Charlotte NASCAR Betting Preview: 2021 Coca-Cola 600

 NASCAR COCA-COLA 600 ANALYSIS

We have a lot to review before finalizing our bets for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the 15th race of the Cup season, beginning with thanking all our fallen U.S. soldiers through America’s short history. No sport does it better than NASCAR as each year they put the names of a fallen soldier on the visor of each car as a reminder of what this day is about.

The first task in our money-making goal is understanding what happened in the previous four races on 1.5-mile tracks, which are also the only four races using the race package featuring engines producing 550 horsepower.

We have four different winners from three teams, but one of the winners was equally good in all four races

COCA-COLA 600 BETTING RESOURCES

• Date: Sunday, May 30, 2021
• TV-Time: FOX, 6:00 p.m. ET
• Venue: Charlotte Motor Speedway
• Location: Concord, North Carolina
• Distance: 600 miles, 400 laps
• Defending Champion: Brad Keselowski

COCA-COLA 600 CONTENDERS

• Martin Truex Jr. +400
• Chase Elliott +550
• Kyle Busch +600
• Denny Hamlin +850
• Kyle Larson +850
• Kevin Harvick +1100
• Brad Keselwoski +1100
• Joey Logano +1100
• More NASCAR Futures
• (Odds Subject to Change)

The Coca-Cola 600 will take place on Sunday, May 30 from Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina. (AP)

KYLE LARSON LAP LEADER

Kyle Larson led laps in all four races, won at Las Vegas, and led the most laps in three of them.

That’s 499 laps led between four races and different types of 1.5-mile layouts. Charlotte’s asphalt isn’t as abrasive as Atlanta’s, but they both have a quad-oval shape and have high banks at 24 degrees in the turns.

“Definitely looking forward to the 600 and getting back on a mile-and-a-half track where we have been one of the strongest cars all year long,” Larson said. “Charlotte is a different mile-and-a-half compared to the other ones we’ve run so far. It’s really bumpy and the transition from day to night is challenging. For whatever reason, I’ve always struggled with that transition, so I’m really looking forward to taking on that challenge in a Hendrick Motorsports car. It’s a long race. We need to keep our nose clean, stay in the hunt and not doing anything too flashy until the end.”

Larson has no wins and just one top-five in 11 Charlotte starts and despite what Larson said about the differences, I still think the Atlanta notes will help them this week as well as others who did well that March 21 day such as winner Ryan Blaney, runner-up Larson, and third-place Alex Bowman.

I went through each driver and determined that all the Hendrick Motorsports cars are good enough to win, and I absolutely love Bowman and William Byron value in the 18-to-1 range when both have been almost as good as the favored Larson (+550).

BETTING ON BOWMAN OR BYRON

Byron won on the 1.5-mile paperclip layout of Homestead to start a string of 11 straight top-10s. The streak ended Sunday at COTA when he finished 11th. You have to be there at the end of the longest race of the season and Byron has done an amazing job of keeping his car clean and choosing his battles. His crew has also been incredible with fast pit stops, and they’ll be critical to adjusting the car with each pit stop as the weather changes from daylight, to dusk, to twilight, and then nightfall. Each temperature change also needs a change to the car.

“This is a big race for us, both Hendrick Motorsports and for myself, growing up in Charlotte,” Byron said. “It’s technically a hometown race for all of us and this was always my favorite racetrack growing up. With how we’re running right now, I feel like we have positive momentum on our side and I feel like we have a chance to win. We just need to keep building off of the things we’ve been working on this year and we’ll be in contention. It’s going to be a great race for us.”

Bowman was cruising to a Coca-Cola 600 win last season winning the first two stages and leading 164 laps and other teams adapted better to the needed changes as the weather and conditions cooled the track. Four days later at Charlotte, he led 51 laps and won the second stage until having some late issues. His best finish on the 1.5s this season was third at Atlanta. His two wins in 2021 have come with the other race package (750 HP).

“The Charlotte oval is one of my favorite tracks,” Bowman said. “It is where I got my first career NASCAR win back in 2017 in the Xfinity Series and it is just a special place. We were really strong in the 600 last year and led the most laps, but just didn’t get the finish to show for it. Our mile-and-a-half program is really strong and I feel like Hendrick Motorsports continues to build fast cars for these tracks.”

