Coca-Cola 600 highlights action-packed Memorial Day Weekend at Charlotte
Another fun-filled weekend is on deck for the NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway with the 62nd running of the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: Coca-Cola 600
The Place: Charlotte Motor Speedway
The Date: Sunday, May 30
The Time: 6 p.m. ET
TV: FOX, 5:30 p.m. ET
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 600 miles (400 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 100),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 200), Stage 3 (Ends on Lap 300), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 400)
Charlotte Motor Speedway is one of the most historic venues on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule. The famous facility is a 1.5-mile, paved oval with 24 degrees of banking in the turns and is located just outside Charlotte, North Carolina.
This weekend’s scheduled procedures will be action-packed, with practice and qualifying taking place, making Charlotte the fourth of eight race weekends this season with designated practice and qualifying.
The lone NASCAR Cup Series Practice will take place at 7:00 – 7:50 p.m. ET (Friday, May 28) and can be viewed on FS1 from 7-8 p.m. ET. The Busch Pole Qualifying session will be held on Saturday at 11:05 a.m. ET (May 30) and can viewed on FS1 from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. ET.
Charlotte Motor Speedway has hosted 122 NASCAR Cup Series races all-time – the fourth most in series history behind Daytona (148), Martinsville (145) and Richmond (129). The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway was on June 19, 1960 and the event was won by driver Joe Lee Johnson driving a Chevrolet for car owner Paul McDuffie.
Charlotte’s 122 Cup races have produced 47 different pole winners, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson with 14 poles (1961, 1972, 1973, 1974 sweep, 1975 sweep, 1976 sweep, 1977 sweep, 1978 sweep, 1982). Roush Fenway Racing’s Ryan Newman leads all active drivers in poles at Charlotte Motor Speedway with nine (2001, 2003 sweep, 2004, 2005, 2007 sweep, 2009 and 2010). Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kurt Busch is the most recent pole winner at Charlotte, winning the pole for last season’s Coca-Cola 600 with a speed of 181.269 mph (29.790 secs.).
Charlotte Motor Speedway has also produced 52 different race winners in the 122 Cup Series races, led by Jimmie Johnson with eight victories (2003 summer, 2004 sweep, 2005 sweep, 2009 Playoffs, 2014 summer, 2016 Playoffs). Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick lead all active drivers in Charlotte wins with three each. Eight of the 52 former Cup Charlotte winners are entered this weekend, with three of the eight still looking for their first victory of the 2021 season – Kevin Harvick, Austin Dillon and Kurt Busch.
| Rank | Active Charlotte Winners | Wins | Seasons |
| 1 | Martin Truex Jr | 3 | 2019, 2017, 2016 |
| 2 | Kevin Harvick | 3 | 2014, 2013, 2011 |
| 3 | Brad Keselowski | 2 | 2020, 2013 |
| 4 | Chase Elliott | 1 | 2020 |
| 5 | Kyle Busch | 1 | 2018 |
| 6 | Austin Dillon | 1 | 2017 |
| 7 | Joey Logano | 1 | 2015 |
| 8 | Kurt Busch | 1 | 2010 |
Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski is the defending winner of the 2020 Coca-Cola 600 will look to become the seventh different driver to win back-to-back Coke 600s; joining Buddy Baker (1972-‘73), Darrell Waltrip (twice: 1978-’79 and 1988-’89), Neil Bonnett (1982-’83), Dale Earnhardt (1992-’93), Jeff Gordon (1997-‘98) and Jimmie Johnson (2003, ’04, ’05) – Johnson leads the series in consecutive Coca-Cola 600 wins with three straight. A win this weekend would also tie Keselowski with Truex and Harvick for most wins among active drivers on the 1.5-mile track.
NASCAR Salutes the Military and their families in Coca-Cola 600
Now in its seventh year, NASCAR Salutes Together with Coca-Cola began at Kansas Speedway on May 2 and concludes this weekend with the return of 600 Miles of Remembrance during the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway taking place Memorial Day weekend (May 30, at 6 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
600 Miles of Remembrance is an annual honor held at the Coca-Cola 600 in which all cars in the field for the race feature the name of a fallen soldier on the windshield. The honor first began in 2015 and has been featured in every Coca-Cola 600 since.
