NASCAR is set to make history with the Anduril 250, its inaugural race staged on an active U.S. military installation at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, California. The event marks the first time the series has taken place on a live base, blending the tradition of stock car racing with the disciplined environment of a naval airfield.
The custom Qualcomm circuit, already accessible in NASCAR 25 and iRacing, attracted more than 155,000 laps in its opening week from players across 72 countries, highlighting the rapid adoption of the virtual layout and the growing convergence of motorsport and gaming.
Digital and Physical Converge
Kyle Larson, the 2021 NASCAR champion, was revealed as the cover driver for NASCAR 26 during a ceremony on the historic USS Midway museum ship. He celebrated the moment with a series of burnouts in his No. 5 Chevy Camaro ZL1, a performance that will be immortalized in Fortnite’s Rocket Racing mode, where eight teams will showcase specially designed liveries.
The same Qualcomm layout will also go live in Roblox’s Driving Empire on Friday, expanding the circuit’s reach to a platform that boasts over 45 million players and 400 million lifetime visits, underscoring NASCAR’s strategy to meet fans where they game.
To further amplify the race, NASCAR has partnered with Twitch for Sunday’s Cup Series broadcast, enlisting streamers Agent 00 and ExtraEmily to bring the action to a broader, digitally savvy audience.