Daytona Motor Mouths: NASCAR to rotate championship race host sites The guys talk about NASCAR changing its championship race location, Joey Logano’s win at slippery Texas, the upcoming weekend at Kansas and more. Even though Kansas Speedway is next on the Cup Series schedule for Sunday, May 11, followed by the special non-points All-Star event […]
Daytona Motor Mouths: NASCAR to rotate championship race host sites
The guys talk about NASCAR changing its championship race location, Joey Logano’s win at slippery Texas, the upcoming weekend at Kansas and more.
Even though Kansas Speedway is next on the Cup Series schedule for Sunday, May 11, followed by the special non-points All-Star event scheduled for May 17, NASCAR’s longest Cup Series event is set for May 25. Drivers are already talking about the Coca-Cola 600, the 400-lap event held at the 1.5-mile Charlotte Motor Speedway. It’s been a part of NASCAR since the track opened in June of 1960.
The Memorial Day weekend tradition honors our nation’s heroes and delivers one of the most iconic races in NASCAR.
“Memorial Day Weekend is always special because you’re racing for so much more than just racing, and it’s to honor and remember all the people who have given and who are currently giving to our great country,” said Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell, the defending winner of the race. “Memorial Day Weekend is always special because you’re racing for so much more than just racing, and it’s to honor and remember all the people who have given and who are currently giving to our great country.”
A lot of preparation goes into making sure the team’s Chevrolets, Fords and Toyotas hold up for the full 600-mile distance. It’s a grueling event that has tested the mental and physical strength of all competitors that will make up the highly competitive field.
Austin Dillon, driver of the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, is a past winner of the 600. The native of Welcome, North Carolina, shows a great deal of appreciation when talking about the service men and service women who defend our country.
“Well, to me, it’s probably one of the most special weekends of the year,” Dillon said. “The patriotism that we show at the Coke 600, there’s no bigger weekend in our sport, getting to honor all of our military men and women out there who pay the ultimate sacrifice.”
Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, feels the 600 offers the perfect stage of appreciation.
“It’s honoring our troops and our service members, which I think NASCAR’s done a great job of over the years. It’s really become a great tradition of that race and that whole race weekend. I’ve always felt like NASCAR and Charlotte (Motor Speedway) and everyone there has done a great job of honoring them and I hope we continue to do that.”
Every car in the starting lineup will once again carry the names of those who have died while in service of our country. They are honored with every lap completed from the green flag to the checkered flag when the race starts in the late afternoon and ends at night.
“My favorite thing about the Coca-Cola 600 is the Honor and Remember Program and remembering all the soldiers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice,” said Ty Dillon, driver of the No. 10, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet. “That whole weekend is so special. We always carry fallen soldiers’ names on our cars and get to interact with their families, and that race is so much bigger than just about us, also the pageantry. The longest race of our year, it’s one of the special ones. Also, it’s in my backyard where I grew up here in North Carolina.”
Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 19, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and teammate to Bell, looks at the race from a very personal viewpoint.
“Every weekend I always look up in the stands and I kind of have this pinch-me moment, but there are certain races throughout the year that have a little bit more extra significance and the Coke 600 is certainly one of those races that every single year I’m just like, ‘I cannot believe I’m racing in the Coke 600.’
“As a kid, we would always watch the Indy 500 and watch the Coke 600. So, for me now to know that I’m part of this iconic race on this huge day of motorsports, but then also on Memorial Day Weekend, is the significance of that. It’s really, really special. It’s a race that every driver dreams of winning and even just competing in it is always a super special privilege. I’m honored to get to do it every single year.
Reigning Cup Series champion Joey Logano, driver of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford, cites Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Mission 600 annual campaign that pairs drivers and regional military bases as a build-up to the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day Weekend.
“The Mission 600 appearances are my favorite appearances of the year,” Logano said. “Where you get to go to a military base and see, boots on the ground, what these men and women are doing for our country, for our freedom. People who are making the ultimate sacrifice. Not only them but their families too, for complete strangers, like you and I, that is the most incredible thing. So, for us to say thank you is really neat to build a relationship. Those days that I spent there were awesome.
“Last year, we went to fly in an F-16, and that was really cool. I became friends with the whole squadron and our tagline this year is ‘Double Down’, that’s their squadron name and that’s what our tagline is going to be this year. So, we got kind of a thing going together and it’s really neat because they all came from Mission 600.”
AJ Allmendinger, driver of the No. 16, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, feels the race is one of NASCAR’s greatest events of the year and has been for over 60 years.
