5 bold predictions for NASCAR's longest race at Charlotte Motor Speedway

NASCAR's best are set to do battle within the game's longest race, the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Sunday, FOX, 5:30 p.m. ET).

This race dates back to 1960, when the music first opened. Then referred to as the realm 600, the primary race featured a 60-car box, with best 18 vehicles working on the conclude and Joe Lee Johnson winning by way of four laps over Johnny Beauchamp.

As reliability has more advantageous over the years, attrition isn't any longer an argument, but it surely's nonetheless a tough race for the drivers and pit crews, who will should take care of sweltering warmth and humidity in the course of the lengthy evening.

listed below are 5 bold predictions for NASCAR's longest race:

5. COMERS AND GOERS -- since the race starts within the heat of the early evening and goes previous eleven p.m., tune situations will trade radically over the course of 600 miles and more than four hours of racing. don't be anxious lots about who's speedy within the first 100 miles; it's probably that one of the most daylight jackrabbits will fall again at evening when song temps cool.

4. CAPTAIN CONNECTS -- group proprietor Roger Penske is the favourite in the Indianapolis 500 and has two quickly cars in the Coca-Cola 600, with Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski. The Captain might be attempting to find a 500-600 sweep, however the odds desire him much more at Indy the place he has won the five hundred a listing sixteen instances. within the Coca-Cola 600, Penske has only one victory, which came in 2010 when Kurt Busch won this race and the dash All-megastar Race.

three. climate performs an element -- The forecast for Sunday evening has been getting step by step more desirable, and it appears like we should get the race in. Of route, that is no guarantee and the race well can be shortened through rain. provided that the race goes as a minimum 301 miles, it may be regarded reliable. If it appears like climate is coming, you'll see teams are attempting lots of options to place themselves for the win.

2. JGR DOMINANCE STOPPED -- After profitable seven of the first 12 races of the 12 months, Joe Gibbs Racing has seemed adequate thus far this weekend, however hardly dominant. In satisfied Hour, the quickest JGR Toyota in 10-consecutive-lap regular speed was Denny Hamlin, who become seventh. Kyle Busch, who has been the dominant driver of the season, turned into fifteenth in each that category and single-lap pace in happy Hour.

1. a first-TIME WINNER -- All three of the precise qualifiers -- Martin Truex Jr., Joey Logano and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. -- are winless this season, as are 10 of the good 15 qualifiers. Sunday evening's race will be a brilliant chance for probably the most winless drivers to punch his ticket to the Chase for the NASCAR dash Cup. hold a watch on Kurt Busch, Kyle Larson and Trevor Bayne, too.