NASCARs First Military Base Race Takes Place on USS Carl Vinson During 2026 250th-Anniversary Celebrations

On June 20, 2026, the NASCAR Cup Series held the Anduril 250 on a 3.4‑mile street circuit that wound through Naval Base Coronado in San Diego County. The race, which ran from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. local time, passed the USS Carl Vinson—an active Nimitz‑class nuclear‑powered aircraft carrier—while the event was part of the United States’ 250th‑anniversary celebrations. It was the first time a NASCAR event has taken place on an active military installation.

The circuit was laid out on the base’s airfield and surrounding roads, with turns 3 and 4 positioned directly beside the carrier’s flight deck. Drivers had to navigate a relatively flat course that included a 180‑degree turn around the ship’s stern and a short straightaway that ran parallel to the carrier’s forward flight line. The track’s layout was designed to showcase the base’s infrastructure while providing a challenging racing surface for the Cup Series competitors.

The USS Carl Vinson, commissioned in 1983, is the third ship of the Nimitz‑class and serves as the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 1. The carrier has a length of 1,092 ft and a displacement of over 100,000 long tons. It is powered by two A4W nuclear reactors that allow it to operate for more than 20 years without refueling. The ship’s flight deck, which can launch and recover more than 60 aircraft, is a key asset for the Navy’s carrier air wing.

Naval Base Coronado, located on the northern tip of the Coronado peninsula, is home to Naval Air Station North Island, the largest aerospace‑industrial complex in the Navy. The base hosts several aircraft carriers, including the Carl Vinson, and supports more than 80 tenant commands. Coronado itself is a beach city with a population of about 20,000 residents and is connected to San Diego by the Silver Strand.

Amazon Prime Video provided the broadcast for the event, using a combination of drones and helicopters to capture the race from multiple angles. The coverage team was stationed on the carrier’s flight deck and on the surrounding airfield, providing live commentary and behind‑the‑scenes footage. The partnership between NASCAR and Prime Video is part of the series’ fifth and final season of coverage on the streaming platform.

The Anduril 250 was the 17th race of the 2026 Cup Series schedule and the fifth of five races that Amazon Prime Video would stream that season. The event was scheduled to coincide with the United States’ 250th‑anniversary celebrations, which include a range of national events such as the overhaul of the Dorchester Heights Monument in Boston and a series of festivals across the country.

The race’s placement on a military base was intended to highlight the Navy’s role in national defense while celebrating the country’s history. Officials noted that the event would bring attention to the base’s facilities and the community’s support for the armed forces.

As of the end of the weekend, the Anduril 250 had concluded with the scheduled finish on Sunday, and the event was deemed a success by both NASCAR and Navy representatives. The race set a precedent for future motorsport events on military installations and added a unique chapter to the history of NASCAR’s expansion beyond traditional tracks.

The next steps for the event organizers include reviewing safety protocols used during the race, assessing the impact on base operations, and determining whether the format could be replicated in other locations for future NASCAR events.