Del Mar Racing Transportation - 2026 Season Hub
Racing Thursdays-Sundays plus Labor Day · first post 2:00 PM PT (1:30 PM closing weekend) · your driver handles the I-5 / Via de la Valle interchange
📞 Reserve your ride - (858) 522-0264
Standard race day $120 i7 / $160 Rivian R1S / $200 Escalade IQ-L · marquee days $150 / $200 / $250 - no time cap · (858) 522-0264
TL;DR
The 2026 Del Mar summer meet runs July 17 - September 7: racing Thursday-Sunday plus Labor Day Monday, first post 2:00 PM PT (1:30 PM on closing weekend, Sep 5-7). EGT covers all 33 race days with a flat round trip from anywhere in metro San Diego: standard $120 BMW i7 (2, $60/seat) / $160 Rivian R1S (up to 4, $40/seat) / $200 Escalade IQ-L (up to 5, $40/seat); marquee days (Opening Day, Opening Weekend, Pacific Classic, Closing Day) are $150 / $200 / $250. Admission-gate drop-off, driver staged through the card, no hourly clock. Each vehicle runs two round trips per race day (early drop + late drop). Every date below has its own page with a reserve form. Call (858) 522-0264.
The rate - standard race days vs marquee days
Every Del Mar ride is a flat round trip from anywhere in metro San Diego, locked at booking - no surge, no hourly clock, no per-mile meter. There are two rate tiers: a standard rate for ordinary race days and a marquee rate for the meet's biggest crowds. Both cover the whole afternoon, both legs.
| Vehicle | Standard race day | Marquee day | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMW i7 | $120 ($60/seat) | $150 ($75/seat) | 2 |
| Rivian R1S | $160 ($40/seat) | $200 ($50/seat) | up to 4 |
| Cadillac Escalade IQ-L | $200 ($40/seat) | $250 ($50/seat) | up to 5 |
Opening Day (Fri Jul 17) is SOLD OUT — all three EGT vehicles booked as of July 11, six days before first post; cancellation list only. Sat Jul 18 and Sun Jul 19 each have ONE vehicle left. Marquee days are Opening Day (Fri Jul 17), Opening Weekend (Sat Jul 18 & Sun Jul 19), Pacific Classic Day (Sat Aug 22), and Closing Day on Labor Day (Mon Sep 7) - the highest-attendance cards of the meet. Every other race day is standard. The per-seat math means a four- or five-person group rides for $40-$50 a head round trip, less than a single surged rideshare leg at let-out.
Two round trips per vehicle - early arrival + late drop
Each EGT vehicle runs two round trips per race day: an early arrival drop for people who want the full card and the paddock, and a later drop for the crowd that comes for the last few races and the stretch run. The late-drop party then picks their return - a beat-the-traffic pickup staged before the final race, or an unwind pickup about 30 to 45 minutes after the card ends, once the lot has thinned. The driver stages in the Del Mar area through the card, not dispatched from across the county.
Because there are only a limited number of early and late slots per vehicle, race days book up - and marquee days like Opening Day and Pacific Classic fill first. Check live availability above and reserve early; when all slots are taken the date is sold out and we open a cancellation list.
Flying in or basing in San Diego for the meet?
Del Mar's summer season draws racing fans, owners, and "Turf Meets the Surf" visitors from out of town - especially for Opening Day and Pacific Classic, which pull a fashion-and-racing crowd that doesn't know how the I-5 / Via de la Valle corridor behaves on a race afternoon. EGT covers the whole trip, not just the track: SAN airport pickup when you land, your hotel, and the round trip to Del Mar on race day - one operator, flat rates, named driver, no surge. Staying for several cards? We can hold the same vehicle across the dates you're in town. Out of town and planning by phone? Call or text (858) 522-0264 and an owner walks you through airport timing, hotel-to-track, and the post-card exit before you book.
Every 2026 race day
Standard rate applies unless tagged Marquee. Tap any date for leave-by timing and a reserve form.
Race dates, post times, and stakes per the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club official 2026 season page and 2026 stakes schedule, checked .
Why a flat-rate car beats driving to Del Mar
Race-day traffic at Del Mar stacks three flows into two exits: racegoers on I-5, beach traffic on Camino del Mar, and Via de la Valle surface congestion. On-site and satellite parking queues add time on both ends of the card. A pre-booked car drops you at the admission gates and stages nearby - you skip the lot queue in both directions, and the rate never changes with traffic or demand.
Leaving from downtown San Diego or the Gaslamp, plan to depart 12:30-1:00 PM for a 2:00 PM first post; La Jolla/UTC about 1:00-1:15 PM; North County coastal by 1:15 PM. On closing weekend (1:30 PM first post) and marquee days, leave 30 minutes earlier. Arriving mid-card instead? The flat rate doesn't change - tell us your target race.
Flat rate, no clock - every race day
Standard $120 i7 / $160 Rivian R1S / $200 Escalade IQ-L · marquee days $150 / $200 / $250, round trip from anywhere in metro San Diego. Two round trips per vehicle - early + late. Driver staged through the last race.
Call (858) 522-0264