There’s something electric about those jets roaring overhead just before the green flag drops. It’s not just spectacle; it’s a powerful nod to service, sacrifice, and national pride. NASCAR has long intertwined its pageantry with military tributes; visitors to the Coca-Cola 600 often point out that the flyovers and helicopter drop-ins make the pre-race ritual stand out as more than “just another race day.”

The roots of the tradition go back to the sport’s early days. Bill France Jr. helped bring flyovers into NASCAR’s vernacular by arranging for Navy Blue Angels performances over the early Daytona Beach races in the 1950s, laying the foundation for what would become a near-weekend staple. Today, many Cup events still begin with jets, warplanes, or helicopters slicing across the sky in formation.

For the drivers, the moment gives them pause. Kyle Larson has said that the pre-race ceremonies for the Coca-Cola 600 are “really impactful” because they’re rooted in honoring those who’ve served, not just setting the stage for speed. Chase Briscoe added that helicopters landing, military steps on the grid, and flyovers “hover literally 50 feet above the car” bring a sense of scale and meaning you can’t replicate anywhere else.

That sense of awe was noticeably absent at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway South Point 400. There was no flyover today, except for a couple of helicopters, and fans quickly noticed. For fans used to seeing jets streak across the sky before the green flag, the moment felt incomplete, underscoring just how iconic and expected these pre-race flyovers have become in the NASCAR experience.

Fans on X wasted no time calling out the missing flyover, and the government shutdown blame flew fast.

Fan reactions

“Flyovers are training missions, and right now, no training missions are being done. Any flyover would have to be a private group such as the Bandits,” one user posted. Military flyovers are often training or demo runs, but with the October 1, 2025, shutdown halting non-essential ops, furloughs hit support roles hard.

Bases like Nellis Air Force, right behind LVMS, usually coordinate these, but funding lapses paused the logistics, leaving jets grounded.

“That was the explanation for there being no flyover at the Tennessee-Arkansas game yesterday,” another noted. Shutdowns have clipped flyovers at college games and events, with agencies suspending ceremonial support. The Tennessee-Arkansas case fits the pattern: non-essential flights get the axe, even if the jets are primed.

“The Air Force Base is literally behind the track; it wouldn’t cost much to do a simple flyover,” a fan argued. Nellis is practically next door, and past Vegas races featured A-10s, F-15Es, F-22s, and F-35s in formation. But “cost” isn’t just fuel; it’s approvals, FAA coordination, and personnel, all furloughed in a shutdown. A quick hop might seem easy, but the red tape stops it cold.

“They need to fly the Air Force stuff regardless. It doesn’t pay to park it up because that has a way of causing maintenance issues. If they don’t fly over here, they would fly over somewhere else,” one user said.

Idle aircraft need hours to stay sharp, but ceremonial flights fall under non-essential, so they’re paused. Redirecting to another event sounds logical, but command rules keep most grounded, leaving LVMS without its usual jet thunder.

“That’s unfortunate, Vegas usually has some of the best flyovers!” a fan lamented. LVMS has hosted epic formations, with multi-jet roars that amp the prerace hype. Missing it at a playoff opener stings, turning a ritual fans count on into a quiet letdown.