“The NASCAR industry takes tremendous pride in honoring those who serve our country, along with their families and communities,” said Michelle Byron, vice president of partnership marketing, NASCAR. “It’s impossible to describe their sacrifices to protect and support our communities throughout the past year during the pandemic – it’s our privilege to recognize them through NASCAR Salutes annually.”
Hendrick Motorsports on the cusp of history
With Chase Elliott grabbing the win in the rain-shortened NASCAR Cup Series race at Circuit of The Americas, Hendrick Motorsports has tied Petty Enterprises for the series-most wins by a single organization with 268 victories each. This weekend, Hendrick Motorsports has the chance to surpass Petty Enterprises and become the sole leader in wins by a single organization in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Top 10 All-Time NASCAR Cup Series Organization Wins
| Rank | Organization | NCS Wins |
| 1 | Petty Enterprises | 268 |
| Hendrick Motorsports | 268 | |
| 3 | Joe Gibbs Racing | 190 |
| 4 | Roush Fenway Racing | 137 |
| 5 | Junior Johnson & Assoc. | 132 |
| 6 | Team Penske | 128 |
| 7 | Richard Childress Racing | 109 |
| 8 | Wood Brothers Racing | 99 |
| 9 | Holman-Moody Racing | 96 |
| 10 | Stewart-Haas Racing | 65 |
Petty Enterprises and Hendrick Motorsports are the class of the field in their respective eras. Petty Enterprises won its first of their 268 wins in the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series season (1949) with NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Lee Petty taking the checkered flag at Heidelberg Raceway in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Petty Enterprises led eight different drivers to Victory Lane in the NASCAR Cup Series to reach 268 wins; including the series all-time winningest driver and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty with 196 of his record 200 victories coming under the Petty banner. Petty Enterprises secured their final NASCAR Cup Series win on April 18, 1999 at Martinsville Speedway with driver John Andretti. In total the organization competed in the NASCAR Cup Series for more than 50 years bringing home not only wins but also 10 NASCAR Cup Series titles (Lee Petty: 1954, 1958, 1959 and Richard Petty: 1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975 and 1979).
Hendrick Motorsports since coming on the NASCAR Cup Series scene in 1984 (originally called All-Star Racing) and ever since have been a force to reckon with. Hendrick Motorsports scored their first NASCAR Cup Series victory with driver Geoff Bodine at Martinsville Speedway on April 29, 1984; just the organization’s eighth start in the series. Since entering the NASCAR Cup Series, Hendrick Motorsports has led 20 different drivers to Victory Lane; including their winningest driver and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon with 93 Cup victories. Hendrick Motorsports already leads the series in championships with Chase Elliott securing their record 13th NASCAR Cup Series title, the most all-time (2020, ‘16, ’13, ’10, ’09, ’08, ’07, ’06, ’01, ’98, ’97, ’96, ’95) last season.
| Organization | Race Winners | Cup Wins | Organization | Race Winners | Cup Wins | ||
| 1 | Hendrick Motorsports | Jeff Gordon | 93 | Petty Enterprises | Richard Petty | 196 | |
| 2 | Hendrick Motorsports | Jimmie Johnson | 83 | Petty Enterprises | Lee Petty | 54 | |
| 3 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chase Elliott | 12 | Petty Enterprises | Jim Paschal | 9 | |
| 4 | Hendrick Motorsports | Terry Labonte | 12 | Petty Enterprises | Pete Hamilton | 3 | |
| 5 | Hendrick Motorsports | Dale Earnhardt Jr | 9 | Petty Enterprises | Bobby Hamilton | 2 | |
| 6 | Hendrick Motorsports | Darrell Waltrip | 9 | Petty Enterprises | Buddy Baker | 2 | |
| 7 | Hendrick Motorsports | Tim Richmond | 9 | Petty Enterprises | John Andretti | 1 | |
| 8 | Hendrick Motorsports | Geoff Bodine | 7 | Petty Enterprises | Marvin Panch | 1 | |
| 9 | Hendrick Motorsports | Kasey Kahne | 6 | Total | 268 | ||
| 10 | Hendrick Motorsports | Mark Martin | 5 | ||||
| 11 | Hendrick Motorsports | Alex Bowman | 4 | ||||
| 12 | Hendrick Motorsports | Ken Schrader | 4 | ||||
| 13 | Hendrick Motorsports | Kyle Busch | 4 | ||||
| 14 | Hendrick Motorsports | Ricky Rudd | 4 | ||||
| 15 | Hendrick Motorsports | William Byron | 2 | ||||
| 16 | Hendrick Motorsports | Brian Vickers | 1 | ||||
| 17 | Hendrick Motorsports | Casey Mears | 1 | ||||
| 18 | Hendrick Motorsports | Jerry Nadeau | 1 | ||||
| 19 | Hendrick Motorsports | Joe Nemechek | 1 | ||||
| 20 | Hendrick Motorsports | Kyle Larson | 1 | ||||
| Total | 268 |
Elliott is also the most recent series winner at Charlotte Motor Speedway, grabbing the victory last season (5/28/20). A win this weekend at Charlotte could have them celebrating the milestone 269th victory in front of a home town crowd. Hendrick Motorsport’s drivers are hot right now putting up five wins this season; including winning the last two races on the 2021 schedule (Alex Bowman, Dover and Chase Elliott, COTA). And to boot, all four drivers have secured wins this season and are locked into the Playoffs.
