Latest news with #CraftsmanTruckSeries
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NASCAR announces race on U.S. Naval base in Coronado scheduled for 2026
NASCAR is returning to Southern California, only its cars will be racing on the streets of Coronado and not on an oval in Fontana. The stock car racing circuit announced Wednesday it will be hosting a three-day series of races June 19-21, ending in a NASCAR Cup Series race on the U.S. Naval base in Coronado. NASCAR did not race in Southern California last year for the first time since 1997, with the exception of 2021, when the schedule was hampered by the coronavirus pandemic. For much of that time, the races were held at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana but that track was torn down in 2023 to make room for a giant warehouse complex. NASCAR preserved part of the grandstand and had hoped to built a half-mile oval track on the site but that project has stalled and is unlikely to be revived. NASCAR also raced on a temporary quarter-mile oval on the floor of the Coliseum but that event has also been abandoned. Next summer's Coronado race, which came to fruition after years of careful negotiation, is the first NASCAR event to be run on an active military base, It is being timed to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy and will feature a race weekend including an Xfinity Series race and a Craftsman Truck Series event. Read more: NASCAR figuring out if building new track in Fontana is the 'right thing to do' NASCAR ran street course races in Chicago's Grant Park from 2023-25 but that event will not return in 2026, making the Coronado race the only street race on the schedule next year. 'NASCAR embodies the very best of the American spirit through speed, precision and an unyielding pursuit of excellence,' Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan said in a statement. '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. '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.' Naval Base Coronado, known as the West Coast Quarterdeck, is a consortium of nine Navy installations stretching from San Clemente Island, 50 miles off the coast of Long Beach, to the Mountain Warfare Training Facility 50 miles east of San Diego. 'Hosting one of America's premier motorsports events on this historic base reflects our partnership with the local community and our shared pride in the nation's heritage,' said captain Loren Jacobi, commanding officer of Naval Base Coronado. 'We are privileged to showcase the dedication of our sailors alongside NASCAR's finest as we celebrate our 250th anniversary.' Read more: NASCAR goes to the dogs: Why many drivers bring their dogs to every race The NASCAR San Diego logo features an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, which is recognized as only being flown by the U.S. Navy. The three stars in the logo signify land, sea, and air, which represents the Navy as the only branch of the military to operate in all three spaces. The arch represents the mission-style architecture found in San Diego. The stripes at the bottom of the logo represent the four largest United States Armed Force branches: Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Navy. Tickets for the 2026 NASCAR San Diego Weekend will go on-sale this fall. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Automotive
- Los Angeles Times
NASCAR announces race on U.S. Naval base in Coronado scheduled for 2026
NASCAR is returning to Southern California, only its cars will be racing on the streets of Coronado and not on an oval in Fontana. The stock car racing circuit announced Wednesday it will be hosting a three-day series of races June 19-21, ending in a NASCAR Cup Series race on the U.S. Naval base in Coronado. NASCAR did not race in Southern California last year for the first time since 1997, with the exception of 2021, when the schedule was hampered by the coronavirus pandemic. For much of that time, the races were held at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana but that track was torn down in 2023 to make room for a giant warehouse complex. NASCAR preserved part of the grandstand and had hoped to built a half-mile oval track on the site but that project has stalled and is unlikely to be revived. NASCAR also raced on a temporary quarter-mile oval on the floor of the Coliseum but that event has also been abandoned. Next summer's Coronado race, which came to fruition after years of careful negotiation, is the first NASCAR event to be run on an active military base, It is being timed to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy and will feature a race weekend including an Xfinity Series race and a Craftsman Truck Series event. NASCAR ran street course races in Chicago's Grant Park from 2023-25 but that event will not return in 2026, making the Coronado race the only street race on the schedule next year. 'NASCAR embodies the very best of the American spirit through speed, precision and an unyielding pursuit of excellence,' Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan said in a statement. '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. '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.' Naval Base Coronado, known as the West Coast Quarterdeck, is a consortium of nine Navy installations stretching from San Clemente Island, 50 miles off the coast of Long Beach, to the Mountain Warfare Training Facility 50 miles east of San Diego. 