The Coca-Cola 600 (formerly World 600) is a 600-mile (966 km) stock car race held annually at Charlotte Motor Speedway (formerly Lowe's Motor Speedway) in Charlotte, North Carolina on Memorial Day weekend. It is the longest Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race and in fact is the longest regularly-scheduled automobile race conducted on an oval track anywhere in the world, and just 21 miles shorter than major sports car endurance 1,000-kilometer races.
The event was begun as an attempt by NASCAR to stage a Memorial Day weekend event that would rival the open-wheel Indianapolis 500 in fan interest and it has succeeded to some degree, gaining larger TV ratings than the Indianapolis race from 2002-2004. It was not until 1974, however, that both races competed head-to-head on the same day. Prior to 1974, the two races were held on different days of the week, and on a few occasions, some drivers drove in both; this continued even after the 600 was moved to the same day, albeit to a smaller degree.
With the installation of lights in 1992, fans complained to circuit management because of the notorious North Carolina heat and humidity, and the forced early starts to beat the sunset, they wanted to follow The Winston's popularity the previous week and switch the race to a nighttime finish to create cooler temperatures for spectators. The start time was moved back several times throughout the 1990s but finally settled at 5:30 PM in 2001, in order to have the race finish by 10 p.m. ET, to allow the race to precede local news on Fox affiliates.
The nighttime portion of the race lit with a system that uses parabolic reflectors so that dangerous glare that would otherwise be in the drivers' eyes is minimized. The move of the race to the early evening made it possible for drivers to participate in both the 600 and the Indianapolis 500 by flying from Indianapolis to Charlotte as soon as the Indianapolis race was over. Experts disagree over whether, for health and safety reasons, anyone should be allowed to race 1100 miles in one day, but no regulation has been passed yet by any governing body to prevent it. Beginning with the 2005 races, the issue became moot as the start time for the Indianapolis 500 was moved back one hour to in an effort to gain higher TV ratings. This resulted in only about a one hour span between the end of the Indianapolis race and the start of the Charlotte race.
Until the Ferko lawsuit settlement took effect, the race was considered the third leg of the Grand Slam and was once part of the Winston Million.
See also: List of current NASCAR races
Past races[]
On Sunday, May 29, 2005, a new record for the most caution flags of any NASCAR race was set at 22 cautions. In addition, there was one red flag. During that race Jimmie Johnson slid past Bobby Labonte in turn four on the final lap, claiming the checkered flag. In doing so he became the first driver to win 3 consecutive Coca-Cola 600 races. He would finish a distant second to Kasey Kahne the following year.
Past winners[]
List of Coca-Cola 600 winners[]
| Year | Date | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Miles (Kilometers) | Race Time | Average Speed | Race Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | June 19* | 89 | Joe Lee Johnson | Paul McDuffie | Chevrolet | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 5:34:06 | 107.735 | Report |
| 1961 | May 28 | 3 | David Pearson | John Masoni | Pontiac | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 5:22:29 | 111.633 | Report |
| 1962 | May 27 | 29 | Nelson Stacy | Holman-Moody | Ford | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:46:44 | 125.552 | Report |
| 1963 | June 2* | 28 | Fred Lorenzen | Holman-Moody | Ford | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:31:52 | 132.417 | Report |
| 1964 | May 24 | 41 | Jim Paschal | Petty Enterprises | Plymouth | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:46:14 | 125.772 | Report |
| 1965 | May 23 | 28 | Fred Lorenzen | Holman-Moody | Ford | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:55:38 | 121.722 | Report |
| 1966 | May 22 | 42 | Marvin Panch | Petty Enterprises | Plymouth | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:26:35 | 135.042 | Report |
| 1967 | May 28 | 14 | Jim Paschal | Frieden Enterprises | Plymouth | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:25:02 | 135.832 | Report |
| 1968 | May 26 | 3 | Buddy Baker | Ray Fox | Dodge | 255* | 382.5 (615.574) | 3:04:14 | 104.207 | Report |
| 1969 | May 25 | 98 | LeeRoy Yarbrough | Junior Johnson & Associates | Mercury | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:27:56 | 134.361 | Report |
| 1970 | May 24 | 27 | Donnie Allison | Banjo Matthews | Ford | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:37:36 | 129.68 | Report |
| 1971 | May 30 | 12 | Bobby Allison | Holman-Moody | Mercury | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:16:20 | 140.422 | Report |
| 1972 | May 28 | 11 | Buddy Baker | Petty Enterprises | Dodge | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:13:04 | 142.255 | Report |
| 1973 | May 27 | 71 | Buddy Baker | Nord Krauskopf | Dodge | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:26:53 | 134.89 | Report |
| 1974 | May 26 | 21 | David Pearson | Wood Brothers Racing | Mercury | 360* | 540 (869.045) | 3:58:21 | 135.72 | Report |
| 1975 | May 25 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Dodge | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:07:42 | 145.327 | Report |
| 1976 | May 30 | 21 | David Pearson | Wood Brothers Racing | Mercury | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:22:06 | 137.352 | Report |
| 1977 | May 29 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Dodge | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:21:29 | 137.676 | Report |
