This Sunday at 6 o’clock eastern time at Charlotte Motor speedway we will witness a historic event. The sixtieth running of the Coca Cola 600, one of the prize jewel races to win for a driver. This race has the ability to make a driver a legend. Will we see a soon to be legend add to his legacy or a young gun look to lay the foundation for his own legacy? Either way race fans here are your Belly Up drivers to watch for this weekends Coca Cola 600.
Team Chevrolet
As of late this whole Chevrolet camp as a whole has begun to improve greatly in performance. Things appear to be rolling in the right direction, and large part due to these two drivers. Chase Elliott a few weeks back won a stage and the race at Talladega, and then was able to go onto contend for a win and win a stage a Dover. While he hasn’t really been one of the more consistent drivers at Charlotte over the past three races. The Dawsonville, Georgia native does have a top ten career finishing average at the home track for NASCAR. He also has led 115 laps in his career here as well making him a driver to keep an eye on this Sunday.
Kurt Busch, is like the definition of consistency in NASCAR. He straps into just about any car and can run solidly. That being said he also knows how to win this exact race while its been almost ten years he knows how to get to victory lane. Also, if you look at his finishing positions since the fall of 2014 here his worst finish is twenty second. Yes, not good but still shows he can make his way to a top twenty finish more often than not. Kurt has also been able to hold a career finishing average here of fifteenth place. Keep an eye on the driver of the Monster energy Chevrolet Camaro under the lights this weekend.
Team Ford
Daniel Suarez, yes you read that right Daniel Suarez. The young driver from the country of Mexico hasn’t won just yet in his short career but is on track. Since, Auto Club earlier this year the young driver has one finish outside of the top fifteen. Also, in the past three races here he has finished in the top fifteen, and has an average finishing position of tenth. So, watch the young Stewart Haas driver this weekend, to possibly get his first win in a career making race.
This next driver Daniel’s teammate Kevin Harvick. Kevin is to this point, win less this year and that to me is shocking. Kevin won eight races last year most of them on mile and half tracks. Harvick is much like my second Chevrolet driver he knows how to get to victory lane here having won at Charlotte three times in his career. While he hasn’t been on it as of late here he does have a top twenty average finishing position and it his Kevin Harvick. One of the arguably best drivers to race in the sport in the last five years.
Toyota Teammates
While we don’t really have a huge selection of competitive Toyota’s obviously these drivers to watch are going to be teammates more often than not. Martin Truex Jr. is the new driver in the Joe Gibbs garage, but is already trying to start how he ended last year. With a win at Richmond, he’s going to a track this weekend where he has one win in the last three races and almost won the inaugural Roval race last fall. Along with that win Truex also has led a combined 324 laps, and has a second place average finishing position.
Kyle Busch, the driver we all love to hate. Rivals his teammate here when it comes to being the most dominant driver. In his last three races he has won one race that being last years six hundred. While winning last year he has also led a combined 462 laps in the last three races. Kyle is always a contender in the big races like this, its almost as he has ice running through his veins.
Underdogs
Alex Bowman “The Showman” has done something that no one else has done with his three consecutive second place finishes. This young driver has finished in every position on the race track except first. Out of know where this young man has picked up his performance whether it be the equipment, or pure driver ability. I as a fan have enjoyed watching him step up, and he very well could end up in victory lane this Sunday.
Clint Bowyer has been a pretty popular driver since the all star race after his fight with Ryan Newman. While as a race fan we always love a little controversy I believe his controversy will lead to a hard headed motivated Mustang driver. Clint hasn’t been the best here as of late with a 17th place average finishing position. Keep an eye on this veteran I mean after grabbing the pole in the all star race with him not being able to claim the million dollar check. He could be coming for a career win in the 600.
So, I went back and forth on putting this driver here this week. I mean he in the past three races has led 64 laps, and grabbed one pole qualifying effort. Denny Hamlin has won one big race this year and could grab a second this Sunday night. Denny has never won at Charlotte in his career but if there was any better chance it should be this year to win the Coca Cola 600.
Conclusion
The Coca Cola 600, as I touched on earlier is a career making race for NASCAR drivers. The likes of Dale Earnhardt, Bill Elliott, Darrell Waltrip, and many more legends have took home the trophy for this race. I will be interested to see how the strategy of a six hundred mile race works into the favor or not into the favor of drivers and crew chiefs alike. Will we see a future Hall of Famer like Kyle Busch, or Jimmie Johnson just put another notch in their belts? Or will it be the young guns like Chase Elliott or Ryan Blaney show everyone once again why they are cup series drivers? Either way race fans this will be another 600 to remember I’m sure.
