NASCAR spent months promoting its inaugural race weekend at Naval Base Coronado as an opportunity to reach a new audience.
If the numbers released after Sunday’s event are any indication, the sport may have accomplished exactly that.
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Following the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series race held on an active military base, NASCAR Chief Operating Officer Ben Kennedy shared several attendance and demographic figures that paint a picture of what the sanctioning body considers a major success.
According to Kennedy, the San Diego weekend attracted 125,000 fans across all three days.
Just as significant was who those fans were.
Kennedy said fans attended from all 50 states and 17 countries, while 67% of ticket buyers were attending their first NASCAR event.
For a sport that has spent years looking for ways to introduce itself to new audiences, that may be the most important number of all.
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NASCAR Reached New Audiences in San Diego
The attendance figure alone is notable, but the demographic breakdown may be even more encouraging for NASCAR executives.
Kennedy said female attendance was 11% higher than NASCAR typically sees at its events.
He also noted the San Diego crowd included three times as many Hispanic attendees compared to a traditional NASCAR race weekend.
Those numbers align with why NASCAR pursued the Southern California market in the first place.
The sport has repeatedly emphasized the importance of expanding beyond its traditional footprint and creating marquee events capable of attracting casual sports fans who may not otherwise attend a race.
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The combination of a street-course-style layout, a waterfront military setting and a major metropolitan market created one of the most unique events NASCAR has ever staged.
Based on the early attendance data, the concept appears to have resonated.
Will NASCAR Return to San Diego?
The obvious question after a successful debut is whether San Diego will become a permanent fixture on the NASCAR calendar.
Kennedy stopped short of making any announcements but made it clear NASCAR would welcome the opportunity.
“What I can tell you is that we feel like this is a tremendously successful event,” Kennedy said.
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“We would love to return.”
At the same time, Kennedy acknowledged that any future race would require cooperation with Naval Base Coronado, which remains an active military installation.
NASCAR also spent part of the weekend addressing fan concerns after some attendees reported long concession and service lines on Saturday. Kennedy said additional food trucks and staffing were brought in overnight to improve the experience for Sunday’s crowd.
Even with those challenges, the overall takeaway appeared overwhelmingly positive.
For NASCAR, the weekend produced a first-time Cup Series winner in Corey Heim, a dramatic finish between 23XI Racing teammates, and perhaps most importantly, thousands of new fans.
That last result may end up being the most significant victory of all.
