To paraphrase late U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, “You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can’t please everyone all the time.” That has been NASCAR’s conundrum for more than 75 years.
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No matter how hard the sanctioning body has tried, or for all the good will and reasons it has done things, be it moving to a new track, or introducing a new style car or truck, there’s always going to be someone who objects.
How many times have we heard fans say, “Why can’t we race the way it used to be back in the good old days?” or “Let’s go back to bring (or race) what you brung.”
Unfortunately, some people just want to remain stuck in a time warp, when they feel NASCAR’s best racing was in the 1950s or 1960s. But even more unfortunate is the fact that really, honestly, racing back then was not all that great. In fact, with the exception of the era from the early 1990s until the mid-2000s, what we are seeing, feeling and experiencing now in the NASCAR world is actually and arguably the second-best time NASCAR has ever seen.
But maybe, hopefully, critics and social media cynics will keep their cheeky comments to a minimum next year, particularly when Naval Base Coronado in San Diego hosts the first-ever NASCAR event on an active military base.
Next year is a very big year for the U.S., the military and NASCAR
The reason is simple: Next year will also be the 250th anniversary of the United States, otherwise known as the Bisesquicentennial (say that real fast five times in a row!), as well as the founding of the Army, Navy and Marines. And when NASCAR comes to San Diego, it is going to be an event unlike any other in the sport’s history.
It’s a no-brainer that anyone who is anyone, even liberals, will want to be on the naval base, including President Donald J. Trump, probably every Senator and Representative (who will all likely go to San Diego on the taxpayer’s dime), all types of celebrities will likely drive down from Hollywood (you just know Tom “Maverick” Cruise will be there) and countless other wealthy individuals who want to see and be seen.
There’s no question that NASCAR has arguably been the biggest supporter of the U.S. military of any major professional sports league in the country. It’s safe to say that NASCAR has reached millions of active duty soldiers over the years, either in-person, like at the Coca-Cola 600 (which has honored the military for more than 30 years), or visits to Army, Navy, Marine and Air Force bases both in this country and abroad.
That’s why the “street race” on the naval base next June could be one of NASCAR’s greatest events ever. While it’s still a question on how security will keep potential terrorists and the like away — although I’m not overly worried given how the U.S. has kept tens of thousands safe at high-value events like the Super Bowl or World Series — there is no question this is going to be the biggest party the military and the sports worlds have ever seen.
Coronado will be one of several NASCAR races that will honor the military
But wait, that’s just an appetizer, as the official 250th anniversary of the U.S. and most of its military service branches will be less than a month later on July 4 (which also happens to be when NASCAR returns to Chicagoland Speedway for the first time since 2019). You’re going to see the biggest fireworks spectacle in the history of the world.
I have to give big-time props to NASCAR. Whoever came up with the idea of holding a race on a naval base was nothing short of a genius. Everyone will end up being a winner that weekend: the Navy, other military branches, military recruiters, and of course, NASCAR. Being optimistic, I hope that the weekend brings in several million new fans to the sport.
NASCAR Cup driver Ross Chastain stopped by to join SpeedFreaks this week and arguably spoke for every one of his NASCAR driving peers on what it means to race at San Diego.
“It does for my patriotism and how proud I am to be an American citizen, and what our military, what they fight for and defend our freedoms,” Chastain said when asked about his excitement for the event.
“We do pretty good in showing our patriotism, but this is going to be a whole other level on the base. I’m excited to see and hear from more military members across the country between now and then and to see it and feel it when we’re there that weekend.”
While the San Diego race will unquestionably be a monumental event, it will be one of several events on the NASCAR calendar in 2026 that will see similar patriotic, feel-good events such as the Coca-Cola 600 and the Brickyard 400.
And with the Chicagoland Independence Day weekend next year, it’s likely that NASCAR and the military will never be more joined at the hip than they will next year.
“It’s a good time to be in the sport and in America right now,” Chastain said. “I just know it’s pretty dang good right now.”
