Anduril 250 Race the Base Preview: Street Course Survival

This weekend the NASCAR Cup Series will make a little history and go racing on the streets of Naval Base Coronado in San Diego. The track is a 19-turn, 3.4-mile long circuit that is laid out on the streets of the Naval base at Coronado Island. The area in use is the Naval Air Station North Island and it will provide both a breathtaking and patriotic backdrop for NASCAR racing on Father's Day weekend. The street circuit weaves around the air strip and the waterfront area where the aircraft carriers are typically docked, which has been named "carrier corner" on the circuit. The event is 75 laps, divided into three stages of 20 laps, 20 laps and 35 laps. Top speeds are limited by the highly-technical layout and 19 challenging turns, with chicanes and many including 90 degree arcs. The circuit is somewhat reminiscent of the street course that NASCAR laid out in Chicago and raced from 2023 to 2025. However, there are far more turns and shorter straights on this circuit.

Since this is a completely new race, at a completely new course, we have no historical loop stats to examine this weekend. That does put us at a bit of a disadvantage.  However, we're not completely without some numbers. For much of our analysis this week, we're going to rely on the statistics that our NASCAR Cup Series drivers have accumulated the past two seasons on the various road circuits of the Cup Series. It's the only real measure of which drivers tend to thrive on winding courses. The data will be over the past two seasons, or seven races, so it will be fresh statistics. In the table below are the driver's standard stats at Sonoma Raceway, Watkins Glen International, Mexico City, Circuit of the Americas, and the Charlotte Roval over the past two seasons, sorted by average finish.

This weekend we will witness a little history being made. For the first time ever, NASCAR will compete on the streets of Coronado Island. The course is a purpose-built temporary circuit and layout for stock car racing. The idea was conceived thanks to NASCAR executives and the military base at Coronado Island. The base has hosted vintage sports car races over the years in the no so distant past, so the idea was far from unique. Those events have laid a strong foundation and provided the inspiration for NASCAR to bring their top touring series to the island. The sanctioning body got to work right away and after several months of planning with the naval and air base, the layout was confirmed and the event was announced on July 23, 2025.

The last several Cup Series seasons have had an emphasis on road course racing. There are four events in the calendar this season, up from the typical three we've seen for years. However, it was down from the high of six events just a couple years ago. This added emphasis on road course action will favor a number of drivers who thrive at this style of racing. As for this inaugural event at Coronado Island, the drivers who have exceptional road racing skills will have the best opportunity to succeed, and those who don't will struggle. We believe the statistical table above will be our greatest aide in evaluating drivers this weekend and projecting potential performance. As with any new race, and certainly on a tight, temporary street course, we'll have a few surprises and upsets as well. We'll give you the drivers you need to succeed in your fantasy racing games for the Anduril 250 Race the Base on the streets of Coronado Island.      

The Contenders – Drivers in the Hunt for the Win

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 3:00 PM ET Wednesday

Shane van Gisbergen (-160) – The seven-time road course winner is the top fantasy racing choice for this weekend's new event at Coronado Island. If any driver in the field can quickly adapt to and perfect this new circuit, it's van Gisbergen. He's already nabbed a win and runner-up finish this season on the road courses and he's looking for more hardware this Sunday in California. The Trackhouse Racing star was the first to perfect the street course in Chicago in 2023 so it should be a similar scenario this weekend for the Anduril 250 Race the Base. Van Gisbergen has won 50-percent of the road/street races he's entered in the last four seasons, and those type of odds simply doesn't exist in the modern era of motorsport.   

Tyler Reddick (+900) – What victories van Gisbergen hasn't snapped up on winding circuits the last few seasons have generally fallen into Reddick's waiting arms. He won earlier this season at Circuit of the Americas, outdueling van Gisbergen in that race and he finished a strong fifth-place a few weeks ago at Watkins Glen. With four of his 13-career wins coming on road circuits, they have been some of his better tracks in the Cup Series schedule. The 23XI Racing star has five wins already this season and is leading the series in victories to this point in 2026. Reddick may have a bit longer odds than van Gisbergen this weekend at Coronado Island, but he's no less a threat to capture the victory in this inaugural race on this unique circuit.   

Christopher Bell (+2800) – Despite a still-healing broken arm, Bell represents the best challenger to both van Gisbergen and Reddick this weekend at Coronado Island. The Joe Gibbs Racing star broke his arm two rounds ago at Michigan but has been competing despite the injury. Bell led 18 laps this past Sunday at Pocono, so he can still race and perform at a high level. The driver of the No. 20 Toyota is a three-time victor on Cup Series road courses and his 11.6 average finish and 61-percent Top-10 rate on these style circuits stands tall. Bell finished a brilliant third-place at COTA earlier this season and that shows his potential in this style of NASCAR racing.  

