NASCAR at Charlotte 2018: Start Time, Ticket Info, Lineup, TV Schedule and More
It's Coca-Cola 600 time for the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
A week removed from Kevin Harvick continuing his reign atop the series with a triumph at the All-Star race, Charlotte Motor Speedway hosts one of the season's biggest events and boasts the expected evening start for a 600-mile classic.
One of the most important races of the season will have a hard time matching the drama surrounding the event a year ago, when Austin Dillon took the checkered flag despite a caution lasting more than two hours.
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This year will need an influx of disruptors to shake up the standings led by Harvick and other notable names if it's to match the hype.
Here's everything to know about the event.
Viewing Details
Where: Charlotte Motor Speedway
When: Sunday, 6 p.m. ET
Watch: Fox
Tickets: StubHub
Coca-Cola 600
1. Kyle Busch (28.149)
2. Joey Logano (28.240)
3. Denny Hamlin (28.265)
4. Erik Jones (28.288)
5. Brad Keselowski (28.338)
6. Ryan Newman (28.391)
7. Jamie McMurray (28.430)
8. Ryan Blaney (28.437)
9. Aric Almirola (28.465)
10. Daniel Suarez (28.465)
Full starting lineup can be viewed on NASCAR's official website.
2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Standings
| 1. Kevin Harvick | 484 |
| 2. Kyle Busch | 503 |
| 3. Joey Logano | 491 |
| 4. Clint Bowyer | 406 |
| 5. Martin Truex Jr. | 376 |
| 6. Austin Dillon | 241 |
| 7. Brad Keselowski | 396 |
| 8. Kurt Busch | 393 |
| 9. Denny Hamlin | 380 |
| 10. Ryan Blaney | 365 |
| 11. Aric Almirola | 342 |
| 12. Kyle Larson | 336 |
| 13. Jimmie Johnson | 286 |
| 14. Erik Jones | 285 |
| 15. Alex Bowman | 271 |
| 16. Chase Elliott | 266 |
Drivers to Watch
Martin Truex Jr.
Martin Truex Jr. isn't in outright danger as he enters the weekend, but it looks like he could head into a bit of a dip if he isn't careful.
The 37-year-old finished 17th in the All-Star race, which isn't terrible—but outside of the event weekend he's finished 14th or worse in four of his last six showings, including two 30-plus performances.
Fast forward to qualifying for Charlotte and Truex starts 15th, the third time this year he has failed to reach the final round.
None of this is the end of the world for the Furniture Row Racing star. He has one win on the season already thanks to a mid-March checkered flag in California and won Sunday's event as recently as 2016.
Still, Truex starts from one of his worst positions of the year Sunday evening, and he's only sitting on five top-five finishes in 25 starts at the track.
Coming off a visit to the White House to celebrate his title, it will be interesting to see if the No. 78 Toyota can dig out of a hole and compete for the lone spot in Victory Lane.
Kyle Busch
Kyle Busch has really been the only person capable of keeping pace with Harvick this year.
Keep pace, meaning he's helped ruin the sport's idea of parity by securing three wins before the month of June—and hitting on all three victories in a row (Texas, Bristol, Richmond). He wasn't as hot at the All-Star race with a ninth-place finish, but he compensated by winning the pole for this weekend's event.
However, a good starting spot for Busch on Sunday doesn't mean much considering it's the only track he hasn't won a Cup points race at. In fact, he's only won an All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
"The last time I checked I have a trophy at home that says, 'winner at Charlotte Motor Speedway,' so I'll take that to my grave with me if I do never get a points win here," Busch said, according to Steve Reed of the Associated Press (via the New York Times). "That will be my saving grace I guess."
Qualifying was proof enough the 33-year-old is motivated to put this lack of a win at the track behind him, as he ran his fastest lap in the final round of the knockout session to secure the pole.
Should the good run on the track translate to the 600-lap trek, Busch will not only secure a career milestone, but he will also pick up a fourth win of the season as he looks to head into a strong summer.
Kevin Harvick
Does anybody want to count out Harvick when it comes to a sixth win (seventh if we count last week)? Doubtful.
The 42-year-old rattled off three consecutive wins (Atlanta, Las Vegas and Phoenix) right after a miserable 31st-place showing at Daytona, then ripped off two more at Dover and Kansas before the all-star break—where he reeled in another win anyway.
While Harvick has redefined the term "dominance," it hasn't all been rosy lately. He failed inspection three times and will have to start 39th Sunday, as Fox detailed:
Then again, it would be just like Harvick this year to storm out of a miserable starting spot and seize a win. He's already won this exact event twice, and it's one of his better tracks, so he'll know how to keep gaining back position during one of the longer races in the series.
Harvick is a can't-miss name right now for the way he's merely toying with the opposition. But the focus now turns to the history he could make by continuing to put up wins, which is starting to make the lack of parity an afterthought.
Stats and info courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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