Coca-Cola 600
The Coca-Cola 600, originally the World 600, is an annual 600-mile (970 km) NASCAR Cup Series points race held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, on a Sunday during Memorial Day weekend.In the spring of 1959, Curtis Turner returned to Charlotte, North Carolina, after viewing Bill France Sr.'s Daytona International Speedway and had an idea of building a race track in the surrounding area.[3] Smith and Turner formed an alliance to build the track, and they signed a contract with NASCAR to run a 600-mile event on Memorial Day.After the installation of lights in 1992, fans asked circuit management to start the race later in the day because of the notorious North Carolina heat and humidity.They wanted to follow The Winston's popularity the previous week and switch the race to a nighttime finish to create cooler temperatures for spectators.Experts disagreed over whether, for health and safety reasons, anyone should be allowed to race 1100 miles in one day, but no regulation has been set by any governing body to prevent it.The Indianapolis 500 start time was moved back to noon Eastern in 2011, since 2011, only 2 drivers have attempted the Double Duty, with the most recent being Kyle Larson in 2024, however, due to rain, he was unable to race in the Coca-Cola 600.As part of the race’s annual tribute to the United States military, "Amazing Grace" (performed by the Charlotte Fire Department Pipe Band) and "Taps" are played prior to the National Anthem in memory of members of the Armed Forces who lost their life in the line of duty.
NASCAR Cup SeriesCharlotte Motor SpeedwayConcord, North CarolinaUnited StatessponsorCoca-ColaDarrell WaltripHendrick MotorsportsChevroletMemorial DayIndianapolis 500IndyCar SeriesDouble Dutyauto racingMonaco Grand PrixFormula OneChristopher BellCurtis TurnerCharlotte, North CarolinaBill France Sr.Daytona International SpeedwayCabarrus County, North CarolinaBruton SmithPinevillegraniteThe Winstonparabolic reflectorsdaylight saving timeKyle LarsonFerko lawsuitWinston MillionNASCARAmazing GraceNational AnthemChris EconomakiDavid PearsonFireball RobertsRichard PettyCale YarboroughBuddy BakerDonnie AllisonDale EarnhardtRichard ChildressJanet GuthrieRalph MoodyA. J. FoytBenny ParsonsBobby AllisonBill Elliotta million-dollar cash bonus for a "small slam" of the sport's four majorsthe inaugural All-Star raceGoodyear Tire and Rubber CompanyHoosier Racing TireContinental AGAll-Star raceDave MarcisRusty WallaceDaytona 500sport's four majorsMorgan-McClure MotorsportsErnie IrvanJeff GordonBobby LabonteSterling MarlinDale Earnhardt Jr.Matt KensethJeff BurtonTony StewartMemorial Day DoubleJimmie JohnsonKasey KahneCasey MearsDenny HamlinJ. J. YeleyKyle PettyReed SorensonBrian VickersDavid ReutimannBrad KeselowskiTalladegaKevin HarvickSkycamFox Sportsgigapixelself-portraitCarl EdwardsJoe Gibbs RacingMartin Truex Jr.Austin DillonKyle BuschDanica PatrickWilliam ByronCOVID-19 pandemicChase ElliottRoger PenskeJoe Lee JohnsonReportJohn MasoniPontiacNelson StacyHolman-MoodyFred LorenzenJim PaschalPetty EnterprisesPlymouthMarvin PanchFrieden EnterprisesRay FoxLeeRoy YarbroughJunior Johnson & AssociatesMercuryBanjo MatthewsNord KrauskopfWood Brothers RacingDiGard MotorsportsRanier-LundyNeil BonnettRahMoc EnterprisesRichard Childress RacingBlue Max RacingDavey AllisonRobert Yates RacingDale JarrettRoush RacingMark MartinEvernham Motorsports