As the NASCAR field prepares for battle stations at Naval Base Coronado later this month, a squadron of drivers will tackle the facility in a different — and unique — manner ahead of time in “NASCAR vs. Navy: The San Diego Mini Movie,” a 30-minute special airing June 5 on Prime Video.
Six NASCAR Cup Series stars, all with call signs — Christopher Bell (Twister), Ryan Blaney (Whiskey), Chase Briscoe (Hoosier), Noah Gragson (Rizz), Carson Hocevar (Hurricane) and Connor Zilisch (Nugget) — will go head-to-head with United States Navy SEALs in a series of elite challenges. Set against the backdrop of San Diego, the showdown celebrates grit, competition and American pride, all while introducing NASCAR to a new audience in thrilling fashion.
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“We got some insights and the history of the base and got to tour a lot of neat things,” Blaney said regarding the experience and the upcoming special. “I’ve always found I’ve been really fortunate in my life to visit a lot of different branches of military and to be able to go around the base and see some of the amazing things that they have, a lot of cool aircraft, aircraft carriers, stuff like that. That stuff just kind of geeks me out a little bit, you know? Just getting to talk to all the folks that are on the base, and, you know, the soldiers that are there every single day and show our appreciation of what they do. It’s neat. So, I’m excited for everybody to see that. I think it’s going to turn out well.”
Openness, honesty and a fair bit of laughs will be several themes throughout the mini movie, with drivers getting a taste of the atmosphere ahead of the sport’s inaugural racing event there in just a few weeks’ time.
“It was so much fun, really cool,” Bell said. “I just think that that race is going to be such a cool atmosphere, racing on the Navy base out there, and I’m really looking forward to it. I think it’s going to be a very unique experience, and something that’s gonna create really, really cool images, and something that we’re gonna cherish forever.”
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MORE: Cup Series schedule | O’Reilly Auto Parts Series schedule | Craftsman Truck Series schedule
All three NASCAR national series will race at the base June 19-21, doing battle on the 3.4-mile street-course layout. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will race Friday, June 19 (7 p.m. ET, FS1, NASCAR Racing Network Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series will compete Saturday, June 20, in the United Rentals Driven to Serve 250 (5 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The Cup Series will conclude the weekend’s festivities on Sunday, June 21, in the Anduril 250 (4 p.m. ET, Prime Video, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
