video’s promotional purposes.
In a press conference shortly after the announcement, Ben Kennedy, NASCAR EVP and Chief Venue and Racing Innovation Officer, said that they are working closely on the course design with NASCAR partner and sim racing firm, iRacing. While Kennedy said the layout is under development and will be unveiled later this fall, he did detail some visual and technical aspects of the circuit.
“We’re going to be weaving our way through the base, too. You’ll see a couple of carriers, F-18s on the tarmac. Some of the course will be set in stone a little bit as we’re making our way through the streets here on the base, then a lot of it is going to be a blank canvas. There will be a portion going out onto the tarmac, might have some long straightaways, more technical sessions.” — Ben Kennedy
The mention of long straightaways is reminiscent of the Chicago Street circuit, which featured several long portions of track laid out through Chicago’s Grant Park.
NASCAR has already confirmed that the San Diego Street Race will be the only street circuit on the 2026 NASCAR calendar.
It replaces Chicago’s Street Race, which took place from 2023 to 2025. Prior to the announcement of the San Diego Street Race, NASCAR confirmed that it will not return to Chicago in 2026, though it is attempting to return in 2027 or 2028. Though it is not exactly replacing Chicago’s Jul. 4 race weekend on the calendar, the street race in 2026 is scheduled for the weekend of June 19–21.
Furthermore, the San Diego street race is on a one-race contract, with Ben Kenndedy saying “Not sure what that looks like beyond ’26, whether it stays in San Diego or goes to other locations, but it’s something we’ve discussed.”
It may seem that a street race is no different from a normal road course race, but certain drivers will perform better than they normally do on road courses. Even though the race is a little under a year away, most fans already expect Shane van Gisbergen, who won two Xfinity Series and two Cup Series races at Chicago (four of the six races ever held on that circuit), to be the favorite to win.
Unlike NASCAR’s first street race, the Chicago Street race, the San Diego race will be a traditional triple-header weekend, with the Truck Series racing on June 19, Xfinity Series cars on June 20, and Cup Series racing on June 21.
The Truck Series will be broadcast on Fox Sports, and the Xfinity series will once again be on the CW. The CW is on a tremendous run of viewership in its first full season of NASCAR coverage, scoring an impressive 1.137 million viewers for the Chicago race. On the Cup Series side, the race will be the final race of Prime Video’s five-race coverage in 2026.
This year, Pocono Raceway held that race weekend, and it is unknown where Pocono will be on the 2026 schedule. But, it is noteworthy that Prime’s younger average age of the audience gives NASCAR a chance to bring street racing to the attention of a younger audience as a whole.
Moving this race date could also remove a road course from the 2026 NASCAR In-Season Challenge, as the Chicago Street race was part of the 2025 event. If NASCAR makes this change, it will likely be a popular one, as fans complained about the chaotic schedule of NASCAR‘s first-ever in-season tournament.
Tickets for the 2026 NASCAR San Diego Weekend will go on sale in the fall of 2025, and NASCAR expects enough room for “tens of thousands” of fans.
This article will be updated with new information about the 2026 San Diego Street Race as NASCAR announces more information.
Joe Gibbs Racing has added to its lawsuit filed against former Crew Chief and Competition Director Chris Gabehart, filing to add Spire as a co-defendant, and to prevent Gabehart from continuing his work at Spire.
JGR initiated this lawsuit on February 19, alleging Gabehart, a long-time Crew Chief, most recently for Denny Hamlin, and the team’s now former Competition Director, “embarked on a brazen scheme to steal JGR’s most sensitive information and use it for the benefit of a direct competitor in NASCAR.”
That direct competitor, Spire Motorsports, which currently employs Gabehart as their Chief Motorsports Officer, is now a co-defendant in this lawsuit, via an amended complaint filed Tuesday.
Per the latest filing from JGR, which employed Gabehart as Competition Director last season, is asking the court for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction with seven key requests.
Key to these requests is that Gabehardt cease providing Spire with “services for Spire similar to those he provided to JGR” for 18 months following his February 9 formal termination from JGR.
JGR also requested that Spire stop accepting Gabehart’s work as per the noncompete obligation of his termination.
The filing also has several requests regarding the team information Gabehart allegedly retained from JGR.
These include Gabehart returning this information alongside the devices that store this information and “cease and desist from retaining, transferring, using or copying any Confidential Information and Trade Secrets.”