'Hosting one of America's premier motorsports events on this historic base reflects our partnership with the local community and our shared pride in the nation's heritage,' said captain Loren Jacobi, commanding officer of Naval Base Coronado. 'We are privileged to showcase the dedication of our sailors alongside NASCAR's finest as we celebrate our 250th anniversary.' The NASCAR San Diego logo features an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, which is recognized as only being flown by the U.S. Navy. The three stars in the logo signify land, sea, and air, which represents the Navy as the only branch of the military to operate in all three spaces. The arch represents the mission-style architecture found in San Diego. The stripes at the bottom of the logo represent the four largest United States Armed Force branches: Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Navy. Tickets for the 2026 NASCAR San Diego Weekend will go on-sale this fall.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying order for Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The NASCAR Xfinity Series heads to the heartland on Saturday for the Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (4:30 p.m. ET, The CW, IMS Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The CW App will air Xfinity Series qualifying at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday. QUALIFYING ORDER: Cup Series | Xfinity Series | Craftsman Truck Series The qualifying order below is determined via metric that combines the previous race finish by owner (70%) and current owner points position (30%). Saturday's qualifying session will be one lap and just one round. MORE: | # denotes series rookie(i) denotes ineligible for driver points Pos. Car No. Driver Metric Score Group 1 74 Dawson Cram 41.6 1 2 35 David Starr 40.7 1 3 53 Joey Gase 40.4 1 4 14 Garrett Smithley 35.3 1 5 28 Kyle Sieg 33.6 1 6 91 Josh Bilicki 33.4 1 7 07 Logan Bearden 31.8 1 8 71 Ryan Ellis 30.3 1 9 31 Blaine Perkins 30.2 1 10 45 Mason Massey 29.8 1 11 48 Nick Sanchez # 29.5 1 12 70 Leland Honeyman 29.3 1 13 32 Katherine Legge (i) 26.5 1 14 11 Josh Williams 25.2 1 15 51 Jeremy Clements 24.8 1 16 44 Brennan Poole 23.5 1 17 42 Anthony Alfredo 23.3 1 18 4 Parker Retzlaff 21.4 1 19 10 Daniel Dye # 20.1 1 20 8 Sammy Smith 19.2 2 21 27 Jeb Burton 17.9 2 22 17 Kyle Larson (i) 17.6 2 23 99 Matt DiBenedetto 17.3 2 24 26 Dean Thompson # 16.0 2 25 18 William Sawalich # 13.2 2 26 1 Carson Kvapil 12.6 2 27 16 Christian Eckes # 12.1 2 28 25 Harrison Burton 11.9 2 29 21 Austin Hill 10.3 2 30 41 Sam Mayer 9.3 2 31 39 Ryan Sieg 8.7 2 32 00 Sheldon Creed 8.3 2 33 54 Taylor Gray # 8.2 2 34 2 Jesse Love 5.0 2 35 19 Aric Almirola 4.4 2 36 20 Brandon Jones 3.9 2 37 7 Justin Allgaier 3.1 2 38 88 Connor Zilisch # 1.3 2
Fox Sports
2 hours ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
NASCAR Bringing Race To San Diego Naval Base In 2026
CORONADO, Calif. — NASCAR has landed on a unique way to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States Navy. It will race on a naval base. NASCAR Cup Series drivers will compete June 21, 2026 on a still-to-be-finalized course on Naval Base Coronado, capping a weekend that will include a Craftsman Truck Series race June 19 and an Xfinity Series race June 20. "This is another historic moment for our sport," NASCAR Executive Vice President Ben Kennedy said. The event outside of San Diego will be the first NASCAR points race in Southern California since 2023 and replaces the Chicago Street Race on the 2026 schedule, albeit not on the July 4 weekend. The idea of racing on a military base has been floated the last few years in NASCAR schedule discussions and was an idea that Kennedy said "felt like just such a natural opportunity for us to explore." "We've talked to a handful of military bases," Kennedy said. "This one was a really good fit for us. ... .We felt like it was a good opportunity for us to get back to Southern California market and re-engage our fans." The course will be roughly three miles and will utilize the tarmac and the apron areas of the runways but likely not the runways themselves, said Kennedy, who oversees NASCAR's scheduling and new events. The course will be designed to also limit disruptions of base operations. Kennedy said NASCAR expects "tens of thousands" of fans to be able to attend the event. NASCAR will have a general admission ticket that would allow people to roam to various temporary grandstands as well as to visit military displays. There also will be temporary suites erected for the event. NASCAR is partnering with Sports San Diego for promotion of the event, which for now is a one-year deal. "We'd love to kick it off and be at Naval Base Coronado for a number of years, but this could also be an opportunity for us to move it to other military installations across the country, too," Kennedy said. The announcement of the San Diego race adds another element into the still-evolving 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule. The race will be the 17th event of the Cup schedule (the last race televised by Prime), meaning that NASCAR has 20 weekends available for the final 19 races (the season finale already has been announced as Nov. 8 at Homestead-Miami Speedway). Where that off-weekend will come and the rest of the schedule — other than the preseason Clash Feb. 1 at Bowman Gray Stadium and season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 15 — is still to be finalized. Could that off-weekend be the July 4 weekend? NASCAR has traditionally raced on that weekend, including at Daytona for decades until 2020 when