Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego stands out as a first-of-its-kind spectacle, marking the first time the sport will contest a points-paying race on an active military base. Serving as just the second street course in NASCAR’s modern era, the temporary 3.4-mile circuit presents drivers with narrow passages, sharp 90-degree turns, and rough, bumpy asphalt originally never designed for stock cars.

The track winds through a complex that serves as the homeport for massive Nimitz-class aircraft carriers and more than 20,000 active-duty sailors and Navy personnel, placing high-horsepower stock cars against a backdrop of docked warships and naval aviation hangars.

AJ Allmendinger and Ty Dillon arrive in San Diego representing Kaulig Racing—the only organization in the NASCAR Cup Series that competes without technical support or an alliance with another Cup team. Despite this, Kaulig consistently outraces many of its better-resourced competitors.

Race Info & Broadcast ScheduleRace: Inaugural Anduril 250Track: Naval Base Coronado, San Diego (3.4-mile street circuit)Date: Sunday, June 21, 2026 (Father’s Day)Time: 4:00 p.m. EDTTV/Radio: Live on Prime, Motor Racing Network (MRN), and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)AJ Allmendinger – No. 16 CELSIUS Chevrolet

CELSIUS returns as the primary sponsor of AJ Allmendinger’s No. 16 car for the inaugural Anduril 250. This marks the brand’s seventh primary appearance of the season as part of a 10-race partnership.

Driver & Team NotesThe Real Heroes: For this historic event, NASCAR teams are paired with military squadrons. Allmendinger is teamed up with the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group One (EODGRU-1), a critical part of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command that clears explosive hazards, employs advanced tactics, and protects the nation.Season So Far: Allmendinger recently finished 22nd at Pocono Raceway and 17th at Michigan. His best result of the season remains a seventh-place finish at Watkins Glen International. He currently sits in his 18th full-time Cup Series season and fifth with Kaulig Racing.Career Highlights: The three-time Cup Series winner owns 22 top-five finishes, 89 top-10 finishes, and five pole awards in the premier division. He will make his milestone 500th NASCAR Cup Series start later this year at Sonoma Raceway.Crew Chief: Trent Owens, a 20-year NASCAR veteran with wins across all three national series, assumed the role of Allmendinger’s Cup Series crew chief in 2025.Driver Q&A

Q: What are your thoughts on racing at the Naval Base Coronado? A: “San Diego is going to be badass. It’s always fun to go somewhere new and try new things. It’s all about the atmosphere and the feeling you get when you show up. It’s cool that we’re all paired with our own squadrons. I’m honored to meet service members in the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group One. It’s going to be special to get to know the people that are the real heroes, and that’s really cool. I was shocked to see how long the lap is already. I know they are trying to repave parts of it and make it smoother, but it’s going to be rough. We’ll find out when we get out there.”

Q: What is your strategy for this weekend going into San Diego? A: “We’ve got to go out there and do our best. If we have an opportunity to win, that’s amazing. If not, we’ll just keep doing what we’ve been doing, and that’s scoring the most points possible. We will see how passing is there. That will determine how we run the stages. To me, we don’t figure that out until we see how much speed we have through practice and qualifying.”

Q: It’s Father’s Day Sunday, what does it mean to be Aero’s dad? A: “Father’s Day has a special meaning, obviously now with having Aero. I’m fortunate to have the best dad in the world. He raised me to have fun with racing and showed me it was always a family sport… I’ve been fortunate to win on Father’s Day twice in my life, and to be able to share that with my dad, being at those races both times, has been amazing. So, you know, hopefully we’ll get to share that moment again—as a father and for my dad.”

Ty Dillon – No. 10 Grizzly Nicotine Pouches Chevrolet

Grizzly Nicotine Pouches returns on Dillon’s No. 10 car this weekend. Dillon will run a special “The Fallen Outdoors” paint scheme featuring the names of more than 7,000 fallen U.S. service members killed in action during Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

Driver & Team NotesSpecial Fans in San Diego: Dillon is paired with Command Unit: USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). The Vinson is a Nimitz-class, nuclear-powered U.S. Navy aircraft carrier based in Coronado. It houses over 5,000 personnel and 60+ aircraft. Dillon will spend time on the ship with the crew before racing activities begin.Recent Momentum: Dillon recorded a season-best 12th-place finish at Nashville Superspeedway on May 31. Despite recent mechanical trouble at Pocono (32nd), he has shown steady speed, including an 11th-place Stage 1 finish at Michigan.Superspeedway Success: Showcasing strength on large tracks, Dillon ranks ninth-best among all drivers across the season’s two superspeedway events, earning a 13th-place finish at Talladega and a 14th-place finish in the Daytona 500.Racing Family: Dillon comes from a prominent NASCAR racing family. He is the grandson of Hall of Fame team owner Richard Childress and the younger brother of Austin Dillon.Driver Q&A

Q: What do you expect this weekend in San Diego? A: “I think San Diego is going to be an interesting race. It’s going to be a bit of survival with the roughness of the track, the length of the track and the amount of technicality that leads into long straightaways. I have no clue what to expect, but I know the event is going to be top notch. I’ve been out there at the track, and it’s a beautiful, beautiful spot. It’s going to be an event that’s just great to be at and to be a part of.”

Q: What does Father’s Day mean to you? A: “Being a father is the greatest honor in my life, so Father’s Day is awesome. I love hanging with my kids and being their father. I feel like every day is Father’s Day for me because I get to wake up and spend life with them. The day is just a great day. I typically get coffee in bed, but we’ll be in San Diego. Still, it’s great to be a father.”

Kaulig Racing PR