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.
@nascarcasm
Due to Kurt Busch’s helicopter trip into Charlotte, another driver’s scheduled flight into the speedway had to be scrubbed.
- The Coca-Cola 600. The longest race of the year. YES, we said the longest race of the year, Mother Nature. YOUR RAIN DELAYS DON’T COUNT.
- Jimmie Johnson broke his 11-race “slump,” and wound up in victory lane. In fact, as a victim of his own success, a Jimmie Johnson “slump” is SO not a “slump” that his “”slump”” deserves two sets of quote marks.
- Nothing but the utmost respect for Kurt Busch. Despite coming up about 200 miles short on completing thedouble, Kurt’s attempt was valiant, and he undoubtedly deserves all of our respect. And I’m not just saying that because I plan on bumming unused frequent-flyer miles off of him later this year.
- With Monday being a national holiday, the upside for the Hendrick engine shop employees is that they don’t have to listen to all the angry voicemails from Stewart-Haas Racing until Tuesday.
(Follow @nascarcasm on Twitter. His unique views on NASCAR are his own – but chances are you have figured that out by now.)
NASCAR Tweets Of The Week
May 24
NASCAR
@NASCAR
3 years ago in Afghanistan, @USMC Staff Sgt. Dwyer lost his leg. Today, he won an @IMSA race.
Jeff Burton
@JeffBurton
Tomorrow is the greatest day in racing but please take time to remember what this weekend is all about.
May 25
Kurt Busch
@KurtBusch
“It was a day I’ll never forget.” –#DoubleOutlaw@KurtBusch
May 26
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
@DaleJr
That’s disappointing. But that also was a fast damncar. Don’t sleep on the 88. Everything’s gonna be just fine. Wins comin soon.
Alan Cavanna
NASCAR.COM
@CopaCavanna
“I didn’t expect everyone to be so stupid. I was basically stopped,” @DanicaPatrick says, after being hit after slowing down.
May 27
Kurt Busch
@KurtBusch
Couldn’t be more honored 2be @IMS @IndyCar Rookie of the Year. I can’t thank you enough for the honor. But most of all I thk @Patricia_AFF
Chase Elliott
@chaseelliott
VIR bound to turn right a little. #roadracin
Tune-In: NASCAR On Television, May 26 – June 1
Monday, May 26
11 a.m., The 600: History of NASCAR’s Toughest Race (re-air), FOX Sports 1
Noon, NASCAR K&N Pro Series Race at Iowa (re-air), FOX Sports 1
1 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race at Charlotte, FOX Sports 1
4 p.m., 100,000 Cameras: NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (re-air), FOX Sports 1
4:30 p.m., Empty Cup: Quest for the 1992 NASCAR Championship (re-air), FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
7 p.m., Empty Cup: Quest for the 1992 NASCAR Championship (re-air), FOX Sports 2
2:30 a.m. (Tue), NASCAR Now, ESPN2
Tuesday, May 27
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
2:30 a.m. (Wed.), NASCAR Now, ESPN2
Wednesday, May 28
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
2:30 a.m. (Wed.), NASCAR Now, ESPN2
Thursday, May 29
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
3 a.m. (Fri.), NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race at Charlotte (re-air), FOX Sports 1
Friday, May 30
10 a.m., NASCAR K&N Pro Series Race at Iowa (re-air), FOX Sports 1
11 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice, FOX Sports 1
12:30 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Qualifying, FOX Sports 1
2 p.m., NASCAR Nationwide Final Practice, FOX Sports
3:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Qualifying, FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NCWTS SetUp, FOX Sports 1
5:30 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race at Dover, FOX Sports 1
8 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub Special, FOX Sports 1
3 a.m. (Sat.), NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice (re-air), FOX Sports 1
4:30 a.m. (Sat.), NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Qualifying, FOX Sports 1
Saturday, May 31