The No. 48 winning at Charlotte used to be a regular thing. Rick Hendrick winning at Charlotte has been a regular thing since he came into the series in 1984 as a car owner. His next win anywhere will give him 269 NASCAR Cup wins which will pass Richard Petty Motorsports. If a Hendrick driver were to win Sunday it would up their 12th Coca-Cola 600 win, another record.

READ MORE HERE....TOP-5 FINISH PREDICTION ON VEGASINSIDER.COM

Video: Micah Roberts offers betting selections for 2021 Coca-Cola 600

 

Denny Hamlin is 6/1 to win 2021 Coca-Cola 600

Denny Hamlin

11 FedEx Freight Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing

Race Info:
Race: Coca-Cola 600
Date/Time: Sunday, May 30/6:00 p.m. ET
Distance: 400 laps/600 miles
Track Length: 1.5 miles
Track Shape: Quad-oval
2020 Winner: Brad Keselowski

Express Notes:

Press Kit: Download the 2021 FedEx Racing press materials at www.fedexracing.com/presskit, including bios for Denny Hamlin, Chris Gabehart and Joe Gibbs Racing leadership, program highlights and statistics.

COTA Recap: Sunday’s event at the Circuit of the Americas road course was soaked with rain for most of the afternoon, creating treacherous conditions and poor visibility, resulting in multiple serious wrecks. Hamlin and the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota avoided any damage-causing incidents but did go off course once after a spin in Stage 1. With teams on various pit strategies balancing fuel mileage and worsening weather, Stage 3 saw numerous lead changes. Hamlin was running fifth when he hit pit road on Lap 49 for his final green-flag fuel stop. He rejoined the field in 19th and gained five positions before NASCAR called the cars to pit road and finalized the race on Lap 54, giving Chase Elliott the win and Hamlin a 14th-place result.

Charlotte Preview: The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway as Hamlin and team gear up for 600 miles of racing, the longest race this season. The FedEx Racing team will honor SSgt T.J. Dudley during NASCAR’s “600 Miles of Remembrance” this Memorial Day weekend. Dudley was a United States Marine Corps V-22 Osprey crew chief when he was killed in action on July 7, 2011, in Afghanistan. In his 11 years in the Marines, Dudley was honored with the Air Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Outstanding Service Medal, Campaign Medals for Iraq and Afghanistan, Humanitarian Service Medal, Navy Achievement Medal and the Purple Heart. Members of his family will attend the Coca-Cola 600, where Hamlin’s name on the FedEx Toyota’s windshield will be replaced with “SSgt. Dudley.”

Hamlin Statistics:

Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Races: 29
Wins: 0
Top-5: 10
Top-10: 18
Laps Led: 377
Avg. Start: 11.6
Avg. Finish: 12.5

Hamlin Conversation – Charlotte:

Charlotte is one of a few tracks where you’ve yet to win in your career. How bad do you want to capture that elusive first win?

“It’s probably the No. 1 race on my list of races to win. I’ve been a Coke driver for 16 years, so it would be big to win the Coca-Cola 600. It’s just an elite event that you want on your resume. I’ve finished everywhere in the top five but, for various reasons, have never been able to get the win.”

What does it mean to have SSgt. T.J. Dudley’s name on your windshield this race?

“It’s an absolute honor to have Sgt. Dudley’s name on our FedEx Toyota for the Memorial Day race weekend. Reading about his years of service, the medals he earned and all the sacrifices he made for our country, we can truly call him a hero. We’ll work hard to get our car out front Sunday night so all eyes will be on his name.”

FedEx Freight Along for the Ride at Charlotte: For the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, FedEx Freight recognizes the company’s Baltimore, Md., service center by featuring the call letters BMM on the #11 FedEx Freight race car. The Baltimore service center, opened in 1995, has approximately 200 team members who are committed to making every FedEx experience outstanding.

FedEx Office – Closest to Charlotte Motor Speedway: 7741 Gateway Lane NW, Suite 110, Concord, NC, (704) 979-1971

Video: Micah Roberts offers selections to win 2021 Indy 500

 

With a win this weekend Denny Hamlin could join elite club

Denny Hamlin is 6/1 to win Coca-Cola 600.

