By Jerry Jordan, Editor
CORONADO, Calif. — Ben Kennedy faced the media after a landmark weekend at Naval Base Coronado and left little doubt about NASCAR’s ability to embrace bold, unconventional racing venues and about the sport’s growing ability to create self-contained and self-sustained events, which have opened doors to locations that once seemed impossible.
The inaugural NASCAR race on an active military installation delivered on every level but is it one and done or will the sport be called back to active duty in the future? Fans flooded the base for high-intensity action on a challenging temporary circuit built to honor of the U.S. Navy’s 250th anniversary and America’s semiquincentennial.
Kennedy, NASCAR’s Chief Operating Officer, called the event “tremendously successful” while acknowledging the unique challenges of operating on a working military base.
“We would love to return,” Kennedy said. “We’re also cognizant of the fact that this is an active military base and we want to be mindful of that as well.”
Attendance topped 125,000 across the weekend, drawing fans from all 50 states and 17 countries. Notably, 67% were first-time NASCAR attendees, with an 11% increase in female fans and triple the Hispanic audience compared to typical events, he said. The numbers underscore the strategy’s success in expanding the sport’s reach and fans who interacted with Kickin’ the Tires said they were thrilled with the event and want to see more races in the future, whether it’s at the base or another racetrack.
That’s a good thing for NASCAR, which has invested heavily in expanding the sport to new markets and new segments of the population.
Despite the success, no one is claiming the event went off without a hitch but the logistical issues encountered were addressed quickly by a team that met each day to try and improve going forward. Food trucks were added, staffing increased and operational tweaks implemented overnight.
“We had an all-hands ops meeting every single day,” Kennedy noted, highlighting the commitment to fan experience.
One of the weekend’s most impressive elements was the event’s self-contained infrastructure. During the post-race press conference, Kennedy told Kickin’ the Tires about how the mini-electrical grids established with ABB helped bring the entire race weekend off the electrical grid. This further proved that NASCAR can basically race anywhere.
“Yeah, it certainly does … Once we have this, we have a team that’s dedicated to it year-round … we can just pop into the facility and be ready to go,” Kennedy said.
This mobility represents a major evolution. From the LA Coliseum to the Chicago Street Course and now an active naval base, NASCAR continues pushing boundaries.
Kennedy welcomed ideas for Army, Air Force or other military installations, noting strategic markets like the Pacific Northwest, Colorado and the Northeast, which feature large bases.
One of the things NASCAR did differently to enhance the fan experience was to move driver introductions to a stage area in the fan zone rather than at the traditional start/finish line. It was a change that brought thousands of fans near the stage.
Almost everyone who was asked about the event agreed that NASCAR has proved it can transform almost any location into a world-class racing venue. If the self-contained model continues to refine, fans might want to prepare for racing in places they never expected. Kennedy said he is open to suggestions.