“I think it’s unique because it’s obviously the longest race we have in our sport,” Allmendinger said. “it’s one of the Crown Jewels, but it goes back to what it represents and with Memorial Day Weekend and everything that it represents and everything. To me, it’s the one event that is bigger than the race and the 600 (miles) is secondary to that.”
This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
North Carolina Education Lottery 200 Location: Concord, N.C.Course: Charlotte Motor SpeedwayFormat: 1.5-mile quad-ovalLaps: 134 NASCAR Trucks North Carolina Education Lottery 200 Race Preview Chandler Smith topped the competition last week at North Wilkesboro to score his second victory of the season, leading just one lap […]
Location: Concord, N.C. Course: Charlotte Motor Speedway Format: 1.5-mile quad-oval Laps: 134
NASCAR Trucks North Carolina Education Lottery 200 Race Preview
Chandler Smith topped the competition last week at North Wilkesboro to score his second victory of the season, leading just one lap in a race that was otherwise dominated by Corey Heim. The race looked as though it would be Heim’s fourth victory of the season, but contact on the last lap between he and Layne Riggs opened the door for Smith to power through to the win. Heim led 162 or 255 laps but left with just a 17th-place finish. This week, he will be looking for redemption. Heim’s quest to come out on top at Charlotte Motor Speedway runs deeper than last week’s missed opportunity, too. A year ago, Heim was one of the dominant contenders for the win, leading 72 of 134 laps and sweeping the stage wins, but trouble on pit road left him scrambling back up the order in the final miles. He made it up to second position at the finish, but three loose lug nuts found in post-race inspection cost him the finish and dropped him to last place. This year is a fresh page, but Heim may be coming with even more purpose this week. The question is whether or not anyone in the garage can challenge him.
Key Stats at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Number of races: 22
Winners from pole: 4
Winners from top-5 starters: 11
Winners from top-10 starters: 16
Winners from 21st or lower starters: 1
Fastest race: 128.947 mph
Previous 10 Charlotte Winners
2024 – Nick Sanchez 2023 – Ben Rhodes 2022 – Ross Chastain 2021 – John Hunter Nemechek 2020 – Chase Elliott 2019 – Kyle Busch 2018 – Johnny Sauter 2017 – Kyle Busch 2016 – Matt Crafton 2015 – Kasey Kahne
The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series tackles the high banks and high speeds of Charlotte Motor Speedway this week. Charlotte’s 1.5-mile quad-oval layout offers a wide surface and steep banking that enables passing via multiple grooves, but the sheer speed of the track tends to amplify the differences between trucks. Those teams that qualify at the front gobble up that valuable track position and can use the clean air in the race to distance themselves from the pretenders. Teams that don’t have the early speed often find themselves losing ground quickly and anxious to make adjustments at the first opportunity. Opportunities to stop for adjustments must be taken advantage of, and any moves in the wrong direction can be detrimental. While Charlotte offers multiple grooves for drivers to use, clean air and track position are still some of the biggest advantages. Fantasy players should pay close attention to starting position. Those drivers starting inside the top 15 will likely have the best opportunity to win.
RotoWire NASCAR Truck Series DFS Tools
NASCAR Lineup Optimizer
NASCAR Projections
DraftKings Value Picks for the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
Chandler Smith – $9,800 Ross Chastain – $9,500 Ty Majeski – $9,200 Daniel Hemric – $9,000
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Grant Enfinger – $8,800 Tyler Ankrum – $8,500 Kaden Honeycutt – $8,300 Brandon Jones – $8,000
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Ben Rhodes – $7,500 Rajah Caruth – $7,100 Stewart Friesen – $6,900 Connor Mosack – $6,500
NASCAR Truck Series DFS Picks for the North Carolina Education Lottery 200
Corey Heim – $12,000 Ross Chastain – $9,500 Ben Rhodes – $7,500 Rajah Caruth – $7,100 Tanner Gray – $7,000 Stewart Friesen – $6,900
There may be an extra edge propelling Corey Heim forward this week at Charlotte. After losing this race last season and also missing out on the win a week ago at North Wilkesboro, Heim will be pushing hard to set the record straight this week. He led 72 laps from the front row in this race last year and has two 1.5-mile oval wins already this season. There hasn’t been anyone better than him yet this season, and with the extra motivation driving him, Heim could be tough to beat this week.
