The NASCAR Cup Series concluded the weekend with the traditional Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday from Charlotte Motor Speedway. Qualifying was canceled due to rain on Saturday. Tyler Reddick started the race on the pole, with Ty Gibbs starting second.
Before the race started, NASCAR held a moment of silence for Kyle Busch, who had his wife, Samantha, and their children, Brexton and Lennix, along with Kyle’s parents, Kurt Busch, and Kurt’s girlfriend present. There was not a dry eye in the room.
When the cars took the track, Tyler Reddick backed up by one position as they left the front row empty in another tribute to Kyle Busch.
In the first stage, Tyler Reddick led the opening 35 laps before Josh Berry spun at Turn 2 for the first caution on lap 36. It was one of 12 cautions throughout the race. Shortly after the restart, Connor Zilisch and Austin Cindric were involved in another crash on lap 54. On lap 91, Chase Elliott crashed on the backstretch. Kyle Larson went on to win the first stage.
The second stage was won by Denny Hamlin, and Christopher Bell won the third stage. Before the third stage ended, Timmy Hill’s car caught on fire. In the final stage, there were two more cautions. Ross Chastain and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. made contact on lap 319, and on lap 330 involved with Josh Berry, Ryan Preece, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Chase Briscoe.
With rain approaching the track, teams were making the hard decision to either come down pit road for tires and fuel or ride it out and hope the rain comes quickly. On lap 356, Daniel Suarez’s crew only put two tires on and got him out front for the lead. He had Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, and Denny Hamlin behind him.
When the race restarted on lap 360, they ran only two laps before a little bit of rain came down on the track. The race went to a red flag before NASCAR put the race back under caution. The race restarted with 31 laps to go. Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin attempted to pass Suarez but could not do it. The rain returned, but his time fell harder on the track. The caution came out, and everyone was taken to pit road. Shortly after they arrived on pit road, NASCAR called the race, and Daniel Suarez was declared the winner.
It was Suarez’s first win of the season and the third of his career. He led a total of 17 laps. His last Cup Series win came at Atlanta in 2024 for then Trackhouse Racing. Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, Tyler Reddick, and Kyle Larson rounded out the top five. Ty Gibbs, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, William Byron, and Zane Smith completed the top ten. Click here to see the full results. There were also 32 lead changes, and Tyler Reddick led a race-high 119 laps.
The Cup Series heads to Nashville Superspeedway next Sunday at 7 pm on Prime Video.
