With Shane Van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch not entered, who is the favorite to win the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at the Coronado Naval Base?
Thomas Dunn: Let’s get chaotic. It’s been an up-and-down 2026 for Austin Green, but if there’s calamity within the field, as one may expect, he can play spoiler for what would be a much-needed boost to his season. The bulk of his top 10s have come at road courses, and he’s been on pace with Jordan Anderson Racing and Peterson Racing. He has showcased top-5/7 speed when going left and right. Sometimes this sport delivers some of its biggest left-field moments on a big stage, and this could be another.
Mark Kristl: Brent Crews and Justin Allgaier are my 1-2 candidates. Crews has a strong road course racing background, and he nearly won both the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL and the ARCA Menards Series race at Lime Rock Park last year. While he didn’t capture the checkered flag, the fact that he challenged top Truck drivers and nearly won an inaugural ARCA event shows his talent. Allgaier, meanwhile, is the experienced veteran. Over half of his O’Reilly Series road course races have ended with top 10s.
Christopher Hansen: Allgaier has been on an absolute tear this season, scoring a series-leading five wins and boasting a whopping 250-point lead over second-place Jesse Love in the standings. While Allgaier hasn’t won a road course race in the NOAPS since 2018, he’s been the favorite virtually every weekend, and that trend will continue this weekend at San Diego.
Steve Leffew: Most will say Crews, and he’s a great choice. Sam Mayer is my choice. There was a time not so long ago when Mayer was the guy to beat on the road courses in the O’Reilly Series. His experience and road course prowess should give him the edge.
What do you expect from Kevin Magnussen’s NASCAR Cup Series debut?
Hansen: Kevin Magnussen will finish all the laps running the Project 91 entry, but will ultimately struggle to finish in the 30th position. As we’ve seen with Connor Zilisch throughout his rookie season in the Cup Series, the Next Gen car has a very steep learning curve for anyone with little Cup experience. That will be the case this weekend for Magnussen in his Cup Series debut.
Leffew: Magnussen is talented, but so is Kimi Raikkonen. So was Kamui Kobayshi. Magnussen is jumping into a task that will require more than talent. If he finishes in the top 15, it would be a win. Perhaps a showing like that will lead to more opportunities to build on his experience in the Next Gen car and make him more of a factor in the future.
Kristl: It is still incredibly difficult to compete in the Cup Series – just ask Zilisch. As such, Trackhouse Racing has endured a down year in terms of performance. If Magnussen can score a top 20 and battle inside the top 15, that’d be a solid day.
Dunn: Magnussen’s day will end with getting caught in someone else’s mess. I hope he runs all the laps, but I immediately think of the Chicago street course, Carson Hocevar‘s recent courtesy, and how Magnuseen may just become a victim of circumstance. Making it home to the finish would be a big win, and hopefully he can continue to learn what the Cup Series is like before any other potential opportunities down the line.
What should the plan be for staying in SoCal after this year?
Kristl: Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway should be on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule as a companion race weekend with the ARCA Menards Series West. The facility can host the Truck Series, and NASCAR can adjust any race procedures to ensure a successful, safe event. It’s too good a short track not to be on the schedule.
Dunn: Whatever it takes, get Fontana back. As a California resident, it’s not like you can just build a racetrack in the middle of the Central Valley, so you need to find something that’s sustainable, and a military base won’t always be available. Outside of Auto Club Speedway, there aren’t any facilities that could host a Cup Series race. If they wanted to try a downtown Los Angeles street race for a year, then they might get some nice attention.
Leffew: Bring back Auto Club. We all want to see it, but it seems the ship has sailed, even on the original expectation that it would be converted to a short track. Your guess is as good as mine there. I never loved the racing at the LA Coliseum. It was too slow and too short to allow quality racing.
Hansen: With NASCAR no longer competing at the LA Coliseum, and with San Diego likely only being a one-year deal, it’s tough to say what NASCAR’s future in Southern California will be for the foreseeable future. I’d like to see the series return to Auto Club, but the track has been demolished since the last Cup race in 2023. With talks of the Chicago street course making a return to the schedule, maybe a new street course race might be on the horizon.
Who’s the biggest free agent left now that Chris Buescher is off the board?
Leffew: Noah Gragson is the biggest remaining free agent. His results in the Cup Series have been lackluster, but let us not forget he’s never really driven for a quality team at the Cup level. The last time he was in a solid ride, he won eight races in 2022 in the O’Reilly Series with an average finish of 8.1. He’s also very popular with fans and has strong sponsorship relationships, such as with Bass Pro Shops. Add it all up, and you’ve got a guy who would be an asset to any team as long as he can stay focused and out of trouble.
Dunn: There’s a lot of smoke surrounding Alex Bowman‘s future, and we just don’t know what he or Hendrick Motorsports will decide to do for the 2027 season. There aren’t a ton of dominoes to fall necessarily to this point with the re-signings of Tyler Reddick and Chris Buescher, but Bowman’s choice can certainly make car owners raise their eyebrows a little bit.
Hansen: Bowman has battled his share of injuries over the past few seasons and is currently 32nd in the standings after missing several races earlier in the year due to vertigo. This is a contract year for Bowman, and if the results don’t start improving soon, Bowman might find himself out of the No. 48 at season’s end.
Kristl: Josh Berry probably flies under the radar as a top free agent, but look at his record. He was successful in NOAPS competition and accrued three top 10s in a 10-race Cup stint in 2023. He showed moments of running up front in 2024 and then won, thereby earning a playoff spot in 2025. Yes, he is struggling mightily in 2026. It’s his career-worst year at an inopportune time, but he is still a Cup-level driver who fans can relate to, who won’t cause any trouble for team owners or sponsors and who has a trophy.
Mark Kristl joined Frontstretch at the beginning of the 2019 NASCAR season. He is the site's ARCA Menards Series editor. Kristl is also an Eagle Scout and a proud University of Dayton alum.
Thomas is in his second year covering NASCAR at Frontstretch. A Bay Area NASCAR fan for over 15+ years, he found his love for the sport through Jeff Gordon. He helps manage the 2-Headed Monster Column.
Thomas has enjoyed several trips to Sonoma Raceway in his time and currently covers college athletics in the Bay Area, writing about the California Golden Bears and doing play by play broadcasting.
Steve Leffew joined Frontstretch in 2023 and covers the Xfinity Series. He has served honorably in the United States Air Force and and lives in Wisconsin.
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