Reflections on Bringing NASCAR to Coronado

When I stepped onto Naval Air Station North Island for the first time on September 30, 2024, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was getting myself into.

I was there to meet with Navy officials, tour the base, and wrap my head around a crazy idea that my teammate Amy Lupo had been talking to me about for months.

The second I walked onto the base, I knew how much work lay ahead. At the same time, I could immediately see the opportunity. Events of this scale and prestige don’t come around often, and I knew this would be one of those projects that would challenge every person involved.

Countless site visits, hundreds of calls, and thousands of tasks later, there I was standing proudly on the start/finish line as the boss welcomed a live and television audience to San Diego. Surrounded by sailors and cheered on by race fans from around the world, I watched something that once seemed impossible become reality.

We had gone from a walk-through on an active military base to hosting one of the most unique events in motorsports.

We were racing in Coronado.

The crazy idea Amy had been talking about for months had become reality.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank our fearless leader, Amy Lupo, for trusting us with this opportunity, supporting us through every step of the journey, and allowing us to be part of something truly special. Great leaders create opportunities for their teams to do meaningful work, and Amy gave all of us the chance to be part of something special.

There are moments during every event when the adrenaline slows down for just a second. For me, that happened a few times throughout the weekend as I looked around North Island and thought back to that first site visit. What had started as an ambitious idea had become reality because hundreds of people refused to let it fail.

As I reflected on the week, I kept coming back to one thought: this event was built by an incredible team.

The reality is there were hundreds of people who made this event possible, and it’s impossible to recognize everyone in a single article. These are simply a few of the teams I worked most closely with and some of the moments that stood out to me during the week.

What I’ll remember most, though, won’t be the helicopters, the television cameras, or even the race itself. It’ll be the people behind it

Event Experience

This team was responsible for pre- and post-race ceremonies, Fan Zones, NASCAR activations (including the NASCAR Experience and NASCAR LEGO City Kids Zone), driver and celebrity programming, and countless other guest-facing elements.

Of all our groups, they probably carried the biggest lift and the longest planning cycle. Through every challenge, they kept their heads down, stayed calm, and executed at an incredibly high level.

My favorite moment came after the race while watching team leader Hilary Adams celebrate with the flyover crew at the world-famous I-Bar. Hilary is one of the most passionate and driven people I know. Seeing her take a moment to enjoy the victory after months of work was something special.

Executive Services

Executive Services is our newest team, having been established less than two months ago.

Despite being small, they had an enormous responsibility. Nearly every executive they support was on-site, creating constant demands for credentialing, transportation, logistics, scheduling, and problem solving.

I couldn’t be prouder of what they accomplished.

The highlight for me was watching members of this team interact with our most senior leaders and earn trust and credibility one step at a time. They lead with a servant’s heart, and it shows in everything they do.

The future is bright for this department.

Creative & Talent Management

Most of the year, these ladies get to work on what many would consider the fun stuff.

Our meetings are filled with brainstorming sessions, show concepts, stage designs, talent discussions, and creative ideas. But when event week arrives, they transform from ideators into implementers.

Every time I turned around, they were on a phone call, buried in email responses, or running across North Island making something happen.

One of my favorite moments was watching them take in the pre-race show as the Ignition Crew performed alongside the Navy drill team while drivers emerged from a stage that started as little more than a sketch on a piece of paper.

Watching an idea become reality never gets old.

Signature Hospitality

Twelve months ago, we started designing what our hospitality program would become.

We debated layouts, price points, staffing models, guest experiences, and operational plans. We spent months asking ourselves what success would look like.

I’m proud to say we sold out every hospitality product we created.

Guests showed up in numbers we had hoped for and fully embraced the experience we had spent a year building. More importantly, they created memories. After three days of racing, a friend who attended 1948 sent me a note simply saying the experience was “truly special”.

That message meant a lot.

This team probably absorbed more logistical challenges than anyone else during the week. Yet they never stopped moving forward. They found resources, solved problems, served guests, and delivered an outstanding experience.

There are two moments I’ll remember.

First, ticket sales for 1948 were slow early on. Rather than panic, the team leader kept grinding. She toured the space, talked with customers, and stayed focused on the goal. On Saturday night, she called me to proudly tell me she had sold the final remaining ticket.

We were officially sold out.

I loved that moment for her because she earned it.

Second, I had two freelance teammates named Sam working with us in spaces serving more than 5,000 guests. Hearing them tell me this was one of the hardest events they had ever worked—immediately followed by a list of recommendations for next year—was a reminder of what true professionals look like.

I am incredibly grateful for both Sams.

Special Event Production

This team worked tirelessly to make sure every special event actually felt special.

From a welcome party aboard the USS Carl Vinson, to a downtown broadcast reception, a race-day partner brunch, the Drivers Meeting, and a post-event toast at the I-Bar, they balanced requests from every corner of the business while maintaining a positive attitude throughout.

My favorite moment was the Drivers Meeting.

For the last year, leadership has challenged us to make this experience more memorable. With a little encouragement, some creative thinking, and a lot of collaboration, we delivered something different.

As sailors and NASCAR Cup Series drivers entered through smoke and around a helicopter, the room erupted. The standing ovation that followed was one of those moments that reminds you why we do this.

If goosebumps were currency, this team would be incredibly wealthy.

The Team Behind the Team

I spent 13 years at JHE Production Group before joining NASCAR, and today I still have the opportunity to work alongside many of those same teammates every week.

Some of these people I’ve known for more than twenty years. I’ve hired some of them. I’ve attended their weddings. I’ve mourned with them at funerals. I’ve watched them grow personally and professionally over the course of decades.

One of the things that makes me most proud is that, during events like this, I genuinely lose track of who works for NASCAR and who works for JHE.

That’s when you know you’ve built a real team.

(Hypothetically speaking, of course. I’m not senile yet.)

What matters is that they operate as one team.

These men and women are exceptional. They thrive on challenges. The harder the assignment, the more energized they become.

More importantly, they’re people I genuinely enjoy sharing these experiences with.

Coronado gave them plenty to be excited about.

Around midnight on Sunday, I received a text from one of their leaders saying she was grateful that we still get to share moments like San Diego together.

I couldn’t have said it any better myself.

I am privileged to share moments like that with her and with so many others who have been part of this journey.

Grateful

This was a true team effort.

There are far too many people to recognize individually, but I want every person involved to know how grateful I am to work alongside you.

I hope each of you takes a moment to slow down and appreciate what was accomplished.

Long after the attendance numbers, revenue reports, television ratings, and social media posts are forgotten, I’ll remember the people. I’ll remember the pride on teammates’ faces, the relationships that made difficult days easier, and the opportunity to work alongside some incredibly talented professionals.

Those are the things that stay with you.

Not everyone gets the opportunity to work on something they’ll remember for the rest of their career.

This was one of those events for me.

Together, we celebrated the 250th anniversary of our country alongside the men and women who protect it while showcasing the sport we all love.

It was an incredible privilege.

And if we’re lucky, maybe we’ll get the chance to do it again someday.

Although next time, I’d like to propose electric scooters.

My legs are still angry about the 93,000 steps.

Until next time.

You stay classy, San Diego.