Three major pillars within the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, some even refer to them as the ‘Crown Jewel events’ of the series – the Daytona 500, the Southern 500 and this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway – are all extremely difficult to win by themselves, but even more so, is conquering all three. In NASCAR Cup Series history only 11 drivers have won all three major events, and with a win this weekend, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin could be the 12th.

NASCAR Hall of Famer and current FOX Sports TV Analyst Jeff Gordon leads the series in ‘Crown Jewel’ wins with a combined 12 victories across the three events – three Daytona 500 wins (1997, 1999, 2005), six Southern 500s (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2007) and three Coca-Cola 600s (1994, 1997, 1998). Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick is the only active driver to already accomplish the feat with five combined victories across the three historic events – one Daytona 500 (2007), two Southern 500s (2014, 2020) and two Coca-Cola 600s (2011, 2013). 

NASCAR Cup Series Drivers With Wins In All Three Events

Rank	Drivers	Daytona 500	Southern 500	Coca-Cola 600	Combined
1	Jeff Gordon	3	6	3	12
2	Richard Petty	7	1	2	10
3	Bobby Allison	3	4	3	10
4	Jimmie Johnson	2	2	4	8
5	Dale Earnhardt	1	3	3	7
6	Darrell Waltrip	1	1	5	7
7	David Pearson	1	3	3	7
8	Buddy Baker	1	1	3	5
9	Kevin Harvick	1	2	2	5
10	Matt Kenseth	2	1	1	4
11	LeeRoy Yarbrough	1	1	1	3

Denny Hamlin is one of 10 active drivers that have already won at least one of the three events – the Daytona 500, Southern 500 or Coca-Cola 600 – and leads all active drivers in combined wins of the races with five victories – three Daytona 500s (2016, 2019, 2020) and two Southern 500s (2010, 2017).

William Byron Quotes prior to 2021 Coca-Cola 600

William Byron is as high as 18/1 to win at Charlotte.

CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY WILL BE BACK TO FULL CAPACITY WITH FANS THIS WEEKEND. DOES THAT MEAN ANY MORE TO YOU THIS YEAR COMPARED TO LAST YEAR’S RACE? OR ARE YOU USED TO HAVING FANS BACK AT THE TRACK BY NOW?

“I think a little bit of both. Yeah, I’m used to seeing fans the last couple of weeks. So, it’s not going to be that different. But I think Charlotte, they always do it a little bit bigger and better, so I feel like it’s probably going to be bigger and better than the last few weeks. It’s probably going to be pretty crowded. I think it’s going to be a different experience and just going to have to stay focused on my end just to continue doing what we’ve been doing, which is staying focused and performing and not listening to the noise too much. That’s our biggest focus.”

WHAT’S THE DYNAMIC LIKE AT HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS NOW WITH ALL FOUR CARS RUNNING REALLY WELL AND HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT FROM YEARS PAST?
“I think there’s just more confidence. I think we’re not searching as much like on what to do. There are less questions going into the race weekend of what the car needs and what we need from a downforce or an aero standpoint, or set-up wise. So, there’s a lot less questions. There is still the desire to perform. It’s always been there. I feel like the desire for us on the No. 24 is higher than ever because we feel like we’re really close. So we’ve just got to work a little bit better on some things, but we’re really close to another win.”

YOU’VE STARTED A PAIR OF RACES AT CHARLOTTE ON THE POLE BUT HAVEN’T FOUND THE SUCCESS MAYBE YOU HOPED FOR. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO CHANGE THINGS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN THIS WEEKEND?
“I think just focus on the race car and what the race car needs as the runs go on and as the race goes on. I’m going to do a lot of studying and prep this week on figuring out what the trends are with the race track and what some of the guys that have been successful there, our teammates, have done better than us. I’ll say that’s my goal this week is just to learn some of those little details that might pay off as the race gets longer and gets toward the end. Like you said, I’ve run really well at Charlotte. I know how to go fast there. So, I don’t have to worry about that. But I just have to focus on what my race car needs to do throughout so I don’t fall off at the end.”