NASCAR moved the Daytona race to the regular-season finale in August. "More than likely, we'll have an event on that weekend, not sure exactly where it's going to land yet, but it is an important part of our schedule," Kennedy said about a race around the July 4 holiday. Whether there could be additional new venues on the 2026 schedule is also still to be determined. Since NASCAR won't race the streets of Chicago, there is some movement to race at the Chicagoland Speedway in somewhat nearby Joliet. NASCAR announced last week that it would engage in talks with Chicago politicians to return the street race in 2027 on a date other than around July 4. "It's a tremendous market for us to be in," Kennedy said about Chicago. "We're bullish about getting it back on the schedule in 2027 and beyond." If NASCAR does add Chicagoland back until it returns to the Chicago streets, where that race would come from is still to be determined. NASCAR is still in negotiations to return to Mexico City next year, with a preference for a spring date around the likely Easter off-weekend and well before the World Cup. Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass. recommended Item 1 of 2 Get more from the NASCAR Cup Series Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
NBC Sports
2 hours ago
- Automotive
- NBC Sports
NASCAR to race in San Diego in 2026: Here's what to know
NASCAR will race on a military base next season when it holds a road course event at Naval Base Coronado, located across the bay from San Diego. NASCAR will put on 'what is going to be, undoubtedly the most anticipated event of 2026 — and I'm bullish on it being the best sporting event of the year,' said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR executive vice president, chief venue & racing innovation officer. The Cup Series will be joined by the Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series on Father's Day weekend next June. Here are the details for the event: When are the races? The Craftsman Truck Series will race Friday, June 19 on Fox Sports The Xfinity Series will race Saturday, June 20 on The CW Network The Cup Series will race Sunday, June 21 on Amazon Prime. Where are the races held? Naval Base Cornando What is Naval Base Cornando? The base that is home to 17 squadrons, three aircraft carriers, four SEAL Teams, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command squadrons, and other air, surface and subsurface commands. Among the notable commands at Naval Base Coronado are Commander Naval Air Forces, Naval Surface Force Pacific, Commander Naval Special Warfare, and the Fleet Readiness Center Southwest. What is the race course? That will be announced sometime in the fall. Kennedy said the course would be 'in the ballpark of three miles.' The longest road course on the Cup circuit this season is Mexico City's Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez at 2.42 miles. Circuit of the Americas was 3.41 miles last year but shortened to 2.4 miles this year. The NASCAR Cup Series raced at Road America — which is 4.408 miles — in 2021 and 2022. The course will wind through streets on the naval base and also include the tarmac, Kennedy said. The course is being designed with the help of iRacing. That allows drivers to try the track virtually and provide feedback. '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. Why the naval base? Kennedy said that NASCAR considered a downtown course in San Diego and looked at other areas in Southern California. Kennedy said the idea to race on a military base first occurred with a member of the NASCAR team about three or four years ago. Kennedy said that NASCAR talked to 'a handful of military bases' about the concept but that Naval Base Coronado 'was a really good fit for us.' Kennedy noted that a military base is a good backdrop for a NASCAR event because 'a lot of our fans are either former, current or potential military members. It felt like just a natural opportunity for us to explore.' The event returns NASCAR to Southern California. NASCAR raced at California Speedway in Fontana — about 50 miles east of Los Angeles — from 1997-2020, skipping 2021 and returning in 2022 and 2023. That track was closed after 2023 and part of its land sold. A plan was to convert the 2-mile track to a short track but that has not been done. NASCAR held the Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum from 2022-24 but has not had a presence in Southern California since. How long is this deal? Kennedy said that 'as of now' it is a one-year partnership. That would allow NASCAR to return to the streets of Chicago in 2027 if it wanted only one street race a year. NASCAR recently announced it was putting a 'pause' on the Chicago Street Race for 2026 but was interested in returning in 2027. Or this event could lead to something else. 'We'd love to kick it off and be at Naval Base Coronado for a number of years,' Kennedy said, 'but this could also be an opportunity for us to move it to other military installations across the country, too. How many fans will be able to attend? Kennedy said that is still being determined and no announcement on that will be likely until the fall. Kennedy did say that 'we would expect tens of thousands of people. The great part about it is the base has penalty of space to use. … We'll have grandstands and suites and hospitality areas, but we'll also be selling more of a general admission ticket to which will probably have a lot of volume. So we would expect quite a few people to be attending this.'