With a win this weekend Denny Hamlin could join elite club
Three major pillars within the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, some even refer to them as the ‘Crown Jewel events’ of the series – the Daytona 500, the Southern 500 and this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway – are all extremely difficult to win by themselves, but even more so, is conquering all three. In NASCAR Cup Series history only 11 drivers have won all three major events, and with a win this weekend, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin could be the 12th.
NASCAR Hall of Famer and current FOX Sports TV Analyst Jeff Gordon leads the series in ‘Crown Jewel’ wins with a combined 12 victories across the three events – three Daytona 500 wins (1997, 1999, 2005), six Southern 500s (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2007) and three Coca-Cola 600s (1994, 1997, 1998). Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick is the only active driver to already accomplish the feat with five combined victories across the three historic events – one Daytona 500 (2007), two Southern 500s (2014, 2020) and two Coca-Cola 600s (2011, 2013).
NASCAR Cup Series Drivers With Wins In All Three Events
| Rank | Drivers | Daytona 500 | Southern 500 | Coca-Cola 600 | Combined |
| 1 | Jeff Gordon | 3 | 6 | 3 | 12 |
| 2 | Richard Petty | 7 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| 3 | Bobby Allison | 3 | 4 | 3 | 10 |
| 4 | Jimmie Johnson | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| 5 | Dale Earnhardt | 1 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
| 6 | Darrell Waltrip | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 |
| 7 | David Pearson | 1 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
| 8 | Buddy Baker | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| 9 | Kevin Harvick | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 10 | Matt Kenseth | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 11 | LeeRoy Yarbrough | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Denny Hamlin is one of 10 active drivers that have already won at least one of the three events – the Daytona 500, Southern 500 or Coca-Cola 600 – and leads all active drivers in combined wins of the races with five victories – three Daytona 500s (2016, 2019, 2020) and two Southern 500s (2010, 2017).
Denny Hamlin is one of 10 active drivers that have already won at least one of the three events – the Daytona 500, Southern 500 or Coca-Cola 600 – and leads all active drivers in combined wins of the races with five victories – three Daytona 500s (2016, 2019, 2020) and two Southern 500s (2010, 2017).
Active NASCAR Cup Series Drivers With Wins In At Least One Of The Three Events
| Rank | Active Drivers | Daytona 500 | Southern 500 | Coca-Cola 600 | Combined |
| 1 | Denny Hamlin | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 2 | Martin Truex Jr | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 3 | Austin Dillon | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 4 | Kurt Busch | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 5 | Brad Keselowski | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 6 | Joey Logano | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | Michael McDowell | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | Ryan Newman | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Erik Jones | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | Kyle Busch | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Hamlin is joined by Team Penske’s Joey Logano, Front Row Motorsport’s Michael McDowell, Roush Fenway Racing’s Ryan Newman and Richard Petty Motorsport’s Erik Jones as the drivers with wins in at least one of the three events that are still looking for a Coca-Cola 600 win.
