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CONCORD, N.C. -- There is no day in the entire world that represents a measure of time, distance and time over distance like the Sunday before Memorial Day. It is on this day that three of the greatest auto races in the entire world take place, from F1's legendary Monaco Grand Prix, to IndyCar's signature event in the Indianapolis 500, and the single greatest test of man and machine that NASCAR has to offer.

To commemorate America's most solemn of holidays, NASCAR renews the tradition of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the single longest race in stock car racing and one of the sport's crown jewel events. To win the Coca-Cola 600 is to survive perhaps the most physically and mentally demanding endurance race that NASCAR has to offer, and it is also to cap off the single biggest day in global motorsports with the honor of claiming victory at Charlotte, right down the road from where many NASCAR drivers and race teams make their home in the greater Charlotte area.

2025 Indianapolis 500: Kyle Larson looks to become latest NASCAR star to complete the Indy-Charlotte Double
Steven Taranto
2025 Indianapolis 500: Kyle Larson looks to become latest NASCAR star to complete the Indy-Charlotte Double

Where to watch the Coca-Cola 600

When: Sunday, May 25 at 6 p.m. ET
Where: Charlotte Motor Speedway -- Concord, North Carolina
Stream: Amazon Prime

Starting lineup

Chase Briscoe has won the pole for the Coca-Cola 600, posting a lap of 29.532 (182.852 mph) to win his second pole of the season -- his other pole came in the Daytona 500 -- and the fourth of his Cup career. Briscoe will be flanked on the front row by Kyle Larson, who will start on the outside pole at Charlotte after returning from his Indianapolis 500 duties on Sunday.

  1. #19 - Chase Briscoe
  2. #5 - Kyle Larson
  3. #24 - William Byron
  4. #17 - Chris Buescher
  5. #16 - A.J. Allmendinger
  6. #42 - John Hunter Nemechek
  7. #54 - Ty Gibbs
  8. #4 - Noah Gragson
  9. #48 - Alex Bowman
  10. #20 - Christopher Bell
  11. #47 - Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
  12. #45 - Tyler Reddick
  13. #7 - Justin Haley
  14. #2 - Austin Cindric
  15. #71 - Michael McDowell
  16. #22 - Joey Logano
  17. #84 - Jimmie Johnson
  18. #21 - Josh Berry
  19. #10 - Ty DIllon
  20. #11 - Denny Hamlin
  21. #12 - Ryan Blaney
  22. #9 - Chase Elliott
  23. #38 - Zane Smith
  24. #8 - Kyle Busch
  25. #99 - Daniel Suarez
  26. #3 - Austin Dillon
  27. #43 - Erik Jones
  28. #60 - Ryan Preece
  29. #41 - Cole Custer
  30. #88 - Shane van Gisbergen (R)
  31. #35 - Riley Herbst (R)
  32. #23 - Bubba Wallace
  33. #87 - Connor Zilisch
  34. #34 - Todd Gilliland
  35. #6 - Brad Keselowski
  36. #51 - Cody Ware
  37. #44 - Derek Kraus
  38. #66 - Josh Bilicki
  39. #77 - Carson Hocevar
  40. #1 - Ross Chastain

Storyline to watch

Yet again, just as was the case in 2024, the biggest story of the Coca-Cola 600 will be Kyle Larson as he attempts to become the fifth driver in history to successfully race in both the Indianapolis 500 and Coke 600 on the same day. The question is not whether Larson can get from Indianapolis to Charlotte, and the question also isn't exactly how well he can run in both races: The question is whether or not things will work out.

The worst-case scenario unfolded for Larson's Double attempt one year ago, as a rain delay in the Indianapolis 500 forced Larson to have to miss the start of the Coke 600, then more rain ended the 600 prematurely before Larson could ever get in his No. 5 Chevrolet after finishing 18th at Indy. While the plan is for Larson to emphasize his NASCAR obligations this time around -- 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan is Larson's reserve driver should he be unable to compete at Indy -- a favorable forecast is expected for both ends of Larson's Double.

Assuming Larson starts both races without issue, his goal will be not only to compete and run up front at both Indy and Charlotte, but also to complete all 1,100 possible miles between the two races. That's only happened once in the history of the Indy-Charlotte Double, and it occurred in 2001 when Tony Stewart finished sixth in the Indianapolis 500 and then finished third in the Coke 600.

"I travel around so much and race and fly in last minute for sprint car races and jump straight in and I think that will help the mindset of what it will be like for the 600," Larson told NASCAR.com this week.

"I think for sure, for me it's not like a culture shock at all to be here and then traveling around to race. It's what I do every week. Time windows are tight so often, so it doesn't seem any different than a normal weekend for me."

If Larson's Double attempt is successful, he will become the fifth driver to ever race in the Indy 500 and Coke 600 on the same day, joining Stewart, John Andretti, Robby Gordon and Kurt Busch.

NASCAR news of the week

  • Hendrick Motorsports has signed two-time Daytona 500 champion William Byron to a four-year contract extension that will keep him behind the wheel of the team's No. 24 Chevrolet through the 2029 season. Byron, who was first signed by Hendrick in 2016, has 14 career wins and has made the Championship 4 in each of the past two seasons.
  • Richard Childress Racing announced Saturday that they have picked up the option on Kyle Busch's current contract, meaning Busch will officially return to RCR as the driver of the No. 8 Chevrolet in 2026. Busch, who joined RCR in 2023, had been in the last year of his current deal before the team option was picked up.
  • Christopher Bell will have a new spotter beginning this weekend, as spotter Stevie Reeves left the team following their win in the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro a week ago. Reeves will be replaced by Matt Philpott, who has transitioned to spotting after previously working as an interior mechanic and tire specialist for Denny Hamlin's team.
  • The NASCAR Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2026 on Tuesday night, naming Kurt Busch, Harry Gant, and Ray Hendrick to the incoming class. Busch -- a first-ballot Hall of Famer -- and Gant made the Hall of Fame via the Modern Era ballot, while Hendrick -- a Virginia short track legend famously known as "Mr. Modified" -- was the Pioneer ballot nominee. Busch, Gant and Hendrick will be joined in the Hall of Fame by Humpy Wheeler, longtime president and GM of Charlotte Motor Speedway, who was named the recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.

Pick to win

William Byron (+800) -- Charlotte's own Byron is still looking for his first win at Charlotte Motor Speedway, something he's been close to getting in his last two Coke 600 starts. Byron led 91 laps from the pole before finishing second in 2023 -- thanks in part to an absolutely elite performance by his pit crew -- and then led 49 laps from the outside pole a year ago before running third.

A Coke 600 win would give Byron another marquee win to add to his back-to-back Daytona 500 crowns, and it would make him the first driver to win the Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600 in the same season in some time. The last Daytona 500 winner to go on to win the Coke 600 three months later was Jeff Gordon -- whose No. 24 Byron now drives -- back in 1997.

So who wins the 2025 NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and which massive longshot could stun NASCAR? Visit SportsLine now to see the 2025 NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway picks and best bets from a NASCAR insider who nailed a colossal 17 winners last year, and find out.