Coca-Cola 600 Event Info:
Date: Sunday, May 25
Time: 6 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Concord, N.C.
Format: 400 Laps, 600 Miles
TV: Prime
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)
Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 1:30 p.m. ET, Cup Practice (Prime, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 2:40 p.m. ET, Cup Qualifying (Prime, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 6 p.m. ET, Cup Race (Prime, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Pace Laps:
- The NASCAR schedule turns to Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend as the NASCAR Cup Series is set for the famed Coca-Cola 600 Sunday night.
- RFK has 20 wins all-time at CMS including four in the Coke 600.
- This year, NASCAR Salutes begins on Memorial Day Weekend, anchored by a special tribute called “600 Miles of Remembrance” where every Cup Series car in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 will feature the name of a fallen service member on the windshield.
- Brad Keselowski earned his first career pole in the All-Star race last weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
6 Team Info:
Driver: Brad Keselowski
Crew Chief: Jeremy Bullins
Partner: BuildSubmarines.com
- The BuildSubmarines.com car will feature the name of Hull Maintenance Technician Second Class Kenneth E. Clodfelter on the windshield. Clodfelter was born on December 26, 1978, at Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado, to John and Gloria Clodfelter. He attended Lee-Davis High School in Mechanicsville, Virginia, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy on June 25, 1997. Clodfelter attended Basic Training and Hull Maintenance Technician “A” and “C” schools in Great Lakes, Illinois. He reported to USS Cole (DDG-67) on March 27, 1998. Clodfelter was killed in the line of duty when a terrorist bomb was detonated along the port side of the ship while it was refueling in Aden, Yemen, on October 12, 2000.
- Petty Officer Clodfelter was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Unit Commendation, and the rank of Hull Maintenance Technician Second Class. He held the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.
17 Team Info:
Driver: Chris Buescher
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Partner: Fastenal
- Chief Warrant Officer 3 Steve Dwyer will be honored on the No. 17 car this weekend. The Dwyerfire Goldstar Foundation was founded in honor of CW3 Steve Dwyer, with the foundation committed to keeping Steve’s legacy alive through empowering Gold Star children by providing support and mentorship in sports and fitness. Steve played every sport he could until finally finding his favorite combination of brute, brawn and brains in collegiate level Rugby. An amazing athlete, he learned grit, discipline, teamwork and many other life lessons through sports.
60 Team Info:
Driver: Ryan Preece
Crew Chief: Derrick Finley
Partner: Kroger / Irish Spring
- This week’s Kroger / Irish Spring car will feature Sergeant Robert “Robbie” John Naundorff Jr., who served in the United States Marine Corps from 2001-2005 and the Army 2010-2013. He had done several combat missions, and was medically retired from the Army on September 11, 2013, due to injuries he sustained in Afghanistan. After retirement, he pursued other interests. He was passionate about snowboarding and felt at “home” while on the mountain at Wolf Creek. He also especially enjoyed hunting, with his friend, Scott. Robbie loved the outdoors and hiking with his son and their dogs.
- If you’re a Veteran in a mental health crisis and you’re thinking about hurting yourself—or you know a Veteran who’s considering this—get help right away. You’re not alone.
Keselowski at Charlotte
Starts: 25
Wins: 2 (2013, 2020)
Top-10s: 11
Poles: 1 (2011)
- Keselowski makes his 16th start in the Coca-Cola 600 and 26th overall start at CMS this weekend. He has 11 top-10 finishes – six inside the top five – with two wins and a 13.9 average finish.
- Keselowski is the 2020 winner of the 600-mile event, leading 21 laps after starting ninth. He also won on the oval in 2013, and in total has led in 14 different Charlotte oval events.
- Last season, Keselowski finished 2nd in the rain-shortened Coke 600 after starting 30th.
- Keselowski has an average starting position of 16.2 with one pole (2011). Otherwise, he has nine starts inside the top-10.
- Keselowski also made a combined 25 additional starts in the Xfinity and Truck Series at CMS with a combined four wins – all in Xfinity – in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2018.
Buescher at Charlotte
Starts: 12
Wins: —
Top-10s: 4
Poles: —
- Buescher makes his 13th Cup start at Charlotte this weekend in what will be his ninth Coca-Cola 600.
- He has four top-10s at Charlotte with a best finish of sixth in the 2019 Coke 600. He finished 10th a year later, and ran eighth in the 2021 marquee event.
- He’s coming off a P23 finish a year ago after starting 39th.
- Buescher’s best starting position stands as 11th (twice) with a 22.0 overall average starting position.
- He also made five Xfinity Series starts at CMS with three top-10s and a best finish of sixth (2014).
Preece at Charlotte
Starts: 7
Wins: —
Top-10s: —
Poles: —
Preece is set to make his eighth Cup start at Charlotte this Sunday, along with his sixth Coca-Cola 600.
His best finish at CMS is 13th in 2023, and is coming off a P26 finish a year ago after starting 31st.
Preece holds a 26.0 average starting position at Charlotte, with a best career start of 22nd in 2020 and 2023.
Preece also made three Xfinity starts at Charlotte, along with one truck start.
RFK Historically at Charlotte
Cup Wins: 8 (Mark Martin, 1992, 1995, 1998, 2002; Jeff Burton, 1999, 2001; Matt Kenseth, 2000, 2011)
- RFK in the 600: In 112 NCS starts in the famed Coca-Cola 600, RFK Racing has visited victory lane four times and recorded 24 top-five and 42 top-10 finishes. Jeff Burton leads the way with two Coke 600 victories for Jack Roush, while Mark Martin and Matt Kenseth have one apiece.
- Tale of the Tape: RFK has started 222 NCS races at Charlotte, recording eight total wins with 47 top-five and 83 top-10 finishes. RFK Fords have an average finish of 16.4 with 2640 laps led all-time.
- 2006 Dominance: RFK had its best overall outing in the Coca-Cola 600 in 2006, when its five entries averaged a 5.4 finish. RFK Fords finished third, fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth, while leading 52 laps in the event. In 2002, RFK posted a one-two finish in the event with Martin and Kenseth battling feverishly for the win and combining to lead 67 laps in the race (with Martin taking the win).
- Golden Sombrero: RFK won a record four consecutive Coca-Cola 600’s from 1999-2002 with drivers Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin. During that span, RFK led 427 laps, including 201 of 400 laps in the 1999 event.
RFK Charlotte Wins
1992-2 Martin Cup
1995-2 Martin Cup
1998-2 Martin Cup
1999-1 Burton Cup
2000-1 Kenseth Cup
2001-1 Burton Cup
2002-1 Martin Cup
2011-2 Kenseth Cup
1993-2 Martin NXS
1995-2 Martin NXS
1996-1 Martin NXS
1996-2 Martin NXS
1998-1 Martin NXS
1999-1 Martin NXS
2000-1 Burton NXS
2001-2 Biffle NXS
2002-2 Burton NXS
2006-1 Edwards NXS
2011-1 Kenseth NXS
2011-2 Edwards NXS
2011-2 Edwards NXS
2015-1 Buescher NXS
Last Time Out & Where They Stand
All-Star: Buescher 10th, Keselowski 22nd in All-Star Race; Preece Ninth in Open Race.
Points Standings (60: 15th, 17: 24th, 6: 33rd): Points remain unchanged coming off the All-Star Race, with Preece holding onto a playoff spot in 15th.
