SMBA '26 Volunteers at Inaugural NASCAR San Diego Race

The Sports MBA Class of 2026 volunteered with the Guest Services team at the inaugural NASCAR race held aboard Naval Base Coronado, getting an up-close look at large-scale live event operations during a historic first for both NASCAR and San Diego.

A few days before the race, the cohort welcomed Chris Carlson, an SDSU alumnus now with NASCAR, who visited the class to preview the event and share insights into NASCAR's partnership structure and the opportunities major events create for brands, communities, and fans. Chris highlighted NASCAR's motto, "where thrill creates passion, passion creates community," a theme that set the tone for the weekend ahead.

On race weekend, SMBA '26 students put that context to work on the ground, scanning tickets, directing guests to their seats, answering questions, and managing the ADA section for a crowd of thousands. Students also had the chance to learn from Warner Anderson, whose perspective on event management offered a deeper appreciation for everything that goes into bringing a large-scale live event to life.

"Running a race on an active military base added a whole layer of complexity you don't think about with a normal venue, and seeing how NASCAR and the Navy pulled that off was honestly really impressive. I also loved walking around and checking out the brand activations. Red Bull and Anduril both had some really standout setups that showed how creative brands are getting at these events." - Grace Miller

A special thank you to NASCAR, Sports San Diego, Chris Carlson, and Warner Anderson for the opportunity to be part of a weekend the cohort won't forget.