Report: 2026 NASCAR schedule will include race in San Diego

NASCAR is reportedly heading back to Southern California. San Diego is going to be on the 2026 Cup Series schedule. The city has been rumored as the sport’s next big destination, and there could be quite a street course drawn up in the area.

Kelly Crandall of RACER is reporting that NASCAR and the city of San Diego have agreed to a deal. 2026 is going to be a fun and interesting schedule for the Cup Series. The last few seasons have included a lot of old-school and out-of-the-box races and events for the sport. This is the latest.

RACER has also reported that the potential street course could be located in Coronado. Across the bay from the city, the San Diego County town is a popular resort destination. The sights that fans would get from the race would be spectacular.

NASCAR has raced on the streets of Chicago for the last three years. While it is expected that this will either be the final year or a potential hiatus will be put on the event, the city of Chicago has warmed up to the race recently. So much so that there is a potential for an extension of the event, possibly contingent on a move away from the July 4th holiday.

Two street races would be a bold move. That would likely push the schedule to having 7 road/street course races for the 2026 season. For many NASCAR fans, that’s too many. And, it might be. But as the sport pushes boundaries, there could be an interest in multiple street races. Would fans be too upset if you had two street courses but put the Roval back to the Charlotte oval?

NASCAR racing in San Diego, schedule to release soon

This is the pattern with the schedule release. A trickle of information comes out. We get two or three pieces of new information. NASCAR going to San Diego is a big deal. Would it be an even bigger deal for the Cup Series to race at Mexico City, Chicago, and San Diego? Does the core fanbase even want that?

There have been a lot of bold moves made in the schedule over the last few years. Ben Kennedy is definitely leaving his mark on the sport. The truth of the matter is, NASCAR has given a lot back to grassroots and “core” fans in the Next Gen era. For every new, bold innovation, there is a nod to the history of stock car racing.

North Wilkesboro, Bowman Gray, Rockingham – these tracks have been put back on a NASCAR schedule in the last few years, and appear to be there for at least the next few years. Wilkesboro was perhaps the best short track racing we saw all season long. Like Chicago showed, NASCAR can go anywhere and put on a race, Wilkesboro showed that track revival is possible. Is it replicable? That remains to be seen.

Then you have races like the LA Coliseum, Chicago, Mexico City, and San Diego. Those are designed to attract a newer, younger audience, and as long as they are far and few between, there really isn’t an issue.