From JGR’s filing:
c. Gabehart immediately cease and desist from retaining, transferring, using or copying any Confidential Information and Trade Secrets
d. Gabehart return any Confidential Information and Trade Secrets in his possession to JGR;
e. Gabehart transfer to the custody of JGR’s counsel any device used to store the Confidential Information and Trade Secrets and, through an agreed upon Court ordered process, allow the forensic preservation and review of these devices for identification of Confidential Information and Trade Secrets, the return of any identified Confidential Information and Trade Secrets to JGR, and the removal of any identified Confidential Information and Trade Secrets from the devices;
f. Gabehart cease and desist from using or disclosing JGR’s Confidential Information and Trade Secrets to third parties;
As of press time, Gabehart has commented on the lawsuit in a post to X on February 20, where he claimed a third-party investigator “examined my laptop, cell phone and personal Google Drive and found no evidence to support the baseless allegations in JGR’s lawsuit.”
What’s Happening? Joe Gibbs Racing has filed a lawsuit against former competition director Chris Gabehart, alleging he took confidential team information…
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The NASCAR rumor mill is heating up as a new rumor suggests that a former series champion and an active NASCAR Cup Series driver could be in line to drive for Legacy Motor Club in 2027.
What’s Happening? NASCAR drivers, much like any athletes, have a period of free agency and multi-million dollar contracts. Based on information…
The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season is well underway, while teams and drivers are still settling into their new lineups and seats, others are already prepping for next season.
Most expect the 2027 NASCAR Silly Season to be one of the wildest in years, with many major names on contract seasons, and top seats looking for new drivers.
One story that will likely carry through the 2026 season, and into the offseason, is Legacy Motor Club, which is expanding to three full-time cars in 2027 via the acquisition of a charter from Rick Ware Racing, which is currently leased to RFK Racing for their No. 60 entry.
While many storylines could stem from this transaction, one that is already playing out is LMC’s driver search, as the team looks to add a new face to their roster alongside drivers John Hunter Nemechek and Erik Jones.
Though we are nearly a year away from what would be the first race for this third car, per recent rumors, a few names are already emerging as top candidates.
What’s Happening? NASCAR Hall of Famer and Seven-Time Champion Jimmie Johnson’s Legacy Motor Club is suing Rick Ware Racing over a…
Monday afternoon, a post from a well-known NASCAR rumor account made the rounds on social media, naming two drivers as possible options for LMC.
In their post, the user claimed that 23XI Racing’s Riley Herbst and Richard Childress Racing prospect Jesse Love were “early contenders” for the ride.
Of course, this is just a rumor, and even if they are possible candidates, things can change. However, both of these options come with their own storylines and questions.
The first thing that likely comes to mind when hearing this rumor is that both of these drivers would have to depart their current spots, something that most have suspected will happen by next season.
For Herbst, he is facing the impending promotion of top NASCAR prospect Corey Heim to full-time competition.
This year, Heim, the reigning NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion, is racing part-time with 23XI Racing, with almost every rumor and blurb suggesting next year will be his first full-time season in NASCAR’s highest level.
While 2026 Daytona 500 Champion Tyler Reddick is reportedly on a contract season, most see Herbst as the clear weak link at 23XI, though, in the somewhat unlikely event Reddick were to jump ship, there could be a world where a spot opens for Heim without affecting Herbst.
Regarding Love, the reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion is in his third full-time year with RCR in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and, for some time now, has been rumored to be looking for a promotion, beyond his part-time Cup Series schedule.
This is not the first time Love and LMC have been tied together in the rumor mill, as in June 2025, when LMC was in the midst of a lawsuit to get their third charter by this season (something that never came to be), a report from Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports suggested there could be interest in Love as that third driver at LMC.
As of right now, Love has yet to score a full-time Cup Series ride. But there is a chance a slot opens in-house as RCR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch is on a contract year, a situation that could leave Love with a difficult decision between staying in a familiar spot or returning ot the Toyota camp.
But the biggest decision could come down to RCR, which, in the event Busch excels this year, could face deciding between a NASCAR legend and keeping their best prospect in some time.
Nonetheless, all of this is hypothetical, as the gears are just now turning on what could be a NASCAR Cup Series Silly Season for the ages.
What’s Happening? Some recent developments in NASCAR Silly Season rumors and reports have some NASCAR fans wondering if Spire Motorsports could…
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Denny Hamlin fires off on Carson Hocevar, Sheldon Creed finally gets his long-awaited breakthrough, and 13-year-old Keelan Harvick makes a massive career move. From sharp words on a podcast to a feel-good victory and a headline-grabbing development deal, this episode covers three very different stories that could all have long-term ripple effects.
There’s controversy, redemption, and a glimpse at the next generation all wrapped into one packed show. Some reputations are being tested, others are being rebuilt, and one young driver may have just taken the first major step toward the Cup Series.
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