Something genuinely unprecedented is happening in San Diego this month: the first NASCAR Cup Series race ever held on a US military base. The NASCAR San Diego Weekend runs June 19-21 at Naval Base Coronado, with Friday practice and qualifying, a Xfinity Series race Saturday, and the Cup Series race Sunday. The temporary street circuit was designed specifically for this event on the base’s runways and taxiways — a first in the 75-year history of the sport.
What Makes This Event Unique
Naval Base Coronado is a massive installation that spans the Silver Strand and is home to the Navy SEALs’ main training facility. The fact that NASCAR negotiated access to active military land for a race weekend is remarkable in itself, and it’s generating significant buzz in the motorsports world.
The circuit layout — though not officially published at time of writing — uses the flat, wide taxiway roads that run the length of the naval air station’s flight line. Expect a surface unlike any other NASCAR venue: airport-grade concrete, minimal elevation change, and a course that will likely reward horsepower and top-end speed over traditional road-course handling.
This isn’t just a local story. We’d expect major network television coverage and a sold-out grandstand. If you’re in San Diego that weekend and motorsports interest you at any level, this is a bucket-list event.
Tickets and Access
Tickets are available through NASCAR’s official site and the event’s local ticketing partner. General Admission and grandstand options are both available; given the military base location, expect stricter security screening than a typical NASCAR event — allow extra time at the gates.
A note on logistics: Naval Base Coronado is accessed via the Silver Strand (Highway 75) from Coronado or via the North Island entrance from the Naval Air Station side. Public parking will be extremely limited around the base. The event organizers are running official shuttles from multiple San Diego mainland pickup points — we strongly recommend this over driving and attempting to park near the base.
Ferry service from the Broadway Pier in downtown San Diego to Coronado Ferry Landing is also running extended hours on race days. The ferry crossing is about 15 minutes and puts you within reasonable walking distance.
The Coronado Connection
Coronado will see enormous traffic this weekend. The Hotel del Coronado and most of the island’s hotels are likely fully booked. If you’re not staying on the island, base yourself downtown and use the shuttle or ferry.
The restaurants along Orange Avenue in Coronado’s village are a great pre-race lunch option on a quiet day, but expect multi-hour waits on race weekend. Book restaurants in advance or plan a hotel breakfast and dinner instead.
San Diego Logistics During Race Weekend
For visitors in town for the race weekend who are also exploring San Diego more broadly:
- Balboa Park and the Zoo will be operating normally — this is a good day-before activity if you’re arriving Friday
- The Gaslamp Quarter will be busy Friday and Saturday nights with race-adjacent crowds
- Traffic on SR-75 (Silver Strand) will be significantly backed up on race days — add 45-60 minutes to any travel estimate involving that route
- Hotel pricing downtown was elevated even before NASCAR announced this event — book ASAP if you haven’t already
We’ve been to several NASCAR road course events and can say this is the kind of event where the unique venue setting matters as much as the race itself. The backdrop of a working naval air station, with active military infrastructure as the race course, will be genuinely unlike anything else in the sport.