Shane van Gisbergen Secures Pole for Inaugural Anduril 250 at San Diegos Naval Base

On Saturday, June 20, 2026, Shane van Gisbergen earned the pole position for the first NASCAR Cup Series race on a street circuit, the Anduril 250, held on the 3.4‑mile course at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego. The New Zealand driver, piloting the No. 97 Red Bull Chevrolet Camaro for Trackhouse Racing, posted a lap time of 2:14.788, beating Carson Hocevar by 0.0156 seconds.

Van Gisbergen’s lap was a high‑speed test of the new layout. He touched the wall twice, an indication of how close the track is to the limits. After the run, he said, “A little bit (surprised). I thought the track would be better, and I thought people would execute a bit better. As I said, it's just so difficult. There's three or four corners you're seeing for the first time of the day, and it's on your heater. Amazing. The Red Bull Chevy is really good. Thank you to Trackhouse for doing a great job from yesterday, and we just need to get the driver a bit better.”

The qualifying session was run in groups, with the first group starting at 2:30 p.m. ET. Van Gisbergen was the first driver to set a time, and his performance set the tone for the field.

Ryan Blaney qualified third, posting a lap just 0.260 seconds slower than van Gisbergen. Blaney was a little quicker for most of his run but lost time in the final set of corners. Zane Smith and Todd Gilliland rounded out the top five, with Smith fourth and Gilliland fifth. The top ten was completed by Daniel Suarez, Ryan Preece, Connor Zilisch, Michael McDowell, and Austin Hill.

The field included several high‑profile names. Kevin Magnussen, making his NASCAR Cup debut, qualified 21st. Championship leader Tyler Reddick spun out during his run but still finished 17th, 19 points behind Denny Hamlin, who started 26th. William Byron was 27th, Chase Elliott 30th, and injured Christopher Bell was 37th with Brent Crews on standby.

Jimmie Johnson was the first driver to set a time in the session. He used the runoff area in Turn 2 to avoid an incident, highlighting the track’s narrow layout. Erik Jones also clipped the wall at the exit of Turn 16, but no red flags were issued.

The Anduril 250 is the first Cup Series race on a street circuit in NASCAR history, a milestone for the sport and for San Diego. The 3.4‑mile course was built on the Naval Air Station North Island, a former military base that has been converted into a racing venue. The event is sponsored by Anduril Industries, a defense technology company headquartered in the region.

Trackhouse Racing, the team behind van Gisbergen’s pole, has been a rising force in the Cup Series. The team’s No. 97 car has been competitive throughout the 2026 season, and the pole is a sign of the partnership’s growing success.

The qualifying results also show the diversity of manufacturers in the field. The top ten included Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota entries, with the No. 97 Chevrolet leading the pack. The field’s composition reflects the broader competitive landscape of the Cup Series, where teams from multiple manufacturers vie for points and playoff positions.

The race itself will take place on Sunday, June 21, 2026, and will be the 17th race of the 2026 season. The event will test drivers’ skill on a street circuit, a format that has proven popular in other motorsport disciplines.

In summary, Shane van Gisbergen’s pole position marks a historic moment for NASCAR and for San Diego. The qualifying session highlighted the challenges of the new street circuit, the competitiveness of the field, and the growing presence of international drivers in the Cup Series.

The race will bring a new type of racing to California’s coastal city, and the results of the qualifying session set the stage for a potentially exciting weekend of competition on the Naval Base Coronado street course.