The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series has marked a clear shift toward diverse racing terrain, with an impressive four road-course events added to the schedule. Beyond the traditional offerings at Watkins Glen and Sonoma, fans have witnessed thrilling races at COTA in Austin and Mexico City, each delivering strategy, teeming grandstands, and dramatic finishes that have redefined the modern NASCAR experience. Even the modified layout at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course continued to be a fixture, offering a unique blend of oval history with road course demands. But with the season almost nearing its end, plans and schedules for the 2026 season are underway, and fans have been getting new surprises every day.

While NASCAR’s road courses thrive, the three-year experiment in downtown Chicago has drawn to a close. NASCAR officially confirmed the Chicago Street Race will not return in 2026, citing concerns over logistical challenges, including summer heat and city residents’ complaints, as the race goes on pause pending a revamped plan for 2027.

The departure, however, has opened the door for fresh speculation and exciting possibilities, with whispers of a new, equally ambitious urban-style race emerging from the West Coast. Rumors swirled around on social media about NASCAR potentially planning to land in San Diego, replacing the Chicago event. Well, the fans weren’t wrong.

According to RACER’s Kelly Crandall, NASCAR will be heading to San Diego’s Coronado Naval Base in the summer of 2026, with an official announcement expected this Wednesday. The murmurs were fueled by early reports from outlets like The Athletic in June, which hinted that NASCAR was in talks with the city, followed by RACER confirming on July 8th that Coronado was the frontrunner, and later stating on July 17th that the announcement was imminent. It will also mark NASCAR’s first points-paying event in Southern California since 2023 at Fontana, as plans to convert the Auto Club Speedway into a short track remain incomplete.

While a points-paying Cup Series race at Coronado is a first, San Diego is not entirely new territory for motorsports. In 2014, the wild and unpredictable Stadium Super Trucks series, founded by racing legend Robby Gordon, held an event on Coronado. This high-flying spectacle, known for its trucks launching over ramps and navigating tight street courses, provided a taste of professional racing action in the unique environment of the naval base. Sheldon Creed, a current Xfinity Series driver, is notably the only competitor with prior racing experience on Coronado from the Stadium Super Trucks events.

The anticipation surrounding the event is reaching a fever pitch among racing enthusiasts, generating immense excitement for what promises to be one of the most talked-about events on the 2026 NASCAR calendar. The idea of incorporating parts of the airfield into the track layout, akin to the IndyCar St. Petersburg street course, has sparked imaginative discussion, while the sheer visual spectacle from vantage points like Cabrillo National Monument is expected to deliver breathtaking shots. Fans can’t get enough of the news, with plans already on the way to buy the tickets and watch the race.

Social media buzzes with wild takes and witty jabs

One fan wrote, “Gonna be so many Top Gun references.” San Diego’s Coronado Naval Base has been immortalized forever by the iconic Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick films, adding to the hype of the new NASCAR schedule for 2026. Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI), where much of Maverick’s aerial sequences were filmed, provides the perfect setting for a beachside race infused with cinematic history. One fan also jokingly added to the sentiment, replying, “Drivers playing shirtless volleyball? Singing karaoke in a bar?” taking the intrigue to a new level.

The Coronado Naval Base makes it a full-circle moment for fans, as one fan commented, “Nascar is back on the beach.” After all, stock car racing itself was born on the sands of Daytona Beach, where the original NASCAR Strictly Stock events ran along asphalt and beach in the late 1940s and early 50s. Though Daytona Beach and A1A road courses are long gone, the spirit of seaside racing lives on in Long Beach’s storied road course, host to IndyCar since 1984 and once floated as a potential destination for NASCAR. Now, San Diego’s schedule adds yet another exciting beachside course for NASCAR fans.

Meanwhile, in an electrifying nod to military spectacle, fans are already buzzing about the race, as one fan wrote, “Not only will we have a flyover, but we will have a sail by and a destroyer shooting off missiles or something! (This is about Air force flying planes during Anthem).” At Fleet Week’s Coronado Speed Festival in 2016, spectators marveled as race cars thundered down runways alongside F-18s and Seahawk helicopters swooping overhead. With NASCAR coming to the track, it is shaping up to be a multi-sensory celebration that brings the roar of stock car engines and the roar of jets and naval guns.

Some fans have been suggesting, “Can we have this on Fourth of July weekend, it couldn’t get more American.” The very idea of stock cars thundering through U.S. Navy Base on the nation’s birthday, coinciding with America’s 250th anniversary, would create an unparalleled patriotic event. NASCAR has a rich history with the Fourth of July, having held races on or around this date, most notably the Firecracker 400 at Daytona. This new venue will make it a truly immersive experience that would resonate deeply with both fans and the broader public.

Finally, the view will be unforgettable for fans, with one fan already imagining, “The backdrop of the bay and ocean will be cool.” Unlike traditional ovals or even most road courses, the temporary track at Coronado will offer panoramic views of the glistening San Diego Bay on one side and the expansive Pacific Ocean on the other. The visual appeal is reminiscent of other races where unique backdrops enhance the experience, though Coronado’s naval setting, with potential glimpses of warships and aircraft. As visitors to nearby Cabrillo National Monument can attest, the tourist points from the Point Lona peninsula offer stunning vistas of Coronado Island.

This strategic decision not only expands the sport’s geographical footprint but also promises an unforgettable blend of spectacle and patriotic grandeur on a truly unique stage. And who knows, this might just steal the spot of the fan favorite road course venue from Chicago.