THE COKE 600 IS 100 MILES LONGER THAN WE’RE USED TO RUNNING. AS A DRIVER, DO YOU FEEL THAT IN THE RACE?
“Yeah, I think if you’re not running well, for sure. But if you’re running well, the race feels really short and you kind of feel like you’re always trying to get ahead of the next adjustment and trying to get ahead of whoever you’re racing against to try to get that track position and try to win the race. Yeah, I think it is definitely a challenge to keep up with the race track and to stay focused for all 400 miles. The preparation during the week is really critical because you can easily get behind and it can feel like a really long race like you said. But if you’re prepared and your race car is driving well then it’s fine.”

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COMES FOR WINNING THE 600 IS A RESTORED VINTAGE COKE VENDING MACHINE. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?
“Yeah, I think it would be great. I don’t discriminate trophies. Any of them are good (laughs). So, I don’t feel like any trophy I have is a bad one. But I love all the glitz and glamour that comes with winning the 600. It would be awesome, I’m sure.”

Kyle Busch is +650 to win 2021 Coca-Cola 600

 

KYLE BUSCH Saluting the Red, White, and Blue   HUNTERSVILLE, North Carolina (May 26, 2021) – Memorial Day in the United States is a time to remember and honor the soldiers who lost their lives while serving in the United States military.   With that, Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway takes on a special meaning for those in the NASCAR community. It will be the annual “600 Miles of Remembrance,” during which each car in the field will carry the name of a fallen soldier on the windshield.   Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&M’S Red, White & Blue Toyota, has the honor of displaying the name of Pennsylvania Army National Guard Specialist Derek Holland on his windshield during NASCAR’s longest event. Holland, a native of Wind Gap, Pennsylvania, tragically lost his life in June 2008 in Afghanistan. Specialist Holland takes on even more meaningful significance to M&M’S and Mars Wrigley as he was nominated by Mars associate Chad Ace. Not only is Ace a Mars associate, he also served in the U.S. military, and Busch and the M&M’S Red, White, and Blue team will thank him for his service by having Holland ride along with them this weekend at Charlotte.   In addition to honoring the fallen soldier, the No. 18 Toyota will feature a patriotic paint scheme that celebrates M&M’S Red, White & Blue Mix that is available for fans to show their patriotic spirit in stores throughout the summer.   As for the 1.5-mile Charlotte oval he’ll be racing on, Busch has managed to enjoy plenty of success there with 14 top-five finishes and 19 top-10s in his 32 previous Cup Series starts over the past 15-plus seasons. In addition to solid Cup Series finishes, Busch has captured nine NASCAR Xfinity Series wins at Charlotte – May 2004, 2005, 2008 and 2010, October 2008 and 2009, both May and October 2013, and May 2020. He also has eight NASCAR Camping World Truck Series wins at the track – 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017 and 2019.   While he had gone to victory lane early and often in the Xfinity and Truck Series, Busch only recently broke through in the Cup Series at Charlotte. His 2017 win in the non-points All-Star Race was his first Cup Series win of any kind at Charlotte. The following year, in 2018, Busch was able to win there again, this time bringing home his first points-paying Cup Series win at the track and adding another crown jewel to his already impressive resume. Even more special, another fallen soldier’s name was able to help Busch on his ride to victory lane. SGT Eric Toth, who lost his life in Iraq in March 2005, adorned his windshield that day.   So, this Memorial Day weekend, Busch will look to bring home his second crown jewel win at Charlotte and, at the same time, honor Specialist Holland and all troops who have given the ultimate sacrifice, as well as those who continue to serve America and the Red, White & Blue.

KYLE BUSCH, Driver of the No. 18 M&M'S Red, White, and Blue Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing:

