NASCAR Ponders Unique Elements Of New Course On Naval Base

CORONADO, Calif. — As Ben Kennedy described the roughly three-mile course where NASCAR Cup Series cars will weave through Naval Base Coronado next year, he mentioned elements that don’t sound typical of a NASCAR course.

There will be a turn by the aircraft carrier. Maybe some by helicopters and F-18s.

Another turn onto the tarmac of the naval base, a tarmac area that could include a chicane or some esses (quick, multiple turns). 

Kennedy, NASCAR’s chief venue officer, doesn’t have the course finalized yet. He’s having drivers work through a variety of elements on iRacing, the racing game simulator that has helped NASCAR work on designs for street courses and other track reconfigurations.

The June 19-21 race weekend next year will be NASCAR’s first on a military base and will coincide with the 250th anniversary celebration of the U.S. Navy. 

"You have the tarmac, which is as wide as you want to make it," Kennedy said while standing near the top of the base’s control tower. "And then a lot of the roads and streets that we drove in this morning, they're five or six lanes wide. So this is going to create for some really good passing zones."

Kennedy says there will probably be 10 to 15 turns on what will be a relatively flat course, with a slight decline on the frontstretch and a slight incline when they get to the road by the bay.

"I don't know all the challenges they're going to face with the location," said seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, who will possibly compete in the event, as he grew up in the San Diego area.

"I’m highly confident we're going to have an incredible venue, incredible backdrop and great racing."

Drivers who visited the base on Wednesday didn’t seem too concerned about the design of the track.

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