Coca-Cola 600

The First Reid: Coca-Cola 600 Has a ‘Long’ History That Should Be Honored

By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service
   With all the talk of short attention spans and compact TV windows, there is a groundswell of sentiment for shortening NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races to so-called “manageable” distances —including the historic Coca-Cola 600.
    There’s no doubt that lopping 100 laps off the race distance at Dover or, more recently, 100 miles at Pocono actually has had a positive effect on the quality of events at those tracks.
    To shorten the spring race at Charlotte, however, would run contrary to the unique test of drivers and their equipment conceived back in 1960.
    The first race ever held at Charlotte Motor Speedway was 600 miles long. It was supposed to be a race of attrition, and it was. Jack Smith had a seven-lap lead when a loose piece of asphalt pierced his gas tank, handing the win to Joe Lee Johnson.
    In fact, Johnson was the only driver to complete all 400 laps. He took the checkered flag four laps ahead of runner-up Johnny Beauchamp.
    Only 18 of the record 60 cars that started the race were running at the finish, after Richard Petty and five others were disqualified for cutting through the grass to get to pit road.
    Yes, TV windows are important, but so are the special characteristics of events that differentiate one track from another and put fans in the grandstands.
    The Coca-Cola 600 is NASCAR’s longest race, and it should stay that way.

NASCAR Numbers
906.5:  The number of racing miles completed by Kurt Busch during his Indy/Charlotte double. Remarkably, Busch finished sixth in the Indianapolis 500—his first IndyCar race of any kind—in a backup car. An engine failure in the Coca-Cola 600, however, ended his evening after 271 laps.

10:  The number of different winners in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series through 12 races this season. Jimmie Johnson added his name to the list Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano are the only two-time winners so far this season.

8:  The number of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races won by Jimmie Johnson at Dover International Speedway, site of next Sunday’s FedEx 400. Johnson has more victories than any other driver at the Monster Mile, suggesting that back-to-back wins for the 48 Chevy are a pretty good bet.

2:  The number of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins at Dover recorded by Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch. In 2008, his first year with JGR, Busch won the spring race at the Monster Mile. In 2010, he repeated the feat and remains the only driver ever to win at Dover in a Toyota.

4:  The current number of consecutive NASCAR Nationwide Series races won by Joey Logano at the Monster Mile. Though most fans likely would associate Logano with his barrel roll at Dover in the No. 20 Sprint Cup car, he has been untouchable in the Nationwide Series, winning twice in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and twice in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford.

NASCAR, IMSA Notes

Wounded Marine Staff Sergeant Wins IMSA Race: USMC Staff Sgt. Liam Dwyer lost most of his left leg but not his dreams when he stepped on an IED while serving in Afghanistan in 2011. Nearly three years to the day after suffering extensive injuries in the incident, Dwyer celebrated a remarkable comeback by winning Saturday’s IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn. He was co-driving with Tom Long for Freedom Autosport in a Mazda MX-5 that requires no special modifications. Sunday, Dwyer will be attending the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway. … With his fourth Coca-Cola 600 victory (and 11th for team owner Rick Hendrick), Jimmie Johnson became the 10th different winner in the 12 races – that’s the most through 12 races since 2003, when there were 11. … Kyle Busch needs to lead 28 laps to become the 15th driver in NASCAR Sprint Cup history with 10,000 laps led. He’s led 28 or more laps in seven of his 18 Dover starts.