U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth will soon wave the green flag to start a NASCAR Cup Series race at Naval Base Coronado in California, marking the first time the series has taken place on an active military installation scheduled for Sunday, June 21.
A Milestone for Military and Motorsports
The weekend, billed as a tribute to the armed forces, will feature two support races — the Anduril 250 and the Navy 250 — with Rear Admiral Rich Jarrett slated to serve as grand marshal for the Navy 250.
Hegseth, a former Army National Guard major and longtime Fox News host, brings a military‑focused perspective to the ceremony, having previously criticized NATO allies for insufficient defense spending and earned two bronze stars for his service in Iraq and Afghanistan, and he previously served as grand marshal for the Coca‑Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The centerpiece Cup Series race will run on a 3.4‑mile superspeedway, the longest track of the season, with drivers completing 75 laps for a total distance of roughly 255 miles, and the event will be broadcast live on Amazon Prime, extending the streaming platform’s partnership with NASCAR that began earlier this year.
The ceremony underscores a growing intersection of defense policy and popular sports, as military leaders and media personalities collaborate to honor service members through a uniquely American racing tradition.