SAN DIEGO, Cal. (June 19, 2026) — NASCAR and iRacing Studios unveiled NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson as the cover driver for NASCAR 26 during a live event Thursday evening aboard the historic USS Midway in downtown San Diego.
The event served as both the official cover reveal for NASCAR 26 and a media kickoff ahead of NASCAR San Diego Race Weekend at Naval Base Coronado.
Following remarks from NASCAR Vice President of Interactive & Emerging Platforms Nick Rend and iRacing Studios Vice President and Senior Producer Matt Lewis, attendees received new details about NASCAR 26, including confirmation that the Qualcomm Circuit at Naval Base Coronado will be featured in the game.
The evening’s signature moment came when Larson made a surprise entrance aboard the USS Midway flight deck in the NASCAR 26 cover car, performing a series of burnouts before joining Lewis on stage for the official reveal of the game’s cover art.
During the program, Larson discussed being selected as the face of NASCAR 26, the role gaming plays in growing the sport, and the upcoming NASCAR San Diego Race Weekend.
The event concluded with NASCAR presenting a donation in support of Freedom Park and the USS Midway Museum, recognizing the organizations’ contributions to preserving the stories of military service and leadership in the San Diego community.
Developed by iRacing Studios, NASCAR 26 is scheduled to launch in September 2026.
Additional assets, including event photos and NASCAR 26 cover art, can be found here.
About iRacing
The world leader in the online racing simulation and gaming market, iRacing was founded in 2003 by Dave Kaemmer, co-founder of Papyrus Design Group, and John Henry, principal owner of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool Football Club and co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing. iRacing has developed dozens of formal partnerships in the motorsport industry to help create the most authentic racing simulation in the world, including with NASCAR, INDYCAR, the FIA, Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, and numerous other car manufacturers, tracks, and racing series. Alongside its PC simulation, iRacing also produces the official console games of NASCAR (beginning in 2025) and the World of Outlaws, as well as the fantasy off-road racing game ExoCross. Learn more at www.iracing.com.
