Shane van Gisbergen Secures Pole for NASCARs First Race at Naval Base Coronado

Shane van Gisbergen vaulted to the front of the grid, claiming the pole position for the NASCAR Cup Series’ debut at Naval Base Coronado on June 20 2026. The 3.4‑mile, 16‑turn Qualcomm Circuit on Naval Air Station North Island saw the New Zealand driver clock a qualifying speed of 90.809 mph—his sixth career Cup Series pole.

The Anduril 250, the 17th race of the 2026 season, will take place Sunday, June 21, 2026. It is the first Cup Series event scheduled on an active U.S. military installation, and it forms part of a three‑day weekend that also hosts the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. The event celebrates the United States’ 250th anniversary.

Van Gisbergen, who has won the last four road‑course races from the pole, described the qualifying lap as “amazing to get the first pole here (at San Diego). It’s tough, I’ve said it a couple of times. It’s your first lap of the day, and there’s three, four, five corners you’re probably going through for the first time of the day as your qualifying lap starts.” He added that his car felt stronger on the day than in the previous practice session.

Carson Hocevar of Spire Motorsports took the second spot in the No. 77 Chevrolet, completing a front‑row sweep that marks Chevrolet’s third front‑row grid sweep of the season. The second row featured Ryan Blaney (Team Penske, No. 12 Ford) and Zane Smith (Front Row Motorsports, No. 33 Ford), while Todd Gilliland (Front Row, No. 33) and Daniel Suárez (Spire, No. 77) lined up in the third row. Ryan Preece (Roush Fenway Racing, No. 6) and Connor Zilisch (Trackhouse Racing, No. 97) began the race from seventh and eighth.

The qualifying field also included Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing, No. 45 Toyota), who spun on his second lap and finished 17th, and Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 11 Toyota), who qualified 25th. Christopher Bell (JGR, No. 11 Toyota) was 37th, nursing a broken wrist from a recent Michigan accident; he said the weekend would be a “game‑time decision” on whether he would start the race.

Hendrick Motorsports, the leader in road‑course statistics for the past 15 races, had Kyle Larson (JGR, No. 5) qualify 14th. Former Formula One driver Kevin Magnussen, racing in his NASCAR debut for Trackhouse’s Project 91, qualified 21st. Veteran Jimmie Johnson (Legacy Motor Club, No. 84 Toyota) started 37th.

The Qualcomm Circuit—also called the Coronado Street Course—is 3.4 mi (5.472 km) long and features 16 turns. It is the second track built on the naval base; a shorter 1.7‑mi course hosted the Coronado Speed Festival from 1997 to 2016.

The Anduril 250 will be broadcast on Prime Video, HBO Max, MRN Radio, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The race is part of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule, which includes 36 races, 26 regular‑season events and a ten‑race Chase.

Van Gisbergen’s pole win reinforces his reputation as a road‑course specialist, having won the last four races from the pole position. The front‑row sweep by Chevrolet and the strong qualifying performances of Blaney, Smith, Hocevar, and Preece underscore the competitive nature of the weekend.

Teams will face a test of tire management and adaptability to the concrete surface of the street circuit. Blaney noted that “tire degradation is going to be massive, so going to be who can manage rears better.” The event’s unique setting on a naval base is expected to attract both racing fans and military personnel.

The Anduril 250 will be the first Cup Series race held on an active military base, marking a historic moment for NASCAR and for the city of San Diego. It also serves as a showcase for California’s growing motorsport presence.

Weekend results and the race outcome will be available on the official NASCAR website and through the various broadcast partners.