Ross Chastain may give him a challenge, though. The Cup Series driver will make his second series appearance of the season this week. Last time out, Chastain started seventh and finished sixth at Homestead, another 1.5-mile oval. Chastain finished eighth in the Cup race at this track last season and won in a truck for Niece Motorsports in 2022, which was his last time racing in this series at Charlotte.
Ben Rhodes is another veteran to keep an eye on. Rhodes is just six points out of the playoff positions and finished 11th or better in three of the last five races. Last week’s stop at North Wilkesboro wasn’t the best, but Rhodes will be anxious get things back on track this week. At Charlotte, he won in 2023 and has not finished worse than 10th since 2016.
The 1.5-mile ovals have been good venues for Rajah Caruth this year. He finished seventh at Las Vegas and third at Texas. Caruth is currently 13th in points and trying to turn around a two-race run of finishes outside of the top 10. Having qualified fourth in both of his prior Charlotte starts, Caruth just needs to put a full race together to better his average finish at the track of 13.5, which isn’t bad this far down the price list to begin with.
Tanner Gray is also a bit of a bargain. He is currently 14th in points and finished 11th and fifth in two of the last three races. At Charlotte, Gray has been a monster qualifier. He started from pole the last two races and inside the top six four of his five tries. He finished 17th in this race last year and has a best result at the track of sixth. Like Caruth, just putting a full race distance together this week should better his average Charlotte finish of 18.4.
That leaves room for Stewart Friesen to close out the roster. The veteran driver appears to have moved past a rough patch of results and sits 10th in points after finishing 14th and fifth in the last two races. From eight Charlotte tries, Friesen claims five top-10s and his best finish was second last season. Charlotte’s 1.5-mile fast oval is a track Friesen can continue his upward trend.
NASCAR Truck Series Best Bets for the North Carolina Education Lottery 200
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 12:00 PM ET Friday
Race Winner – Corey Heim +175, Ross Chastain +600 Top-Five Finish – Layne Riggs +110
It is no surprise that Corey Heim is the favorite to win this week’s race. Despite missing out on wins the last two races, Heim was still in contention and led at least 50 laps in each of those races. In fact, Heim has led laps in every race this season and hasn’t led fewer than 16 in a race since February. He and the team are firing on all cylinders, and they should be even more fired up this week. After being disqualified from a runner-up finish in this race last season and getting knocked out of contention just last week, Heim should be more motivated than ever to right the wrongs and get himself back into Victory Lane this weekend. He will face stiff competition to do so, though. Ross Chastain will make his second series start of the season this week. His prior outing was a sixth-place finish at another 1.5-mile oval, too. That competitiveness is what wagerers should expect from him again this week, and his odds are more favorable than Kyle Busch’s.
Another driver on the path of success is Layne Riggs. He finished second on track at Kansas two weeks ago but was disqualified after failing post-race inspection. That led to an inspired charge a week later at North Wilkesboro where he finished second and helped teammate Chandler Smith win through late contact with Heim. Riggs and Heim now have a score to settle, but both are expected to be contenders at Charlotte. After a runner-up finish last week and stage finishes of fifth and sixth in last year’s Charlotte race, Riggs is likely to have a chance at a top-three this week. Positive odds for him to do so, while low, are a relatively confident bet to take.
Mapping out your wagers for the Truck Series race? Check out the latest Sportsbook Promo Codes to get special offers and make the most of your bets.
The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it’s possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. C.J. Radune plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: DraftKings: cjradune, RaceDayScore: cjradune.
Carl Edwards hopes NASCAR fans make move to Prime Video for next 5 races
Even signing with Prime Video to be one of their analysts, Carl Edwards admitted he was wondering if NASCAR fans would know about the sport’s shift to streaming for five races on Prime Video or if they would know how to access the races. That was, until he talked to one of his neighbors. “We’re […]
Even signing with Prime Video to be one of their analysts, Carl Edwards admitted he was wondering if NASCAR fans would know about the sport’s shift to streaming for five races on Prime Video or if they would know how to access the races.
That was, until he talked to one of his neighbors.
“We’re talking about other things and he said, ‘Hey, you’re doing some sort of TV thing.’ And I was thinking, you know, this guy’s 85 years old, and I’m gonna have to explain this to him,” Edwards said. “And I started, and he’s like, ‘Oh, yeah. I’ve got Prime. I’ll be watching.’ ”
Prime Video’s first race on Sunday is the Coca-Cola 600. Not only is it NASCAR’s longest race, it comes on motorsports’ biggest day with Formula One’s Monaco Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500 taking place before the green flag drops at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Prime Video has a seven-year deal with NASCAR.