Do you take pride in the way NASCAR handles honoring the military and the national anthem before races?   “Absolutely. We all are patriotic in our own way. NASCAR seems to do it probably the best with the NASCAR Salutes program that we’ve had over the course of the last several years with having the ability to have the fallen soldiers on our racecars for Memorial Day weekend. Two years ago, I was fortunate enough to take my soldier’s family to victory lane – the Toth Family with SGT Toth. This year, I get the opportunity to carry around the name of Specialist Holland, so I’m really looking forward to that. There’s a special connection this year with one of the Mars associates who also served our country, who was able to nominate and honor his good friend. I’m also honored to be able to have them as part of our night, and it makes it most special when you’re able to take them to victory lane. So, hopefully, we can do that with our M&M’S Red, White, and Blue Camry. With what we all do on Memorial Day weekend, I feel like we do it the best as a sport. ”   Does the sport still need a 600-mile race like we have Sunday?   “Yes, I think so. Is it a tough race for the drivers? It is a tough race for the drivers. Is it as tough as it once was? Maybe not. Is it (tough) on the cars? No. The cars are way too sophisticated now. I bet you we could probably go 800, maybe even 1,000 miles with a racecar before you’d start to see problems. It’s just a matter of length and attention span, I guess. Some other drivers would probably argue the fact with me that we don’t need a 600-mile race, but it’s tradition. I think it’s history. I think you keep some of those that have been the longer ones, that have meant more to our sport over the years like the Daytona 500, the Coca-Cola 600, the Southern 500. Those probably could stay the length that they are and many of the others could probably change.”   Does Sunday’s 600-mile race feel different than other events?   “It depends on what kind of car you have. I’ve been in races in the 600-mile race where it’s felt really easy and short, and I’ve been in races where it’s been a long, drawn-out, knock ’em, sock ’em kind of day. Hopefully, Ben Beshore (crew chief) and the guys can bring a really good M&M’S Red, White & Blue Camry for me this weekend and it will be a smooth race for us. I like running the 600 miles. I think it brings a different aspect to our sport – its longevity. People will say, ‘It’s too long. It’s boring. Whatever.’ Well, you know, it’s a part of the product and the history that we’ve had on Memorial Day weekend for a long time that you run that extra hundred miles. And car preparation goes into that. Will your car make it? Will your engine last? Are the drivers able to be competitive throughout the whole race? You’ll have fatigue, sometimes, even at a 500-mile race. So, if you don’t show signs of weakness, you should be pretty good. ”   You’ve always said that Charlotte is one of your favorite tracks. Is there any particular reason why?   “Just growing up watching races on TV, I loved watching the All-Star Race under the lights and the 600 with all the sparks flying and all the guys going after hard-fought, hard-racing wins. The Xfinity Series has been good to me there. The Truck Series has been pretty good to me there, too. In Cup, We finally got to win the All-Star race there and then the 600, but would like to be a multi-time 600 winner, too. That’s what we’ll shoot for this weekend.”   If you’re saving your car for the end of the race, is it a struggle for you not to pass during the earlier stages of the long, 600-mile event? “Yeah, you want to race those guys who are around you all of the time. You think to yourself, ‘There’s a car in front of me. I want to pass that guy.’ That’s what’s in your blood to do. Sometimes, you’ve just got to back off a little bit and kind of let the race play out. You’ve got to get to the end of the final pit stop. Once you get to the final pit stop, then the race is on.”

Event Overview:

● Event: Coca-Cola 600 (Round 15 of 36) ● Time/Date: 6:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday, May 30 ● Location: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ● Layout: 1.5-mile oval ● Laps/Miles: 400 laps/600 miles ● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 100 laps / Stage 2: 100 laps / Stage 3: 100 laps / Final Stage: 100 laps ● TV/Radio: FOX / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Kevin Harvick is 10/1 to win 2021 Coca-Cola 600

 

KEVIN HARVICK Charlotte Advance No. 4 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

●  Event:  Coca-Cola 600 (Round 15 of 36) ●  Time/Date:  6 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 30 ●  Location:  Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ●  Layout:  1.5-mile oval ●  Laps/Miles:  400 laps/600 miles ●  Stage Lengths:  Stage 1: 100 laps / Stage 2: 100 laps / Stage 3: 100 laps / Final Stage: 100 laps ●  TV/Radio:  FOX / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

