Caltrans is warning San Diego drivers to brace for heavy traffic around the Coronado Bridge and nearby freeways during NASCAR San Diego weekend, as the first-ever races at Naval Base Coronado bring tens of thousands of people into the area from June 19-21.
The warning lands just as grandstand tickets for Sunday’s Anduril Race the Base 250 are completely sold out, meaning the heaviest travel will hit even as demand for entry remains at its peak. Caltrans said long delays are anticipated on the Coronado Bridge and State Route 75, along with surrounding roadways and freeways through downtown San Diego.
To keep traffic moving, Caltrans said it will configure the managed lanes movable barrier along the San Diego –Coronado Bay Bridge and use message signs on Interstate 5 between Interstate 8 and State Route 905 to push live traffic alerts. Drivers who are not going to the races are being told to stay away from Coronado and its State Route 75 entry points, while those headed to the event are being steered toward other options.
Those options include biking, carpooling, rideshare, the Coronado Ferry and service from the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System to the NASNI Transit Center. All official parking is on Naval Base Coronado, where a valid ID is required to enter and a digital color-coded parking pass is required to park in NASCAR San Diego lots.
That parking system matters because the event is built around a single access point and a base gate, which can slow even a well-planned arrival when the roads are already crowded. Parking lots open at 7 a.m., and NASCAR says fans can stay late for post-race activities while traffic clears, with Fan Zone vendors staying open longer, live entertainment on site and special giveaways for the first 10,000 fans through the gates each day.
Caltrans is directing drivers to.gov for real-time traffic updates as the weekend unfolds. For everyone headed to Coronado, the message is plain: expect the drive to take longer than usual, and plan as if the bridge and the approach roads will be working at capacity.
