CONCORD, N.C. – The Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race is notable for frenetic racing and heavy contact between cars, but Joey Logano doesn’t expect anything less in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
“Did you watch Kansas? It’s the same thing,” Logano asked rhetorically about the most recent Monster Energy Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway, where restarts in particular were fraught with action.
Like the race at Kansas, most of Sunday’s Coke 600 will be run under the lights, thanks to the evening start time and the length of the event. NASCAR’s 2019 higher-downforce, lower-horsepower competition package is likely to keep the cars closer together on a hot, slick race track.
“That’s what this rules package has kind of promoted is that we’re so close to each other and to be able to clear someone or to really put yourself in the position you need to sometimes you’ve got to make those aggressive moves, whether it’s an aggressive block–maybe you’re pushing someone by, maybe you find yourself four-wide like they did down the frontstretch,” Logano said, describing a situation in the All-Star race where four cars crossed the start/finish line side-by-side and raced that way until they reached the first corner.
“I didn’t think that was possible, and it really kind of wasn’t, but they got through it somehow down the front straightway here at Charlotte. A lot of it is the rules package. We’ll see that continue.”
Logano was 14th fastest in Saturday morning’s first Cup practice session and 15th on a hotter track in Happy Hour.
Don’t Expect A Truex-Style Domination In Sunday’s Race
One of Martin Truex, Jr.’s fondest memories is the whipping he put on the rest of the field in the 2016 Coca-Cola 600.
Truex led 392 of 400 laps (good for a NASCAR record 588 of the 600 miles), surrendering the top spot only on pit stops. He crossed the finish line 2.572 seconds ahead of runner-up Kevin Harvick.
Will that sort of domination be a possibility in Sunday’s 60th running of NASCAR’s longest race?
As far as Truex is concerned, you can forget about that prospect.
“Just to be able to do that at this level is something you dream of,” said Truex, who was 11th fastest in Saturday’s final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice. “The fact that no one will probably lead more laps than that ever, ever, ever, and that’s just crazy to think about.
“Pretty cool and I wouldn’t say we need to duplicate that, but I would like to try to win another one. It’s a special race to win. It’s one of the crown jewels.”
Short Strokes
-Seeking his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory, Daniel Suarez topped the speed charts in both Saturday practices for the Coca-Cola 600. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver posted a top speed of 182.143 mph in Saturday’s first session and a best lap at 180.705 mph on a hotter track in final practice. Suarez also had the sixth best 10-consecutive lap average speed in Happy Hour (179.134 mph). “We have a good piece, and hopefully we can take advantage of it tomorrow,” Suarez said…
-Roush Fenway Racing driver Ryan Newman smacked the outside wall on the final lap of Saturday morning’s first practice and flattened the right side of his No. 6 Ford. Newman’s crew did yeoman work to repair the primary car in time for final practice. Newman ran 35 laps in the session and was 28th fastest of the 32 drivers who participated…
-Denny Hamlin had the quickest Toyota in final practice, running the third fastest lap at 180.554 mph. The reigning Daytona 500 winner hopes the speed in his Joe Gibbs Racing Camry will help overcome a 20th-place starting position. “It should be pretty good,” Hamlin said after Happy Hour. “I felt pretty good with our practice there. It was one of our better practices of the year. We’re going to have to start from deep in the field, which is going to be a challenge with traffic, but we’ve got a long race to get it done. Pretty happy with where we’re at.”
WDUN's coverage of the Memorial Day Weekend racing action continues on Sunday with live IMS Radio Network coverage of the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway beginning at noon on 102.9 FM, at 1 pm on AM 550 and streaming live on AccessWDUN.
Coverage continues on Sunday night live PRN Radio coverage of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 from Charlotte Motor Speedway beginning at 5 pm on 102.9 FM, AM 550 and streaming live on AccessWDUN.
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Charlotte Motor Speedway – Concord, NC
Coca-Cola 600 – May 26, 2019
Sunday’s Starting Lineup
1. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet, 183.424 mph.
2. (10) Aric Almirola, Ford, 183.069 mph.
3. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 182.933 mph.
4. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 182.766 mph.
5. (4) Kevin Harvick, Ford, 182.741 mph.
6. (41) Daniel Suarez, Ford, 182.710 mph.
7. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 182.679 mph.
8. (14) Clint Bowyer, Ford, 182.667 mph.
9. (17) Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Ford, 182.661 mph.
10. (8) Daniel Hemric #, Chevrolet, 182.506 mph.
11. (1) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 182.414 mph.
12. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 182.346 mph.
13. (88) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 182.322 mph.
14. (19) Martin Truex, Jr., Toyota, 182.297 mph.
15. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 182.131 mph.
16. (20) Erik Jones, Toyota, 182.082 mph.
17. (21) Paul Menard, Ford, 181.830 mph.
18. (6) Ryan Newman, Ford, 181.598 mph.
19. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 181.452 mph.
20. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 181.372 mph.
21. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 181.324 mph.
22. (37) Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, 181.311 mph.
23. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford, 181.311 mph.
24. (47) Ryan Preece #, Chevrolet, 180.971 mph.
25. (42) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 180.953 mph.
26. (36) Matt Tifft #, Ford, 180.270 mph.
27. (95) Matt DiBenedetto, Toyota, 180.132 mph.
28. (13) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 180.102 mph.
29. (43) Darrell Wallace, Jr., Chevrolet, 179.964 mph.
30. (32) Corey LaJoie, Ford, 179.354 mph.
31. (38) David Ragan, Ford, 178.489 mph.
32. (00) Landon Cassill(i), Chevrolet, 177.754 mph.
33. (52) Bayley Currey(i), Ford, 177.416 mph.
34. (96) Parker Kligerman(i), Toyota, 177.223 mph.
35. (15) Ross Chastain(i), Chevrolet, 176.667 mph.
36. (53) B.J. McLeod(i), Chevrolet, 174.752 mph.
37. (27) Reed Sorenson, Chevrolet, 174.503 mph.
38. (51) Cody Ware(i), Ford, 169.747 mph.
39. (77) Quin Houff, Chevrolet, 169.030 mph.
40. (66) Joey Gase(i), Toyota, 168.439 mph.