“We couldn’t be more excited to be starting with a crown jewel (race). It’s a huge responsibility, and we’re excited to bring it to fans,” said Alex Strand, Prime Video’s senior coordinating producer for live sports. “What we saw when we brought ‘Thursday Night Football’ to Prime is we spent a lot of time making sure that we’re delivering on expectations. There’s trust the viewers are putting in you to bring them the sport that they love.”
Prime Video is hoping to do that by getting some production help from NBC Sports, which has had NASCAR since 2015. Prime’s relationship with NBC goes back to 2022 when it launched “Sunday Night Football.”
In the booth, Adam Alexander is the play-by-play announcer for the Xfinity Series on The CW along with doing Cup Series races on TNT.
Analysts Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are reunited. Earnhardt Jr. was with NBC for six seasons (2018 through ’23), and Letarte has been with NBC since 2015.
Alexander said his approach to calling the races has been the same, no matter the network.
“Just be a setup guy for two analysts that obviously know it inside and out, and be able to relay the message to the fans of what’s happening on track,” he said. “I think it would be easy for someone when you look at new partners coming into the sport, that everything is going to be changed. It jumped off the board with me right away that Prime has the balance of new, but also the respect to traditions that we’re used to in the TV world and how that matches up with NASCAR.”
The only new faces are Edwards and Corey LaJoie, who will be on pre- and post-race coverage.
Many thought Edwards would become an analyst after retiring in 2017, but he resisted overtures from various networks until Prime Video approached him earlier this year.
“The timing just feels right. I’m shocked at the way the sport has welcomed me back, personally,” said Edwards, a 28-time winner in the Cup series. “I wasn’t sure about this, but Prime came to visit me in Missouri and we sat around at my kitchen table talking with my family. I’m glad they came out. It’s going to be an adventure.”
Prime Video will be bringing its own touches to the races. Green flag racing will include a double-box commercial format, ensuring viewers won’t miss any action. There will also be highlights of key moments allowing viewers to catch up to action.
As far as in-race strategy innovations, Prime is still testing some things as it tries to continue what it has done during NFL coverage, which is explain complex matters in a simple way.
“I believe people are going to find it. They’re going to enjoy it. And, you know, hopefully it just becomes something that that all the fans feel good about and don’t have any hiccups,” Edwards said.
2025 Indianapolis 500: Kyle Larson looks to become latest NASCAR star to do Indy-Charlotte Double
For more than a century, the greatest race car drivers in the world have gathered at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to compete in its premier race, the Indianapolis 500. This coming Sunday, 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson will make his second start in The Greatest Spectacle in Racing while pursuing one of racing’s […]
For more than a century, the greatest race car drivers in the world have gathered at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to compete in its premier race, the Indianapolis 500. This coming Sunday, 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson will make his second start in The Greatest Spectacle in Racing while pursuing one of racing’s most arduous undertakings in the process.
Larson will try once again to become the fifth driver in history to race in both the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the same day — known as The Double — as he looks to complete all 1,100 miles on arguably the single biggest day in U.S. motorsports.
One year ago, a rain delay at Indianapolis thrust Larson’s attempt at The Double into chaos as he was forced to choose between committing to the Indy 500 and fulfilling his NASCAR obligations. Larson chose to stay at Indy, finishing 18th after starting fifth, and then flew to Charlotte in an attempt to at least get in his car mid-race and run the remaining laps of the 600 after reserve driver Justin Allgaier started Larson’s car in his place. But another rain storm stopped the 600 at lap 249, preventing Larson from ever making a single lap in his Cup car and ruining his first try at The Double.
Should the weather cooperate this year, Larson will start the Indianapolis 500 from the 19th spot, and his presence in the field continues a long tradition of NASCAR crossovers in IndyCar’s feature event dating back to the 1960s. Cale Yarborough, Bobby Johns, Lee Roy Yarbrough, and Bobby and Donnie Allison were just a few of the NASCAR greats to race in the Indy 500, and the Wood Brothers also made their mark on Indianapolis with their famous pit crew. But starting in the 1990s, when lights were installed at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the Coca-Cola 600 was moved to evening time, it became possible for drivers to compete in both the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s longest race on the very same day.
Ahead of Kyle Larson’s second try at The Double, here is a complete overview of the history of the Indy-Charlotte Double, with each driver to have attempted and completed the feat.