●  Kevin Harvick is a two-time winner of the Coca-Cola 600. He took the trophy in 2011 and 2013. Harvick beat David Ragan by .703 of a second in 2011 and he beat Kasey Kahne by 1.490 seconds in 2013. Harvick led only two laps in 2011 and just 28 laps in 2013, but each of those tallies contained the only lap that mattered most – the last one.   ●  Harvick has three wins at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway’s 1.5-mile oval. In addition to his two Coca-Cola 600 triumphs, Harvick won the 2014 Bank of America 500 in the NASCAR Cup Series’ return to the track that October. Harvick dominated by leading a race-high 162 laps to beat four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon by .571 of a second.   ●  Qualifying is back for the Coca-Cola 600. Harvick has earned two poles at Charlotte – for the 2016 Bank of America 500 (27.547 seconds at 196.029 mph) and the 2017 Coca-Cola 600 (27.918 seconds at 193.424 mph).   ●  This year’s Coca-Cola 600 will mark Harvick’s 39th career start at Charlotte. The Bakersfield, California-native has nine top-fives and 19 top-10s in a career dating back to the 2001 Coca-Cola 600, which was Harvick’s first points-paying race at Charlotte. In that 4-hour and 20-minute affair, Harvick finished second to Jeff Burton and ahead of third-place Tony Stewart, the car owner of the No. 4 Mobil 1 team at Stewart-Haas Racing.   ●  Harvick has finished in the top-10 in his last three races at Charlotte and 12 times in the last 14 races at the track. DNFs (Did Not Finish) thwarted Harvick in the 2016 Bank of America 500 (engine) and the 2018 Coca-Cola 600 (accident).   ●  Prior to last Sunday’s race at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, when a crash sent Harvick to a 37th-place finish, Harvick had an impressive 61-race streak of finishing races. His last DNF prior to COTA was Aug. 17, 2019 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.   ●  As part of #NASCARSalutes and the 600 Miles of Remembrance initiative during the Coca-Cola 600, the No. 4 Mobil 1 team is honoring Staff Sgt. Leroy E. Alexander, a Special Forces engineer sergeant assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. At 27, Alexander was killed in action while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom on June 3, 2005 when an enemy Improvised Explosive Device (IED) exploded near his Ground Mobility Vehicle during operations in the vicinity of Orgun-e, Afghanistan. A native of Dale City, Virginia, Alexander entered the Army in August 1997 and completed One Station Unit Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. After completing airborne training at Fort Benning, Georgia, in April 1998, he was assigned to 27th Engineer Battalion at Fort Bragg in support of XVIII Airborne Corps. Following completion of Special Forces Assessment and Selection, Alexander arrived at the 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) in October 2002 to begin the more than two years of intense training it would take for him to become a Special Forces engineer sergeant. He was assigned to the 7th Special Forces Group in June 2004. Alexander’s military education included the Basic Airborne Course, the Primary Leadership Development Course, the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course, the Special Forces Qualification Course, the Spanish Language Course, the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, and the U.S. Army Special Operations Command Mountain Course. His awards and decorations include the Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the NCO Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge, and the Special Forces Tab. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal. Alexander is survived by his wife, Marissa, and parents, Ronald and Felicia Alexander of Manassas, Virginia.   ●  The Mobil 1 branding on Harvick’s No. 4 Ford Mustang goes more than skin deep, as the world’s leading synthetic motor oil brand gives Harvick an added advantage. Mobil 1 products are used throughout his racecar and they extend beyond just engine oil. Power steering fluid, transmission fluid, gear oil and driveline lubricants from Mobil 1 give Harvick a technical advantage over his counterparts by reducing friction, heat and rolling resistance.Mobil 1 is a sponsor whose technology makes Harvick’s No. 4 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang faster.

Kevin Harvick, Driver of the No. 4 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang

In many ways, the Coca-Cola 600 weekend can be called a throwback weekend because there will be practice and qualifying. How does that change the complexion of that event for you? “With where we are with our cars right now, I think practice is definitely going to be something that will allow us to at least try a couple of things and have some direction before we start to race, because we’ve started every race, for the most part, not close to where we need to be. We spend the whole race trying to get ourselves in a position to be better and never get it to a point where it’s good. Being able to try a couple of things and have some sort of idea of where you need to be from a balance standpoint before the race starts is going to be a benefit for us.”   Much is made about the Coca-Cola 600 being the series’ longest race. Because the race is so long, can it be a good thing where if you’re not where you want to be, you have time to make things right? Or is the other side of the coin being that it’s too long of a race to not be good? “There’s just not a lot of room for error because somebody’s going to be good and you’ve got to put yourself in a position to stay on the lead lap. There are so many different areas of transition that you go through in that race because of the fact that the sun goes down after it starts hot and slick. Then as you transition into the night, you have to have something completely different in your car compared to what you had at the beginning of the race. So there’s a sacrifice you have to make at the beginning of the race to just basically try to keep yourself in a good position. Don’t make any mistakes, stay on the lead lap, and try and put yourself in a good position for the night because that’s when it really counts.”   Attrition used to be a driver’s biggest foe in the Coca-Cola 600, but that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. Why? “I think the cars and the parts and the pieces have all become so good. We run the engines three races before we can rebuild them, so the engine is just not as questionable as it used to be because of the fact the engine builders are really good and all the parts and pieces and lubricants have just become so much better. It is still a long race. There are a lot of things that come into play in that race because you add that extra 100 miles, so there will be a temperature change of what’s acceptable with the engine as far as how many laps you can practice – there’s not going to be that much practice anyway, so you’re not going to be able to reach that limit. But that extra 100 miles still does make a difference.”   NASCAR’s rulebook makes teams operate in a pretty small box. When it comes to a momentum track like Charlotte, how important is Mobil 1’s technology in the overall efficiency of your racecar, specifically in regard to reducing friction, heat and rolling resistance? “Mobil 1 technology is a true difference maker, especially this year. There’s a development freeze on all the parts and pieces that go into the racecar as we get ready for the NextGen car in 2022. That means we have to maximize what we’ve got. Efficiency equals speed. The less friction, the less rolling resistance, the faster you’ll go. From the synthetic oil in the engine to all the lubricants throughout the car, it all adds up to a more efficient racecar, and that shows up on the stopwatch.”   What does it mean to honor and remember a military member on your No. 4 Mobil 1 Ford this Memorial Day weekend? “There isn’t any sport that honors the military any better than NASCAR. I know a lot of sports do a lot of things for our military, but when you roll into this particular weekend with the Coke 600 and you’re a part of the celebration and remembrance for all the things that have happened with our military, to see the support that NASCAR and everybody in our garage gives the military, especially on this particular weekend, is something that gives you goosebumps. We’re honored to carry the name of Staff Sgt. Alexander on our car this weekend.”

Chase Briscoe is 300/1 to win 2021 Coca-Cola 600

 

CHASE BRISCOE Charlotte Advance No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Coca-Cola 600 (Round 15 of 36) ● Time/Date: 6 p.m. EDT on Sunday, May 30 ● Location: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ● Layout: 1-5-mile oval ● Laps/Miles: 400 laps / 600 miles ● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 100 laps / Stage 2: 100 laps / Stage 3: 100 / Final Stage: 100 ● TV/Radio: FOX / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Chase Briscoe is riding a wave of momentum heading into the NASCAR Cup Series’ next race at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway after a career-best sixth-place finish last Sunday at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. The driver of the HighPoint.com Ford Mustang finished seventh and ninth in the first two stages, respectively, and powered through a race full of inclement weather to sit inside the top-10 once again when the race was called 14 laps before its scheduled distance.   ● This weekend at Charlotte, the No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford will sport a patriotic livery that includes an American flag adorning the side of Briscoe’s Mustang, and riding along for 600 miles around the 1.5-mile Charlotte oval will be Petty Officer Second Class (SEAL) Marc A. Lee of Portland, Oregon. Lee and his team members from SEAL Team Three, Charlie Platoon deployed to Iraq in the Spring of 2006 and attached to Task Unit Ramadi, under Task Unit Commander Lieutenant Commander (SEAL) John “Jocko” Willink.   ● On the night of Aug. 2, 2006, during a cordon and search operation of the heavily contested “J-Block” area, Charlie Platoon SEAL combat advisors engaged in one of the most ferocious firefights with enemy forces in what would become known as “The Battle of Ramadi.” While providing cover from a rooftop position for his SEAL teammates maneuvering on the street below, Petty Officer Second Class (SEAL) Ryan Job was critically wounded by an enemy sniper. Immediately, Job’s teammates from SEAL Team Three Charlie Platoon and members of SEAL Team Eight responded to their wounded comrade on the exposed rooftop. Lee fearlessly stepped directly into the position where Job had been shot just moments before and exposed himself to enemy fire to enable his teammates to lay down a heavy barrage of suppressive fire, recover Job and carry him off the rooftop to an evacuation vehicle below. After tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles engaged the enemy positions, the SEAL element entered a compound in pursuit of enemy fighters. While clearing the compound, the SEAL element was heavily engaged at close range from an adjacent building. Lee again moved directly into the line of fire to engage the enemy and protect his teammates and was struck by enemy fire and killed instantly. Job, whom Lee risked his life to save, lived three years before passing as a result of injuries he sustained during The Battle of Ramadi.   ● Having served from 2001 to 2006, Lee was the first Navy SEAL to be killed in combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star with Valor and Purple Heart. In his final letter home, dated July 2006, Lee wrote, “To all my family and friends, do me a favor and pass on the kindness, the love, the precious gift of human life to each other.” His mother Debbie Lee put her son’s words into action following his passing, creating the non-profit charitable organization America’s Mighty Warriors. America’s Mighty Warriors honors America’s troops, the fallen and their families with programs that improve quality of life, resiliency and recovery.   ● Briscoe makes his return to the NASCAR Xfinity Series this weekend in Saturday’s Alsco Uniforms 300. He will pilot the No. 99 Production Alliance Group Ford Mustang for B.J. McLeod Motorsports in his fourth Xfinity Series start at Charlotte. His best finish at the intermediate track was 11th in the 2018 Alsco 300. Though the HighPoint.com driver is still looking for his first oval win at Charlotte, he is no stranger to the track’s victory lane. Briscoe scored his first career Xfinity Series victory on the Charlotte Roval in October 2018.   ● In addition to his Xfinity Series experience at Charlotte, Briscoe also made one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series appearance in 2017, when he started second and finished 11th in the N.C. Education Lottery 200.   ● With 14 Cup Series races complete, Briscoe sits 25th in the point standings and leads the Rookie of the Year standings by 84 points over Anthony Alfredo.