8 a.m., 100,000 Cameras: NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (re-air), FOX Sports 1
8:30 a.m., Empty Cup: Quest for the 1992 NASCAR Championship (re-air), FOX Sports 1
9:30 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice, FOX Sports 1
10:30 a.m., NASCAR Nationwide Series Qualifying, ESPN2
12:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Final Practice, FOX Sports 1
1:30 p.m., TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Race at Detroit, FOX Sports 1
1:30 p.m., NNS Countdown, ESPN
2 p.m., NASCAR Nationwide Series Race at Dover, ESPN
7 p.m., FOX Sports 1 on 1: Jimmie Johnson (re-air), FOX Sports 2
7:30 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race at Dover (re-air), FOX Sports 2
10 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub Special (re-air), FOX Sports 2
11 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice (re-air), FOX Sports 2
Midnight, NASCAR Sprint Cup Final Practice (re-air), FOX Sports 2
3 a.m. (Sun.), NASCAR Nationwide Race at Dover (re-air), ESPN2
Sunday, June 1
9 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Final Practice (re-air), FOX Sports 1
10 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Qualifying (re-air), FOX Sports 1
11:30 a.m., NASCAR RaceDay, FOX Sports 1
12:30 p.m., NSCS Pre-Race Show, FOX
1 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race at Dover, FOX
1 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race at Dover, FOX Deportes
7 p.m., NASCAR Victory Lane, FOX Sports 1
Midnight (Mon.), NASCAR’s The List, NBC Sports Network
12:30 a.m. (Mon.), NASCAR’s The List, NBC Sports Network
3 a.m. (Mon.), NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race at Dover (re-air), FOX Sports 1
5 a.m. (Mon.), NASCAR K&N Pro Series Race at Iowa (re-air), FOX Sports 1
This Week
NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
The Next Race:
FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks
The Place:
Dover International Speedway
The Date/Time:
Sunday, June 1, 1 p.m. (ET)
TV: FOX
Radio: MRN,
Sirius XM Channel 90
_______________________
NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES
The Next Race:
Buckle Up 200
The Place:
Dover International Speedway
The Date/Time:
Saturday, May 31, 2:30 p.m. (ET)
TV: ESPN
Radio: MRN,
Sirius XM Channel 90
_____________________
NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
The Next Race:
Lucas Oil 200
The Place:
Dover International Speedway
The Date/Time:
Friday, May 30, 5:30 p.m. (ET)
TV: FOX Sports 1
Radio: MRN,
Sirius XM Channel 90
NASCAR National Series Standings
This year, wins matter more than in any season in the 65-year history of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Essentially, a win locks a driver into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
2014 Winners
Pos Driver Wins
1. Kevin Harvick 2
2. Joey Logano 2
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1
4. Brad Keselowski 1
5. Carl Edwards 1
6. Kyle Busch 1
7. Kurt Busch 1
8. Denny Hamlin 1
9. Jeff Gordon 1
10. Jimmie Johnson 1
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Pos Driver Points
1 Jeff Gordon 432
2 Matt Kenseth 421
3 Kyle Busch 408
4 Carl Edwards 408
5 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 394
6 Jimmie Johnson 388
7 Joey Logano 378
8 Brian Vickers 365
9 Brad Keselowski 361
10 Ryan Newman 361
11 Greg Biffle 351
12 Kevin Harvick 345
13 Kyle Larson# 344
14 Denny Hamlin 340
15 Austin Dillon# 334
16 Paul Menard 328
NASCAR Nationwide Series
Pos Driver Points
1 Regan Smith 414
2 Elliott Sadler 409
3 Chase Elliott# 386
4 Trevor Bayne 379
5 Ty Dillon# 378
6 Brian Scott 354
7 Brendan Gaughan 309
8 James Buescher 303
9 Chris Buescher # 295
10 D. Kwasniewski# 285
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Pos Driver Points
1 Matt Crafton 162
2 Timothy Peters 151
3 German Quiroga 144
4 Johnny Sauter 143
5 Ron Hornaday Jr.137
6 Ben Kennedy# 132
7 John Wes Townley127
8 Jeb Burton 127
9 Ryan Blaney 123
10 Darrell Wallace Jr. 108
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