1994 — John Andretti
After making his Indy 500 debut in 1988 and racing full-time in CART from 1990 to 1992, John Andretti — the nephew of Mario Andretti — made the switch from open-wheel cars to stock car racing in 1994, joining car owner Billy Hagan’s team to run the full season in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. But given his and his family’s ties to Indianapolis, Andretti still desired to race in the Indy 500. And with that, Andretti would become the first driver to ever compete at both Indianapolis and Charlotte on the same day, developing a travel itinerary to make it happen.
Andretti qualified 10th for the Indianapolis 500 driving an A.J. Foyt-owned Lola, and he also qualified in the top 10 for the Coca-Cola 600 in ninth. After finishing 10th in the 500, Andretti flew to Charlotte in time for the start of the 600, but only completed 220 of 400 laps before suffering a crankshaft failure and finishing 36th.
Andretti would also compete in the inaugural Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis later that year, becoming the first driver to ever run both the Indy 500 and Brickyard 400 in the same year.
1995 — Davy Jones
Following Andretti, IndyCar veteran Davy Jones intended to do the Indy-Charlotte Double in 1995, driving for Dick Simon at Indianapolis and Jasper Motorsports in NASCAR. However, Jones’ plans were foiled when he failed to qualify for the Coke 600, leaving him to settle for only running the Indy 500 and finishing 23rd.
1997 — Robby Gordon
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After going to NASCAR full-time in 1997 with Team SABCO, Robby Gordon’s initial plans of doing a pure Indy-Charlotte Double would also be foiled, but that was due to the effects of Mother Nature. Rain forced the Indianapolis 500 to be postponed to Monday, leaving Gordon to fly to Charlotte and run only the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, completing 186 laps before crashing and finishing 41st.
Gordon started 12th at Indianapolis on Monday in a car owned by Felix Sabates — also his car owner in NASCAR — making 15 laps before more rain pushed the rest of the race to Tuesday. Gordon only made it four more laps before his car caught fire, leaving him with a 29th-place finish.
1999 — Tony Stewart
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Tony Stewart made the switch from open-wheel to NASCAR after winning the Indy Racing League championship in 1997, first running the NASCAR Busch Series alongside the IRL in 1998 before heading to the Cup Series in 1999 with Joe Gibbs Racing. He would wind up doing the Indy-Charlotte Double for the first time in his rookie season, qualifying 24th and finishing ninth at Indianapolis for Tri-Star Motorsports before heading to Charlotte for the 600. Stewart wound up leading 13 laps in the 600 and finishing fourth.
2000 — Robby Gordon
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Robby Gordon tried the Indy-Charlotte Double again in 2000 for car owner John Menard, but inclement weather would again wind up altering his plans. Gordon qualified fourth at Indianapolis driving for John Menard and 42nd at Charlotte, but rain delayed the start of the Indy 500 by several hours and prevented Gordon from starting his car in the Coke 600. Backup driver P.J. Jones started Gordon’s car at Charlotte while he finished sixth and Indianapolis, and he then took over for Jones midway through the Coke 600 and finished 35th.
Despite running his Cup car at the finish of the Coke 600, Gordon did not go into the record books as having run both Indy and Charlotte on the same day. Per NASCAR rules, P.J. Jones was credited as the driver of the No. 13 Ford and received championship points by virtue of having started the car.
2001 — Tony Stewart
Stewart would pull double duty again in 2001, and he would proceed to go a distance that go racer had ever gone before. Driving for Chip Ganassi at Indianapolis, Stewart would qualify seventh and lead 13 laps on his way to finishing sixth, then flew to Charlotte and finished third in the Coke 600.
With Stewart finishing on the lead lap at both Indy and at Charlotte, Stewart would end up becoming the first — and to date, the only — driver to ever complete all 1,100 miles of racing during the day.
2002-2004 — Robby Gordon
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After joining Richard Childress Racing in NASCAR, Robby Gordon ran the Indy-Charlotte Double three years in a row from 2002 to 2004, with his best outing coming in 2002 as part of a collaboration between Team Menard and RCR. Gordon finished eighth in that year’s Indy 500, then flew to Charlotte and finished 16th.
Driving for Andretti Green Racing the next year, Gordon qualified on the front row at Indianapolis in third, but he failed to finish after suffering a gearbox failure and then ran 17th at Charlotte. Rain was again a theme in Gordon’s final Double attempt the next year, as rain midway through the Indy 500 kept him from finishing the race before he had to fly to Charlotte for the 600. Relief driver Jacques Lazier got in Gordon’s car at Indianapolis, finishing 29th due to a mechanical failure after 88 laps, while Gordon ran 20th at Charlotte.
