NASCAR Cup Series star William Byron has admitted that he was believes this weekend's Coronado Naval Base track is 'way more complicated' than the inaugural street race in Chicago.
This weekend sees NASCAR race on an active naval base for the first time in its history, celebrating 250 years of the US Navy with an extravagant street course event.
Drivers have been forced to try to learn the track on the simulators in the buildup to this weekend, with Friday's Truck Series practice session the first time that any NASCAR drivers will take to the track in their race cars.
Full-time drivers have also been prohibited from running in multiple series this weekend, meaning the likes of Connor Zilisch and Shane van Gisbergen won't get to go out and dominate the O'Reilly Series while picking up some extra track info.
READ MORE: NASCAR confirms Cup, O'Reilly and Truck Series entry lists for San Diego race at Coronado Naval Base
Byron: You're going to see dive bombs
Speaking ahead of his first real taste of the track, Hendrick Motorsports star Byron explained: “The middle of the course is very difficult, like there’s a lot of open sections.
"There’s just a lot of open space that is really not used, so I think you’re going to see a lot of passing opportunities through there. You’re going to see dive bombs because you can give up an exit just to get position on someone…
"It is way more complicated, I feel like, than Chicago was the first time.”
His team-mate and reigning Cup Series champion Kyle Larson admitted that he's also not fully dialled into the circuit yet, saying: “The track is definitely bumpy, but that’s pretty normal for a street course.
“Right now, it’s all about figuring out the corners. I still need more laps to identify the most optimal lines, angles, and approaches through some of the sections.”
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