Coca-Cola 600 has a history with major appeal
May 22, 2014
Staff Report
NASCAR Wire Service
CHARLOTTE,
N.C. – Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway has long been
considered by many as one of NASCAR’s “major” events along with the
Daytona 500, the Southern
500, one or perhaps both of Talladega Superspeedway’s races and, since
1994, the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
It is a status well-earned.
NASCAR’s
longest race – 600 miles/400 laps around the 1.5-mile CMS layout – also
is one of its most historic. Six times in the event’s 54 years, drivers
have gotten their first
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win in the 600; four of those victories
amounted to a preview of greatness: David Pearson in 1961, Jeff Gordon
in 1994, Bobby Labonte in 1995 and Matt Kenseth in 2000.
In
those 54 years, the race has been won by past, present or future Sprint
Cup champions 28 times. And of the 26 times “non-champions” have won,
you’re still talking about
a stellar lineup that includes many of NASCAR’s all-time greats such as
2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Fred Lorenzen, Jim Paschal, Marvin
Panch, Donnie Allison, Buddy Baker, Neil Bonnett, Davey Allison and Mark
Martin.
This year, however, the focus is not so much on history as it is the present.
There
are a number of drivers, starting with Kenseth and reigning series
champion Jimmie Johnson, who both need a win as quickly as possible.
Both are winless this season and
that’s not good. With the revamped Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup
format in place, race winners get first dibs on Chase berths; relying on
your standing in the series points is not the preferred approach to
qualifying for NASCAR’s “playoffs.”
“I love
this race. It’s such a challenge to all of us both mentally and
physically. The (No.) 48 team does well here because it’s such a long
race that you have the time to
adjust on your car, make the changes from day to night and improve with
each stop.”
For
Kenseth, Johnson and just about anyone else in Sunday’s field yet to win
this year, the 600 should seem inviting. Back to the talk of “firsts” –
for 13 of the last 25 Coca-Cola
600 winners, it was their first win of the season.
* * * * * *
Speaking
of firsts, Kurt Busch is closing in on one – his first attempt at that
most daunting of double-duty assignments, driving in both the Coca-Cola
600 and the Indianapolis
500 on the same day.
Indy
starts the long day at noon (ET) Sunday, with the 600 following at 6
p.m. (ET, FOX). A corporate plane flight – wide-open, of course –
connects the two. This arduous
assignment has been attempted eight previous times by a total of only
three drivers. The rundown: John Andretti (1994), Robby Gordon (1997,
2000, ’02, ’03, ’04) and Tony Stewart (’99 and ’01). Stewart has the
best result, finishing sixth at Indy and third
at Charlotte in 2001 while also becoming the only driver to complete
the two-race total of 1,100 miles.
“We’re
still the only guy who’s completed all 1,100 miles of Double Duty, which
is something I’m really proud of,” Stewart said. “It makes for a very,
very long day. When you’re
done with the 600, after running Indy and the flight and helicopter
rides and police escorts and all that during the day, you’re very, very
content to lay your head on a pillow. And even when you do that, it
still feels like it’s not stopped moving, yet.”
Busch qualified 12th for the Indianapolis 500, but crashed in a Monday practice session and will be forced to a back-up car.
* * * * * *
A
classic championship battle has developed in the NASCAR Nationwide
Series, which returns to action Saturday at 2:45 p.m. ET (ABC) at
Charlotte Motor Speedway, with the History
300. The series standings leader, 18-year-old rookie Chase Elliott –
whose father Bill was announced this week as a 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame
inductee – leads Elliott Sadler and Regan Smith by merely two points.
Elliott has five top-five finishes this year
including his spectacular, consecutive victories at Texas and
Darlington last month.
Look
for the points to stay tight after this week. CMS, like Texas, is a
fast 1.5-mile track. Elliott leads the series in Driver Rating at “1.5s”
with a 109.8; his average
finish on intermediate tracks this year is 3.0. Sadler has four
top-five results in 14 NNS races at Charlotte. Smith finished 10th and
seventh, respectively, on the 1.5-mile ovals at Las Vegas and Texas
earlier this year.
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