2014 — Kurt Busch
The most recent driver to complete the Indy-Charlotte Double was Kurt Busch in 2014, who ran IndyCar for the first time ever when he partnered with Andretti Autosport. Busch took to open wheel immediately in his first and only IndyCar start, qualifying 12th and finishing sixth in the Indianapolis 500 before flying to Charlotte to take the wheel of his No. 41 Cup ride for Stewart-Haas Racing. Busch ended up suffering an engine failure after completing 271 laps in the Coke 600 and finished 40th.
2024 — Kyle Larson
One year ago, Kyle Larson’s much anticipated Indianapolis 500 debut saw him qualify fifth before taking care of his NASCAR obligations, running fourth in the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro before qualifying 10th for the Coke 600 in Charlotte. But on Sunday morning, Larson’s plans of starting both races were foiled when rained delayed the start at Indianapolis, forcing Larson to miss the start of the Coke 600 while he finished 18th at Indianapolis after a pit road speeding penalty.
While reserve driver and NASCAR Xfinity Series star Justin Allgaier started Larson’s car at Charlotte and was credited as the driver of record, the plan was for Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports team to make a driver change upon his arrival in Charlotte, with Allgaier stepping out of the car and Larson getting in to complete the remaining laps of the Coca-Cola 600. But those remaining laps never happened. Just as Larson arrived at Charlotte Motor Speedway, so too did another rainstorm that stopped the Coke 600 at lap 249. The race never restarted and went into the record books as an official race having passed the halfway point, meaning Larson never made a single lap.
Allgaier would be credited with a 13th place finish, and Larson would have to be granted a waiver from NASCAR in order to remain eligible for the playoffs despite having missed a race. Larson would earn a measure of redemption on his next trip to Indy, as he would win the Brickyard 400 when NASCAR visited Indianapolis in July.
South Florida Indy 500 contingent includes Kyle Kirkwood, Ryan Hunter-Reay
Holly Cain | Special to The Post Kyle Larson to race Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 Kyle Larson talks hydration, preparation, and the physical toll of racing the “Memorial Day Double” Kirkwood is currently second in the IndyCar championship standings and is optimistic about his chances in the Indy 500 -despite qualifying 23rd. Hunter-Reay, a […]
Kyle Larson talks hydration, preparation, and the physical toll of racing the “Memorial Day Double”
Kirkwood is currently second in the IndyCar championship standings and is optimistic about his chances in the Indy 500 -despite qualifying 23rd.
Hunter-Reay, a former series champion, is making his 17th Indy 500 start.
SPEEDWAY, IN – As host to the 109th Running of the Indy 500, Indianapolis always has been considered one of sport’s “boom towns,” the center of it all in the middle of auto racing’s biggest weekend – major races all day in all the world’s premier series.
And this week – as with so many years previously – South Florida has contributed substantially to the great Indy 500 race’s cast of renowned power players. Four of the 33 drivers on this year’s starting grid either call South Florida home now or did only months ago – from breakout star Jupiter’s Kyle Kirkwood, to Fort Lauderdale 2014 Indy winner Ryan Hunter-Reay. Four-time Indy champion Helio Castroneves and young standout Rinus Veekay both lived in Miami until a couple of months ago.
The 2014 Indy 500 winner and 2012 IndyCar Series champion, Hunter-Reay, grew up in Fort Lauderdale, went to Cardinal Gibbons High School and his family of five lives in the same area now. A part-time competitor at this point, this will be Hunter-Reay’s 17th start in the Indy 500.
And this week 12-year old Ryden Hunter-Reay was able to join his father for race activities – even sitting at the podium during a news conference and fielding a couple of questions with ease.
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Missing out on a couple days of school versus being at the most famous race in the world with his father, who will start 25th, seemed like a no-brainer.
“I think it’s better, way better,” Ryden allowed with a huge smile.
Kirkwood easily has become one of the sport’s favorite competitors. The 26-year old is one of only two race winners this season – claiming his second trophy at the renowned Long Beach Grand Prix in April. He currently sits second in the championship, 97 points behind this season’s only other race winner, four-time victor Alex Palou.
True to his good nature, Kirkwood smiled recalling how after his big win at Long Beach a few weeks ago, a Southern California newspaper mistakenly identified him as “Kirk” Kirkwood in a big headline. With all the kidding he’s received from his teammates and fellow racers, he conceded that “Kirk Kirkwood,” is almost like an alter ego for him now.