Elliott adds name to wins list last week, to make 200th milestone start this week
It took 14 races into the 2021 season by the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion (2020) Chase Elliott to grab his first win of the year in the rain-shortened inaugural event at the Circuit of the Americas. But with the win, Elliott has locked himself into the Playoffs for the sixth consecutive season in his career (2016-2021) and now turns his attention to and making his 200th NASCAR Cup Series career milestone start this weekend at Charlotte.
In his first 199 NASCAR Cup Series career starts Chase Elliott has put up a series championship (2020), 12 wins, 65 top fives, 104 top 10s and nine poles. Plus, let’s not forget he comes from racing royalty, the Elliotts joined the Pettys (Lee: 1954, ‘58, ‘59 and Richard: 1964, ‘67, ‘71, ‘72, ‘74, ‘75, ‘79), and the Jarretts (Ned: 1961, ‘65 and Dale: 1999) as just the third father-son combo to win NASCAR Cup Series titles. In addition, Chase Elliott, from Dawsonville, Georgia, is the third NASCAR Cup Series champion from the state of Georgia; joining his father NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott (1988) from Dawsonville as well and NASCAR Hall of Famer Tim Flock, a two-time series champion (1952, 1955) from Atlanta. Oh, and the fans like him too, as he became the first series’ Most Popular Driver to win the NASCAR Cup Series championship since 1988 (Bill Elliott).
Heading to Charlotte this weekend, expect Elliott to contend for the win. He has made nine starts on the Charlotte 1.5-mile track posting one win (2020), four top fives and five top 10s. He finished second in the Coca-Cola 600 last season.
Playoff Bubble: Spots for the postseason are dwindling
Last weekend at the Circuit of the Americas the NASCAR Cup Series welcomed its 11th different winner in 14 races this season. Hendrick Motorsport’s Chase Elliott is now locked into the postseason and has the opportunity to become the first driver to win consecutive title since his former teammate Jimmie Johnson accomplished the feat from 2006-2010. Elliott’s win also dwindles the number of available spots for this season’s NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, now down to five total – four by virtue of points or a win and one reserved for the points leader (currently Denny Hamlin).
Following Circuit of The Americas, Richard Childress Racing’s Tyler Reddick strengthened his grip on 16th in driver standings – the final transfer position to the Playoffs – by 38 points over Wood Brothers Racing’s Matt DiBenedetto in 17th.
The most successful driver at Charlotte Motor Speedway on the Playoff bubble still looking for his first win of the 2021 season is Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick. Harvick is currently a comfortable 132 points ahead of the Playoff cutoff heading into this weekend. Harvick has made 38 series starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway posting three wins, nine top fives and 19 top 10s. He finished fifth in the Coca-Cola 600 last season.
| 2021 Driver Playoff Outlook Following Race No. 14 – Drivers Without Wins | ||||||
| Rank | Driver | Points | Wins | Stages | Playoff Pts | Pts From Cutoff |
| 12 | Denny Hamlin | 597 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 301 |
| 13 | Kevin Harvick | 428 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 132 |
| 14 | Austin Dillon | 366 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 70 |
| 15 | Chris Buescher | 338 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 42 |
| 16 | Tyler Reddick | 334 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 |
| 17 | Matt DiBenedetto | 296 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -38 |
| 18 | Kurt Busch | 286 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -48 |
| 19 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 281 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -53 |
| 20 | Ross Chastain | 276 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -58 |
| 21 | Ryan Newman | 273 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -61 |
| 22 | * Ryan Preece | 254 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -80 |
| 23 | Bubba Wallace | 250 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -84 |
| 24 | Daniel Suarez | 246 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -88 |
| 25 | Chase Briscoe # | 237 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -97 |
| 26 | Erik Jones | 224 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -110 |
| 27 | Cole Custer | 220 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -114 |
| 28 | Aric Almirola | 180 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -154 |
| 29 | Anthony Alfredo # | 153 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -181 |
| 30 | Corey LaJoie | 150 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -184 |
Harvick is not the only former Charlotte winner looking for a win this season, Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon won the 2017 Coca-Cola 600 and Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kurt Busch won the 2010 Coca-Cola 600. Dillon has made 12 series starts at Charlotte posting a win and three top 10s; he finished 14th in the Coke 600 last season. Kurt Busch has made 39 series starts at Charlotte posting one win, eight top fives and 15 top 10s.
