For NASCAR drivers, few victories carry the prestigious history of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. As the longest and most grueling race on the schedule, it tests endurance, strategy and willpower like no other. From first-timers dreaming of etching their names into history to past winners hungry for another shot at glory, each driver has their own perspective on what it would mean to capture the checkered flag in this Memorial Day weekend tradition.
Here’s what some of the sport’s biggest names had to say about the significance of winning the Coca-Cola 600:
Ross Chastain, No. 1, Trackhouse Racing
“I do not have the words to describe it. That race has just been such a staple of our sport for so long and just the extra 100 miles, looking back, how it's changed the outcome of who was leading at 500 and who won the race, and the dynamic of the race.”
Austin Dillon, No. 3, Richard Childress Racing
“You know, any time you go to Victory Lane at the (NASCAR) Cup (Series) level, it's special. That was my first race ever in the (NASCAR) Cup Series, winning and tracking down Jimmie Johnson, who was probably the best at Charlotte Motor Speedway at the time on a fuel mileage race and it was pretty dramatic and, it was awesome being at our hometown track, it feels like a home win.”
Kyle Busch, No. 8, Richard Childress Racing
“You know, winning at Charlotte Motor Speedway is special because it is the Coca-Cola 600. It is man versus machine, the longest race of the year and it's one of the Crown Jewels of our sport, so obviously you want to take home that race. For me, I was finally able to accomplish that a few years ago, and it felt really good.”
Denny Hamlin, No. 11, Joe Gibbs Racing
“Knowing that you've got so many friends and family there watching, it's always just special winning, in that backyard. It was really great to do the champagne toast afterward in the suite. You got members there that have been part of the Speedway Club for decades and to have that moment with them after they just watched you do some work and come out on top is a special moment.”
Chase Briscoe, No. 19, Joe Gibbs Racing
“It would mean a ton. That is definitely a Crown Jewel race. It was one I was super close to, two or three years ago, and I kind of made a huge mistake with three laps to go and it's one that has stung ever since. So, it’s a race that would be super, super special to win. Just all the pageantry that comes with that race, the ring, the jacket, going up after the race, there's just a ton of things about that race that make it so special. To be able to win that race would mean a lot to me for sure.”
Joey Logano, No. 22, Team Penske
“That has haunted me for a long time. The Coke 600 is definitely really high on my list of races I want to win. As a Coca-Cola racing family driver for my whole career, that's one we gotta get done. Whether it's because I'm part of the family or the really cool Coca-Cola fridge that they give away, or the fact that it's just the Coca-Cola 600 and what that means to your career, all those are plenty of reasons to want it really bad.”
John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42, Legacy Motor Club
“Winning the Coke 600? I don't know if there are words to necessarily describe it. It's a Crown Jewel Race. So much history, probably one of the hardest races to win, in my opinion. The track changes so much over the 600 miles, starting in the day, falling to nighttime, trying to keep up with the race track adjustments with your race car. Where the lines are moving on the race track. There's so much that goes into it. You have to be flawless. Drivers have to be flawless for 600 miles, in the longest race of the year that we run. It would definitely mean a lot.”
Ricky Stenhouse, No. 47, HYAK Motorsports
“It would be huge for us to win the Coke 600. It's one that feels like we've had really good cars that’s finished in the top five, top ten, a few times, and it’s one of my favorite mile-and-a-half racetracks we go to. So, if we could win there, going back to my first ever Cup race I went to, that'd be pretty special.”
Daniel Suárez , No. 99, Trackhouse Racing
“The Coke 600 is definitely one of those races on my bucket list. It's such an amazing, special race, and I hope that I can win the race, hopefully every time.”
TICKETS:
Fans can purchase Coca-Cola 600 weekend tickets, online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or call 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Kids 12 and under get in all weekend for just $10.
MORE INFO:
Fans can connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway and get the latest news by following on X and Instagram, or becoming a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.