“I’m going to start making hats, using that golf font that they always put ‘Brickyard’ on the front, it’s just going to be ‘Kirk,’ “ Kirkwood said this week, laughing. “I’m hoping to get some sales with that. I’m just accepting it now.”
The always challenging Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been a steady and positive progression for Kirkwood – as with all drivers it’s a learning curve getting a handle on the unique 2.5-mile track. He is coming off a career-best finish in the 500 – leading his first laps (two) in the race and finishing seventh last year in only his third start.
On May 25, his No. 26 Andretti Global Honda takes the green flag from the 23rd position on the grid – his starting place not truly indicative of his performance at Indianapolis this month. He was consistently among the top 10 in five days of practice and seemed quite optimistic about his chances in front of about a dozen of his family and friends from Florida who will be among a sold-out crowd of 325,000.
“It was a little bit of a head-scratcher this past weekend because we came out of the first few days, no-tow speeds were amazing, race pace was amazing,” Kirkwood said of qualifying.
Kyle Kirkwood optimistic about Indy 500 chances
Despite the slight qualifying setback, Kirkwood said he’s actually never been more optimistic about his chances on race day.
“Fortunately,” he said. “I have a wizard on the stand, [strategist] Bryan Herta, who has helped me, guided me to the lead or at least close to the lead in the past couple of years. I’m excited for it. This is the best race car I’ve ever had around this place. I don’t want to see it go to waste.”
Castroneves, who just recently moved from Miami to Atlanta, won all four of his record-tying Indianapolis 500 trophies while living in South Florida. A fifth Indy 500 in his No. 06 Meyer Shank Racing Team Honda would make Castroneves the all-time winningest driver in the race’s history. And as with his fellow eighth-row starter Kirkwood, Castroneves has been faster than his starting position indicates. And like Hunter-Reay, this is his first start of the season.
“Wow, 25, 25th edition, which is amazing,” the Brazilian Castroneves said of his total Indy starts, which are most in the field. “If I wouldn’t be in so much love with this place, I wouldn’t be coming back for sure. But this place has been good to me. This place is amazing. I want to try to get what a lot of people (want) and especially rewrite history.
“We’re going to have hard work to go up there, but a great row here. I feel like we’re going to be up front very soon.”
Ryan Hunter-Reay’s car catches fire during ‘Carb Day’ practice
Hunter-Reay had a tougher than usual final “Carb Day” practice as his No. 23 Dreyer Reinbold Chevy caught fire midway through the two-hour session. Hunter-Reay pulled off the track and got out quickly. He was OK, the car was towed back to the team garage and the team went to work on it. Disappointed, but not disillusioned, Hunter-Reay acknowledged it is part of the drama of this race.
“That caught my attention,” Hunter-Reay said, adding, “Just have to figure out why.”
Hunter-Reay said it never gets old competing at Indianapolis.
“It’s not like it becomes less stressful,” he said. “You just deal with it in a different way, and you manage that a bit more. Yeah, it’s always come with a lot of pressure and obviously consequences on the racetrack and all that stuff. It’s part of the job.”
As the news conference closed, young Ryden Hunter-Reay was asked to make the ultimate prediction as to who will be celebrating on race day.
Carl Edwards hoping NASCAR fans make the move to Prime Video for the next 5 races |
Even signing with Prime Video to be one of their analysts, Carl Edwards admitted he was wondering if NASCAR fans would know about the sport’s shift to streaming for five races on Prime Video or if they would know how to access the races. That was, until he talked to one of his neighbors. “We’re […]
Even signing with Prime Video to be one of their analysts, Carl Edwards admitted he was wondering if NASCAR fans would know about the sport’s shift to streaming for five races on Prime Video or if they would know how to access the races.
That was, until he talked to one of his neighbors.
“We’re talking about other things and he said, ‘Hey, you’re doing some sort of TV thing.’ And I was thinking, you know, this guy’s 85 years old, and I’m gonna have to explain this to him,” Edwards said. “And I started and he’s like, ‘Oh, yeah. I’ve got Prime. I’ll be watching.’”
Prime Video’s first race on Sunday is the Coca-Cola 600. Not only is it NASCAR’s longest race, it comes on motorsports’ biggest day with Formula One’s Monaco Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500 taking place before the green flag drops at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Prime Video has a seven-year deal with NASCAR.
