Stock cars descend on Naval Base Coronado for a historic showdown

It is finally time for the first premier series stock-car race on an active military base. The Anduril 250 arrives at the Qualcomm Circuit in Coronado, California, a 3.4-mile layout that has already proven to be a wild, bumpy test of nerves. With a massive purse of $11,849,963 on the line, the 39-car field will face 75 laps of pure intensity this Sunday.

Shane van Gisbergen starts at the front after a stellar qualifying run in the No. 97 Trackhouse Chevrolet. He is the clear man to watch, having won six of the last seven road-course races in the Cup Series. Yet, he refuses to call it an easy path to victory, insisting his competition is far too strong to be taken lightly.

Standing across from him is the immovable Denny Hamlin. While he is riding a stunning streak of winning four of his last five races, he faces the reality of a 1-for-63 record on road courses. On a new, treacherous track where no one has an experience advantage, it will simply come down to who can adapt to the unpredictable contours the fastest. As Chase Elliott put it, the atmosphere around this inaugural event has been nothing short of electric.