Thunder Today: Fast Friday — Larson on NASCAR 26, San Diego Weekend, and a Helmet for Heroes

On the USS Midway in downtown San Diego, NASCAR and iRacing Studios revealed Kyle Larson as the cover driver for NASCAR 26 — complete with flight-deck burnouts — and confirmed the new Qualcomm Circuit will be playable in the game. The event closed with a donation to Freedom Park and the USS Midway Museum, tying the spectacle to the local military community.

Plus: Jimmie Johnson’s race-worn "Helmet of Heroes" goes to eBay auction June 21 to benefit firefighter safety through The NASCAR Foundation and the NFFF; Trackhouse’s PROJECT91 brings Kevin Magnussen to a Cup car at Naval Base Coronado with Qualcomm’s Dragonwing AI support; patriotic paint schemes, in-car cameras and special broadcast coverage round out a high-tech, human-focused San Diego race weekend.