Kurt Busch’s brother Kyle is the only driver in series history to win in all three NASCAR national series at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Three Cup drivers looking for their first wins of the 2021 season that have won at Charlotte in the NASCAR Xfinity Series previously, are Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman and Tyler Reddick.
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a great place for first-time winners
When it comes to getting your first win in the NASCAR Cup Series, nowhere beats Daytona International Speedway with 21 first-time winners. But when it comes to 1.5-mile tracks, none have produced more first-time winners than Charlotte Motor Speedway with 10 – fourth-most all-time behind Daytona (21), Martinsville (12), and Talladega (11).
The most recent driver to win his first career NASCAR Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway was Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon, who collected his first checkered flag back in 2017.
| First-Time Cup Winners at Charlotte | Date |
| Austin Dillon | Sunday, May 28, 2017 |
| David Reutimann | Monday, May 25, 2009 |
| Casey Mears | Sunday, May 27, 2007 |
| Jamie McMurray | Sunday, October 13, 2002 |
| Matt Kenseth | Sunday, May 28, 2000 |
| Bobby Labonte | Sunday, May 28, 1995 |
| Jeff Gordon | Sunday, May 29, 1994 |
| Charlie Glotzbach | Sunday, October 20, 1968 |
| Buddy Baker | Sunday, October 15, 1967 |
| David Pearson | Sunday, May 28, 1961 |
The 2021 season has already seen two first-time winners in Michael McDowell (Daytona 500) and Christopher Bell (Daytona RC). In the Modern Era (1972-Present) the most first-time winners the NASCAR Cup Series has seen in a single season is five in 2001 and 2011.
NASCAR Cup Series, Etc.
The Samantha and Kyle Busch Bundle of Joy Fund night of fun at Topgolf Charlotte – This week the Samantha and Kyle Busch Bundle of Joy Fund is hosting a night of fun and fundraising at Topgolf Charlotte. Top NASCAR personalities and fans will gather to raise money to support the mission of The Samantha and Kyle Busch Bundle of Joy Fund. The evening will include a fan autograph session with NASCAR driver Kyle Busch, golfing fun, and a silent auction.
The Samantha and Kyle Busch Bundle of Joy Fund is dedicated to advocating for infertility education and awareness and removing financial barriers by granting monetary awards to couples who require fertility treatments to have their own bundle of joy.
The event will be held Thursday, May 28 at Top Golf Charlotte. Please RSVP to Jen Hebert – jen.hebert@kylebusch.com or 704-526-9180 if your outlet would like to attend.
Joey Logano Foundation partners with Convoy of Hope and Arby’s Foundation for essential supplies distribution event – The Joey Logano Foundation, Convoy of Hope and the Arby’s Foundation announced this week they will team-up with the goal of distributing 35,000 lbs. of groceries and essential supplies to more than 1,000 families through a mobile, drive-thru event this Saturday, May 29 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET at 2700 E. Independence Blvd., Charlotte, N.C.
Big names listed as dignitaries this weekend at Charlotte – Legendary talk-show host and avid car collector Jay Leno will be joined by his former The Tonight Show musical director, Kevin Eubanks, to offer the most famous words in motorsports – ‘Drivers, Start Your Engines’ – when the pair serve as grand marshals for the 62nd running of the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, May 30 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Together for 15 years on The Tonight Show, the longtime friends and television stars will launch a new network comedy program, ‘You Bet Your Life’ on FOX this fall.
Joining the star-studded affair, Carolina Panthers’ All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey will pilot the Toyota Camry TRD as the honorary pace car driver, leading the field of NASCAR Cup Series drivers to the green flag to start the crown jewel event.
Additional dignitaries for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 include:
Presentation of Colors: Official Color Guard of the U.S. Marine Corps, Marine Barracks Washington
State of Freedom Address: Admiral Karl L. Schultz, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard
Invocation: Brian Koyn, Division Chaplain at 82nd Airborne Division, U.S. Army
National anthem: MU1 Megan Weikleenget, U.S. Coast Guard
Honorary Starter: Jim Whaley, USO Southeast Regional President