NASCAR is returning to Naval Base Coronado in San Diego in 2027 with the Cup and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, but what’s even more interesting is the sanctioning body plans to take a street course race to more military bases in the future.
In announcing July 30-August 1 as the 2027 San Diego dates, NASCAR said it and the Department of War share a multi-year plan to continue hosting events at different United States military installations.
After the success of the San Diego race earlier this year, visiting other military installations was something I believed NASCAR should pursue for various reasons.
First, there are military installations in several areas of the United States where NASCAR doesn’t have a footprint and would like one. The two that come to my mind immediately are Fort Carson in Colorado and Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.
Fort Carson was a duty assignment everyone wanted when I was in Army ROTC at East Tennessee State University. Apparently, that hasn’t changed since one of its nicknames is the “Best Hometown in the Army.” NASCAR hasn’t had a national touring series event in Colorado since 2005 when the Busch (now O’Reilly) and Craftsman Truck series raced at Pikes Peak International Raceway. That track is closing this year, making Fort Carson an ideal place for a race.
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Evergreen Speedway hosts NASCAR K&N Pro Series West races.
NASCAR has wanted to take its national series to the Northwest for decades. Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Washington, has hosted the NASCAR Winston Northwest Tour and the Winston West Series. The five-eighths-mile oval is also one of NASCAR’s weekly tracks, and it’s had some NASCAR Hall of Fame members compete in special events, including Bill Elliott, Davey Allison, Kevin Harvick, Ron Hornaday Jr., and David Pearson. However, the national touring series have only made it to Oregon. The Cup Series raced at Portland Speedway 1956-57 and the Truck series 1995-98. Then the Truck series moved to Portland International Raceway 1999-2000 and the Xfinity (now O’Reilly) series 2022-2025.
Joint Base Lewis-McChord would be an ideal place for NASCAR to make a footprint in the Northwest. Located in the Puget Sound region, the base is about nine miles south of Tacoma, approximately an hour south of Seattle, and covers more than 415,000 acres.
Christopher Bell doesn’t have a NASCAR national series race in his home state of Oklahoma, but a trip to Fort Sill could change that for the Norman native. Located adjacent to Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, it covers nearly 94,000 acres near Lawton, Oklahoma.
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I could name more military bases, as I’m sure you could, too, but I think you get the picture that NASCAR’s options are plentiful.
Also, the majority of active-duty personnel are at an ideal age for recruiting young NASCAR fans.
I know there are those who believe NASCAR shouldn’t interfere with the military’s training. However, they’re not, because they must work with the base commander to make the event a reality, and that person won’t approve anything that would interfere with the personnel’s readiness for deployment. If an unforeseen situation arises, NASCAR will have a backup plan, and the race will be held somewhere else.
Family activities that can help boost morale are most always welcomed at a military installation. That makes this deal a win-win for NASCAR.
A North Carolina native, Deb Williams is an award-winning motorsports journalist who is in her fourth decade covering auto racing. In addition to covering the sport for United Press International, she has written motorsports articles for several newspapers, magazines and websites including espnW.com, USA Today, and The Charlotte Observer. Her awards include the American Motorsports Media Award of Excellence, two-time National Motorsports Press Association writer of the year, and two-time recipient of the Russ Catlin award. She also has won an award in the North Carolina Press Association’s sports feature category. During her career, Deb has been managing editor of GT Motorsports magazine and was with Winston Cup Scene and NASCAR Winston Cup Scene for 18 years, serving as the publication’s editor for 10 years. In 2024 she was inducted into the NMPA Hall of Fame.