Michael McDowell (+1400) – The Spire Motorsports veteran has reminded us with recent performances on road circuits that he's a top performer in this style of stock car racing. McDowell grabbed a fifth-place finish at Circuit of the Americas and more recently a runner-up finish at Watkins Glen. One of his two-career Cup Series victories came on the road course at Indianapolis in 2023. So, while a bit of a long shot, McDowell is probably the driver most capable of pulling an upset this weekend at Coronado Island. Road and street circuits have yielded more Top-5 and Top-10 finishes to this driver and team than any other style track in NASCAR. McDowell qualified extremely well on the street course in Chicago and nabbed two Top 10's in his three starts there. That skill should translate well to this new circuit.

Solid Plays – Near Locks for Top 10 with an Outside Shot to Win

Chase Elliott (+2800) – Elliott has not won on a road course since 2021, but he's a career seven-time winner in this style of racing. 30-percent of his career Cup Series wins have come on road circuits. That's an incredible percentage and a real testament to Elliott's skill in road racing. Despite being winless the past few seasons, the Hendrick Motorsports star has been really close behind the top contenders with five Top-5 finishes in his last 10 road racing events.  Elliott qualified fifth- and finished seventh-place at COTA earlier this season as a prime example of his skill. He has the experience to pull off a strong performance and crack the Top 5 in this inaugural Anduril 250 Race the Base.

Chris Buescher (+2200) – Over the past 10 road racing events, Buescher has piled up one victory, four Top-5 and six Top-10 finishes. The Roush Fenway Keselowski veteran has been one of the most consistent drivers in this form of racing dating back to the 2024 season. Buescher piloted the No. 17 Ford to strong 12th-place finish at Watkins Glen just a few weeks ago, so that really demonstrates his potential for this first-ever street course race at Coronado Island. While Buescher is not a major threat to win, we expect he'll be one of the faces battling hard just outside the top contenders. He grabbed a Top 10 in the inaugural street course race in Chicago a few seasons ago, and that shows Buescher's keen adaptability.

Ty Gibbs (+1600) – Gibbs has really come on strong since late last season on the road racing circuits. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has finishes of 11th-, seventh-, 33rd-, 12th-, fourth- and third-place in his last six events on the winding tracks. That most recent effort was a third-place finish at Watkins Glen just a few weeks ago. While his career numbers pale in comparison to other drivers in this style of NASCAR racing, Gibbs has made up a lot of ground in a short period of time. If we look back to the three events on the Chicago street course, we see that the young driver of the No. 54 Toyota claimed ninth-, third- and second-place finishes on that track. It's a great preview of potential for this new circuit in southern California.

William Byron (+2200) – It's been a subpar season to this point for Byron and the No. 24 Chevrolet team, but we saw some hopeful signs this past week at Pocono Raceway. The Hendrick Motorsports star tied his best finish of the season with a third-place effort in the Great American Getaway 400. Byron will ride that momentum into California this week and the inaugural event at Coronado Island. He has been a 50-percent Top-10 finisher in the last 10 road racing events and that's a pretty steady statistic. Byron's three starts on the Chicago street course netted one Top 10 and two Top 15's so he was pretty consistent there. While we think of Byron as more an intermediate and larger oval performer, he does possess steady road racing skills.  

Sleepers – Drivers with Good History at Road Courses & Solid Upside

Chase Briscoe (+3000) – Coming off third-, 10th- and 12th-place finishes recently, Briscoe is in decent shape heading to California. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has been a steady hand on the road circuits the last couple seasons. Briscoe has claimed three Top-5 and five Top-10 finishes in his last 10 road racing starts. That 50-percent Top-10 rate and reasonable 15.9 average finish over the span are desirable marks for any driver. The driver of the No. 19 Toyota struggled a bit in his three starts on the streets of Chicago, but his last time out there showed big improvement. Briscoe led 13 laps and qualified fifth on the grid in that last Grant Park 165 ran in Chicago.

Kyle Larson (+1800) – Larson has been bit off a boom or bust driver on road circuits in recent seasons, but he's still managed a decent 40-percent Top-10 rate in his last 10 starts on the winding circuits. In addition to those Top 10's the Hendrick Motorsports star has also grabbed a pair of victories at Sonoma and the Charlotte ROVAL during that span. As prone as he is to surprise and dominate, Larson can also have a tendency to disappear when it comes to road course events. His four finishes outside the Top 25 in the last 10 events of this style dampen our expectations a bit, but Larson still manages a reasonable 18.7 average finish. The fact that he carries Top-5 and wining potential in these races should put him solidly on your fantasy racing radar screen and anchoring the sleepers list at Coronado Island.

