The game’s return to Southern California produced loads of surprises and drama within the inaugural NASCAR Cup Sequence race at Naval Base Coronado.
Many anticipated polesitter Shane van Gisbergen to placed on considered one of his masterclass performances on the 3.4-mile Qualcomm Circuit close to San Diego, California. However when the No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet driver was taken out in a in the course of the Lap 32 restart, the Anduril 250 was anybody’s sport, with 23XI Racing driver Corey Heim benefiting from van Gisbergen’s misfortune to say his first profession Cup Sequence victory in solely his thirteenth premier sequence begin.
Commercial
Outdoors of Heim’s memorable maiden victory at NASCAR’s highest degree, a couple of drivers punched above their weight on the base to attain a good consequence, whereas others hope to place the road race behind them and sit up for Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway (3:30 p.m. ET, TNT Sports activities, HBO Max, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
RELATED: |
THREE UP ⬆️
1. Zane Smith, No. 38 Entrance Row Motorsports Ford
Began: 4th
Completed: 4th
What occurred: After coming to Naval Base Coronado with two finishes of thirty third or worse, Smith righted the ship with a high 5 on the 3.4-mile Qualcomm Circuit. The No. 38 Entrance Row Motorsports Ford has been extraordinarily quick within the final a number of Cup Sequence races, however two crashes at Michigan Worldwide Speedway and Pocono Raceway derailed Smith’s progress. However after beginning and ending fourth in San Diego, Smith completely executed the race, which can enable the No. 38 group to construct momentum because the summer time heats up.
Commercial
What’s subsequent: In three Cup Sequence races at Sonoma, Smith’s finest end is sixteenth; the opposite two outcomes had been twenty seventh or worse. Whereas that doesn’t sound too promising, San Diego proved that you shouldn’t sleep on the Entrance Row driver’s road-course racing skills. He could produce one other shock efficiency in wine nation.
Zane Smith drives at Naval Base Coronado.
2. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Began: fifteenth
Completed: fifth
What occurred: Earlier than the arrival of van Gisbergen, Allmendinger was typically checked out because the Cup driver to beat on highway programs. At Qualcomm Circuit, we noticed the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet pilot showcase his abilities at turning left and proper en path to his first high 5 of the 2026 Cup Sequence season. Scoring 45 factors within the Anduril 250, Allmendinger moved up a spot within the standings to twentieth and appears to make a run towards The Chase within the subsequent a number of weeks.
Commercial
What’s subsequent: With one other road-course arising in wine nation, Allmendinger may have the flexibility to shine for the second straight week. Within the final 4 Sonoma journeys, the Kaulig driver has had a pair of sixth-place finishes. Search for “The Dinger” to be within the combine for an additional sturdy consequence on the 1.99-mile highway course.
AJ Allmendinger drives at Naval Base Coronado.
3. Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford
Began: seventh
Completed: Eleventh
What occurred: Preece lastly ended a skid of 4 consecutive finishes of twenty eighth or worse with a powerful exhibiting at Naval Base Coronado. The No. 60 RFK Racing Ford driver tied Kaulig Racing’s Allmendinger for many factors scored (45) throughout Sunday’s Anduril 250 after ending runner-up in Stage 1 and . Ending Eleventh in Southern California was the consequence that the No. 60 group has been searching for in latest weeks as Preece gained three spots within the Cup Sequence standings and moved into the ultimate provisional Chase spot in sixteenth.
Commercial
What’s subsequent: Getting into San Diego, Racing Insights had Preece sitting at a 14.2% probability of advancing to the postseason. These odds improved to 34.4% after a powerful efficiency in Southern California. Waiting for Sonoma, Preece has completed thirteenth or higher twice in his final three journeys to wine nation. If he can put collectively one other stable exhibiting, Preece’s Chase share odds will solely enhance.
Ryan Preece drives at Naval Base Coronado.
THREE DOWN ⬇️
1. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford
Began: twenty ninth
Completed: Thirty fourth
What occurred: Keselowki’s race took a flip within the flawed course after getting squeezed into the wall as a result of contact with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. For the reason that No. 6 RFK Racing driver normally struggles on highway programs, these subsequent couple of weeks with left-and-right turns had been doubtless going to be all about survival. Sadly, the No. 6 Ford was not in a position to escape bother on the 3.4-mile Qualcomm Circuit, which in the end resulted in a Thirty fourth-place end. To make issues worse, this was additionally Keselowski’s fourth straight end of Thirty fourth or worse.
Commercial
What’s subsequent: Though highway programs aren’t Keselowski’s best space of energy, he has completed inside the highest 20 within the final 10 Sonoma Cup Sequence races, together with Eleventh-place in final yr’s contest. If the RFK driver can hold his No. 6 Ford out of bother on Sunday, he can doubtlessly development towards The Chase cutline after dropping two spots to nineteenth within the Cup Sequence standings.
Brad Keselowski drives at Naval Base Coronado.
2. Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Began: 1st
Completed: thirty eighth
What occurred: After a pair of disappointing outcomes at Michigan and Pocono, the road race at Naval Base Coronado appeared like the right vacation spot for van Gisbergen to rebound. All the things was going in keeping with plan for the Trackhouse Racing driver till he crashed out of the race throughout a restart on Lap 32, together with his No. 97 Chevrolet struggling heavy harm alongside teammate Connor Zilisch and Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill. Van Gisbergen was understandably annoyed on the missed alternative in Southern California as he completed thirtieth or worse for the third consecutive race.
Commercial
What’s subsequent: SVG’s race-ending Qualcomm Circuit crash harm his probabilities of making The Chase, per Racing Insights. Getting into San Diego, his Chase possibilities sat at 67%. Following the DNF, these odds dropped to twenty.2%. Now, he enters Sonoma because the defending race winner and certain faces a must-win scenario to maintain his hopes of creating The Chase alive after dropping to seventeenth within the Cup Sequence standings. Don’t be shocked if the Trackhouse driver takes the San Diego loss personally and drives with willpower to position the No. 97 Chevrolet on the appropriate facet of the cutline.
Shane van Gisbergen drives at Naval Base Coronado.
3. Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Began: thirty seventh
Commercial
Completed: Thirty ninth
What occurred: Given the bumpy, twisty nature of the three.4-mile Qualcomm Circuit, it was a troublesome weekend for Bell to make left-and-right turns because the Joe Gibbs Racing driver continues to get well from a fractured left wrist suffered at Michigan. Bell struggled in qualifying after rolling off the grid from thirty seventh. He ended up his No. 20 Toyota to NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Elements Sequence common Brent Crews, who supposed to complete the race till a , leading to a Thirty ninth-place end. This was Bell’s third straight end of twenty sixth or worse, dropping him to twelfth within the Cup Sequence standings.
What’s subsequent: After nursing his injured wrist on the Southern California avenue course close to San Diego, it makes one marvel if the No. 20 group will want 18-year-old Crews to alleviate Bell for the second consecutive week. If Bell can go the gap in wine nation, he’s using a streak of three straight high 10s on the 1.99-mile highway course.
Christopher Bell drives at Naval Base Coronado.