“We couldn’t be more excited to be starting with a crown jewel (race). It’s a huge responsibility and we’re excited to bring it to fans,” said Alex Strand, Prime Video’s senior coordinating producer for live sports. “What we saw when we brought ‘Thursday Night Football’ to Prime is we spent a lot of time making sure that we’re delivering on expectations. There’s trust the viewers are putting in you to bring them the sport that they love.”
Prime Video is hoping to do that by getting some production help from NBC Sports, which has had NASCAR since 2015. Prime’s relationship with NBC goes back to 2022 when it launched “Sunday Night Football.”
In the booth, Adam Alexander is the play-by-play announcer for the Xfinity Series on The CW along with doing Cup Series races on TNT.
Analysts Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are reunited. Earnhardt Jr. was with NBC for six seasons (2018 through ’23) while Letarte has been with NBC since 2015.
Alexander said his approach to calling the races has been the same, no matter the network.
“Just be a setup guy for two analysts that obviously know it inside and out, and be able to relay the message to the fans of what’s happening on track,” he said. “I think it would be easy for someone when you look at new partners coming into the sport, that everything is going to be changed. It jumped off the board with me right away that Prime has the balance of new, but also the respect to traditions that we’re used to in the TV world and how that matches up with NASCAR.”
The only new faces are Edwards and Corey LaJoie, who will be on pre- and post-race coverage.
Many thought Edwards would become an analyst after retiring in 2017, but he resisted overtures from various networks until Prime Video approached him earlier this year.
“The timing just feels right. I’m shocked at the way the sport has welcomed me back personally,” said Edwards, a 28-time winner in the Cup series. “I wasn’t sure about this, but Prime came to visit me in Missouri and we sat around at my kitchen table talking with my family. I’m glad they came out. It’s going to be an adventure.”
Prime Video will be bringing its own touches to the races. Green flag racing will include a double-box commercial format, ensuring viewers won’t miss any action. There will also be highlights of key moments allowing viewers to catch up to action.
As far as in-race strategy innovations, Prime is still testing some things as they try to continue what they have done during NFL coverage, which is explain complex matters in a simple way.
“I believe people are going to find it. They’re going to enjoy it. And, you know, hopefully it just becomes, something that that all the fans feel good about and don’t have any hiccups,” Edwards said.
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2-time Daytona 500 champ William Byron receives 4-year contract extension from Hendrick Motorsports
CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — William Byron received a four-year contract extension from Hendrick Motorsports on Friday that will keep the 27-year-old driver with the team through the 2029 NASCAR Cup Series season. Financial terms of the contract were not released. The two-time Daytona 500 champion has emerged as one of the sport’s most competitive drivers, […]
CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — William Byron received a four-year contract extension from Hendrick Motorsports on Friday that will keep the 27-year-old driver with the team through the 2029 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Financial terms of the contract were not released.
The two-time Daytona 500 champion has emerged as one of the sport’s most competitive drivers, having already earned 14 Cup Series wins and six consecutive playoff appearances from 2019 to 2024. He has won 13 Cup Series races since being paired with crew chief Rudy Fugle in 2021 — the second-highest total in the series over that span.
Now in his eighth season, Byron won this year’s Daytona 500 for the second straight year, becoming the youngest multi-time winner in the event’s storied history.
Byron, who grew up in Charlotte, currently ranks second in the Cup standings after 12 points-paying races.
“We’ve built something special with the No. 24 team,” Byron said. “I’m thankful for the opportunity to continue working with amazing people at Hendrick Motorsports who believe in me, especially Mr. and Mrs. Hendrick. We’ve accomplished some great things that we’re really proud of, but we have even bigger goals ahead. I’m excited to go after them with this team and this organization.”
Byron first signed with Hendrick Motorsports when he was 18.
He earned Cup Series rookie of the year honors in 2018 and has become a factor in the Cup Series championship with six straight playoff appearances, including back-to-back Championship 4 appearances in 2023 and 2024. Byrson is the only driver to win in Hendrick Motorsports iconic No. 24 Chevrolet other than Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon.
“William is the real deal,” Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick said. “What makes him so special is that he combines natural ability with an unrivaled work ethic. You see it in the great ones — the drivers who could get by on talent alone but choose to outwork everyone anyway. That’s William. On top of it all, he’s a person of high character and embraces his role as a leader. We’re proud to have him in our lineup and look forward to many more wins together.”
Byron will race Sunday at the Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR’s longest race of the season.
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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