AJ Allmendinger (+2200) – Allmendinger has had a tough, inconsistent season to this point. However, the real highlights have been the two road course starts, which are his two Top-10 finishes to this point in the season. The seventh-place finish at Watkins Glen a few weeks ago was preceded by a ninth-place finish at COTA earlier in the year. That gives him three-straight Top 10's on the winding circuits dating back to last fall's Charlotte ROVAL performance. Allmendinger's prowess in road racing precedes him. The driver of the No. 16 Chevrolet has two-career wins on Cup Series road circuits and a 51-percent Top-10 rate in this form of competition. The winding tracks are by far his best facilities on the Cup Series circuit.     

Ryan Blaney (+4000) – Carrying a four-race Top-10 streak into Coronado Island, Blaney is looking to stay on a roll. The Penske Racing star has been a bit improved in recent road racing exploits so we have high hopes for the No. 12 Ford team this weekend. Blaney has a pair of Top 10's and four Top 15's in his last four road racing events. That average finish is checking in around 9.5 which is pretty sharp for a driver not really known for his road course skills. Blaney improved incrementally in his three starts on the Chicago street course. He grabbed 10th- and 12th-place finishes in his last two starts there. That's a good comp for the Anduril 250 Race the Base as the layout and racing style will have a lot of similarities.  

Austin Cindric (+9000) – Although times have been a bit leaner of late, we have to remember how good the Penske Racing youngster is on these style tracks. A quick check of his career Cup Series stats shows that 10 of his 31 Top 10's to this point in his career have come on NASCAR road circuits. Cindric's most recent performance stands out. He qualified third on the grid and finished a respectable ninth-place in the Go Bowling at the Glen just a few weeks ago. The newness of this facility and uniqueness of the style of competition will have field-equalizing effects in the Anduril 250 Race the Base. Cindric stands a good chance of cracking the Top 10 on Sunday afternoon.    

Daniel Suarez (+5500) – The deep sleeper this week for Coronado Island is none other than Suarez. He's had a pretty decent season to this point with Spire Motorsports. The veteran driver is a one-time winner on Cup Series road circuits (Sonoma 2022) and his eight-career Top 10's on various road tracks is a good number. Most recently Suarez finished a respectable 13th-place at Watkins Glen just a few weeks ago. That's a lead lap finish and decent performance for the driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet. Suarez did post a sturdy 11th-place finish on the streets of Chicago in 2024, so that shows his potential for this street circuit. Coming off 13th- and sixth-place finishes the last two weeks at Pocono and Michigan, he's performing well coming to California.

Slow Down - Drivers to Avoid This Week

Denny Hamlin (+4500) – Hamlin is your underperform candidate this weekend for the Coronado Island race. That's been much the story of Hamlin's career in road course racing. He does have one-career victory (Watkins Glen), but his 35-percent Top-10 rate and 16.9 average finish in this style of racing isn't exactly solid as a rock. Add in the wrinkle of racing on a tight street course as opposed to a wider open environment (more forgiving to error) like Sonoma or COTA and you have the recipe for the No. 11 Toyota team having an unfortunate encounter with a wall or other course-lining barrier. Hamlin has just one Top 10 in his last nine road racing starts for a 21.1 average finish over the span.  

Bubba Wallace (+15000) – Wallace has a pair of Top-10 finishes in his last 10 road racing events, however, it's the disappointments that far outnumber the successes. Over the same span, the 23XI Racing veteran has four finishes outside the Top 20 on road circuits and that has inflated Wallace's average finish to 16.7 over the span. In his start just a few weeks ago at Watkins Glen, Wallace qualified reasonably well at 18th on the starting grid but he would run into trouble and finish 29th in the Go Bowling at the Glen. It's that kind of risk that you take on with your fantasy lineups when you roll the driver of the No. 23 Toyota on a road circuit. The challenges that the Coronado Island Street Course will present will be a major obstacle to his success.

Joey Logano (+9000) –  He hasn't cracked the Top 10 on a road circuit since Sonoma last season and has just two Top-10 finishes in his last 10 road racing starts. Logano has seen his better days in this style of racing. He has a win (Watkins Glen) and 25 Top 10's over his career on these style tracks. However, the successes come at a much slower rate now that he's 36-years-old. Logano has an 18.5 average finish in his last 10 road racing starts and his last outing was a disappointing 38th-place finish at the Glen just a few weeks ago. The Penske Racing star has one of the worst average finishes and worst Top-10 conversion rates of the Top 20 drivers in terms of road course racing.   

Ross Chastain (+4000) – Despite cracking the Top 10 at Pocono this past week, it's been a really tough season for the driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet. Chastain has just three Top 10's to this point in the season and he's buried deep in the driver point standings. The veteran Trackhouse Racing driver does have success a few short years ago on these winding circuits, but's it's been pretty lean for this driver and team the past couple seasons. Chastain has just one Top 10 in his last eight road course starts vs. four finishes outside the Top 25 during that same span. Despite starting up front at Watkins Glen recently he would finish a disappointing 27th-place in the Go Bowling at the Glen.