| 1978 | May 28 | 88 | Darrell Waltrip | DiGard Motorsports | Chevrolet | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:20:12 | 138.355 | Report |
| 1979 | May 27 | 88 | Darrell Waltrip | DiGard Motorsports | Chevrolet | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:23:24 | 136.674 | Report |
| 1980 | May 25 | 27 | Benny Parsons | M. C. Anderson Racing | Chevrolet | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 5:01:51 | 119.265 | Report |
| 1981 | May 24 | 28 | Bobby Allison | Ranier-Lundy | Buick | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:38:22 | 129.326 | Report |
| 1982 | May 30 | 21 | Neil Bonnett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:36:48 | 130.058 | Report |
| 1983 | May 29 | 75 | Neil Bonnett | RahMoc Enterprises | Chevrolet | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:15:51 | 140.707 | Report |
| 1984 | May 27 | 22 | Bobby Allison | DiGard Motorsports | Buick | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:38:34 | 129.233 | Report |
| 1985 | May 26 | 11 | Darrell Waltrip | Junior Johnson & Associates | Chevrolet | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:13:52 | 141.807 | Report |
| 1986 | May 25 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:16:24 | 140.406 | Report |
| 1987 | May 24 | 21 | Kyle Petty | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:33:48 | 131.483 | Report |
| 1988 | May 29 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:49:15 | 124.46 | Report |
| 1989 | May 28 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:09:52 | 144.077 | Report |
| 1990 | May 27 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:21:32 | 137.65 | Report |
| 1991 | May 26 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:19:05 | 138.951 | Report |
| 1992 | May 24 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:30:43 | 132.98 | Report |
| 1993 | May 30 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:07:25 | 145.504 | Report |
| 1994 | May 29 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:18:10 | 139.445 | Report |
| 1995 | May 28 | 18 | Bobby Labonte | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 3:56:55 | 151.952 | Report |
| 1996 | May 26 | 88 | Dale Jarrett | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:03:56 | 147.581 | Report |
| 1997 | May 25–26* | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 333* | 499.5 (803.867) | 3:39:10 | 136.745 | Report |
| 1998 | May 24 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:23:53 | 136.424 | Report |
| 1999 | May 30 | 99 | Jeff Burton | Roush Racing | Ford | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 3:57:50 | 151.367 | Report |
| 2000 | May 28 | 17 | Matt Kenseth | Roush Racing | Ford | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:12:23 | 142.64 | Report |
| 2001 | May 27 | 99 | Jeff Burton | Roush Racing | Ford | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:20:40 | 138.107 | Report |
| 2002 | May 26 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:21:23 | 137.729 | Report |
| 2003 | May 25 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 276* | 414 (666.268) | 3:16:50 | 126.198 | Report |
| 2004 | May 30 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:12:10 | 142.763 | Report |
| 2005 | May 29 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 5:13:52 | 114.698 | Report |
| 2006 | May 28 | 9 | Kasey Kahne | Evernham Motorsports | Dodge | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:39:25 | 128.84 | Report |
| 2007 | May 27 | 25 | Casey Mears | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:36:27 | 130.222 | Report |
| 2008 | May 25 | 9 | Kasey Kahne | Gillett Evernham Motorsports | Dodge | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:25:09 | 135.772 | Report |
| 2009 | May 25* | 00 | David Reutimann | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | 227* | 340.5 (547.981) | 2:48:59 | 120.899 | Report |
| 2010 | May 30 | 2 | Kurt Busch | Penske Racing | Dodge | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:08:20 | 144.966 | Report |
| 2011 | May 29 | 29 | Kevin Harvick | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 402* | 603 (970.434) | 4:33:14 | 132.414 | Report |
| 2012 | May 27 | 5 | Kasey Kahne | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 3:51:14 | 155.687 | Report |
| 2013 | May 26 | 29 | Kevin Harvick | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:35:49 | 130.521 | Report |
| 2014 | May 25 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:07:27 | 145.484 | Report |
| 2015 | May 24 | 19 | Carl Edwards | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:03:34 | 147.803 | Report |
| 2016 | May 29 | 78 | Martin Truex Jr. | Furniture Row Racing | Toyota | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 3:44:05 | 160.655 | Report |
| 2017 | May 28–29* | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:19:22 | 138.8 | Report |
| 2018 | May 27 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:23:22 | 136.692 | Report |
| 2019 | May 26 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:50:09 | 124.074 | Report |
| 2020 | May 24–25* | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford | 405* | 607.5 (977.467) | 4:29:55 | 135.024 | Report |
| 2021 | May 30 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 3:58:45 | 150.785 | Report |
| 2022 | May 29 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 413* | 619.5 (996.988) | 5:13:08 | 118.703 | Report |
| 2023 | May 29* | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 400 | 600 (965.606) | 4:58:50 | 123.053 | Report |
| 2024 | May 26 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 249* | 373.5 (601.089) | 3:02:07 | 123.053 | Report |