NASCAR at Charlotte 2015: Start Time, Lineup, TV Schedule and More
Memorial Day weekend is considered the unofficial start to summer, and it's also the annual home to the Coca-Cola 600. After remembering those who lost their lives serving the United States, NASCAR fans can enjoy the longest race on the Sprint Cup Series schedule.
It marks the second straight race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Last weekend was the 2015 Sprint All-Star Race on the same quad-oval course. Denny Hamlin broke away from the star-studded field to capture the victory and a cool $1 million.
Let's check out all of the important information for the return to points racing on Sunday followed by a look at the field and a race preview.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Viewing Details
Where: Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina
When: Sunday, May 24 at 6 p.m. ET
Watch: Fox
Live Stream: Fox Sports Go
Starting Order
| 1 | 20 | Matt Kenseth |
| 2 | 22 | Joey Logano |
| 3 | 19 | Carl Edwards |
| 4 | 16 | Greg Biffle |
| 5 | 11 | Denny Hamlin |
| 6 | 2 | Brad Keselowski |
| 7 | 55 | David Ragan |
| 8 | 4 | Kevin Harvick |
| 9 | 42 | Kyle Larson |
| 10 | 78 | Martin Truex Jr |
| 11 | 3 | Austin Dillon |
| 12 | 14 | Tony Stewart |
| 13 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson |
| 14 | 41 | Kurt Busch |
| 15 | 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr |
| 16 | 21 | Ryan Blaney |
| 17 | 18 | Kyle Busch |
| 18 | 24 | Jeff Gordon |
| 19 | 31 | Ryan Newman |
| 20 | 10 | Danica Patrick |
| 21 | 43 | Aric Almirola |
| 22 | 1 | Jamie McMurray |
| 23 | 27 | Paul Menard |
| 24 | 15 | Clint Bowyer |
| 25 | 95 | Michael McDowell |
| 26 | 9 | Sam Hornish Jr |
| 27 | 6 | Trevor Bayne |
| 28 | 25 | Chase Elliott |
| 29 | 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr |
| 30 | 47 | AJ Allmendinger |
| 31 | 7 | Alex Bowman |
| 32 | 40 | Landon Cassill |
| 33 | 5 | Kasey Kahne |
| 34 | 13 | Casey Mears |
| 35 | 51 | Justin Allgaier |
| 36 | 46 | Michael Annett |
| 37 | 35 | Cole Whitt |
| 38 | 98 | Josh Wise |
| 39 | 38 | David Gilliland |
| 40 | 34 | Brett Moffitt |
| 41 | 23 | J.J. Yeley |
| 42 | 83 | Matt DiBenedetto |
| 43 | 33 | Alex Kennedy |
Race Preview
The Coca-Cola 600 has been a home of repeat winners recently. Last year, Jimmie Johnson captured his fourth win in the storied race. In 2013, Kevin Harvick won it for a second time, and Kasey Kahne was triumphant for a third time in 2012.
While the sport's biggest names have thrived in what amounts to an endurance test in addition to the usual strategy of racing, there have also been some surprises over the past decade. Casey Mears (2007) and David Reutimann (2009) were both able to get their names on the winners list.
As mentioned, Hamlin is coming off a victory in the All-Star race last week. It's been a sluggish start to the campaign for the No. 11 team. Being able to outrun everybody else in a mad dash for the finish is a sign they may have finally found the right combination.
NASCAR, via the Sporting News, passed along comments from the Toyota driver, who thinks they picked up a lot of key details along with the win last week.
"I think we learned some valuable stuff," Hamlin said. "We ran up front, re-ran in the middle, we ran in the back. I think we have an idea of what our car did. I have some really good information that I'll download with these guys next week."
While he surged to victory last weekend, nobody has enjoyed more success at Charlotte over the years than Johnson. The six-time Sprint Cup Series champion has registered 17 top-10 finishes in 27 career starts at the track.
NASCAR Stats notes he also holds the wins record:
Another driver worth keeping an eye on during Sunday's race is Kyle Busch. He returned to action in the All-Star race following leg injuries suffered prior to the Daytona 500, but the Coca-Cola 600 will mark his first points race of the 2015 season.
NASCAR previously announced he would remain eligible for the Chase if he finished in the top 30 in points and won a race. Deb Williams of RacinToday.com noted the qualification he was most concerned about in the weeks ahead:
Also of note, Mike Joy of Fox Sports confirmed the telecast will once again contain a terrific Memorial Day tradition:
The Coca-Cola 600 is one of the biggest stops during a NASCAR season. It's an entertaining race, and the Memorial Day aspect makes it even better. That's why it's one of those victories every driver would like to have on his resume.
Johnson has won the race four times as part of his Charlotte dominance. Look for him to make it five on Sunday evening.
Predicted Winner: Jimmie Johnson
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