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

You notched your first top-10 at COTA last weekend in just your 14th Cup Series start. You’ve said all along you just needed a day of no mistakes. Is that how the finish came together? “It was a day we had been waiting for all year long. Everything finally came together, even after having to start from the back. We knew it would be a good opportunity to go run up front, and the rain definitely helped, as well. We were in a position to be able to get stage points in each stage and then come out with a top-10. I knew we were going to be in trouble if we didn’t switch to wet tires when we got the first chance early in the race, so I’m glad we were able to stay out of trouble on slicks for those first few laps and come out with a good finish. Now we have to follow up this week and show what we’re capable of.”   The Coca-Cola 600 is one of the most challenging races on the schedule – 600 miles around Charlotte Motor Speedway and you’ll have a special person on board the HighPoint.com Ford Mustang this weekend. What does it mean to you to be a part of this event, and what can be expected from the No. 14 team? “It’s always fun when you can honor these guys and girls who have fought for our country and our freedom. The Coca-Cola 600 is a race I’ve always wanted to be a part of. The pageantry that goes into that race, and really the whole day, is super cool. I think Petty Officer Lee deserves to be on the car every week. It’s an honor to have him on there and to be able to share his story. We want to do him proud. We wouldn’t be able to do what we do if it wasn’t for him and all of the others who have given their lives to protect us. “But, in terms of the race itself, I don’t know what to expect, really. I’ve heard some guys say the Southern 500 is the longest-feeling race, others say this one is, and some say Atlanta feels the longest. I’m sure it’ll be a challenge, and then you throw the Xfinity race in, and now we’re at 900 miles in two days. I’ve never done two races in one weekend, with the exception of the Bristol dirt race. It’ll be hot, I’m sure, but it’ll help that we run the Cup race at night. It’ll be fun to be slipping and sliding around out there and to have lots of seat time to figure out what I need, but it’ll definitely be another challenge to overcome. We had some work to do on our 1.5-mile program, so practice and 600 miles of racing will give us a good opportunity to tune some adjustments in.”

Aric Almirola is 200/1 to win 2021 Coca-Cola 600

 

Aric Almirola Charlotte Coca-Cola 600 Advance Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Coca-Cola 600 (Round 15 of 36) ● Time/Date: 6 p.m. EDT on Sunday May 30 ● Location: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway   ● Layout: 1.5-mile oval ● Laps/Miles: 400 laps/600 miles ● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 100 laps / Stage 2: 100 laps / Stage 3: 100 laps / Final Stage: 100 laps ● TV/Radio: FOX / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

●  The Memorial Day weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway is one of the most patriotic events in sports, honoring fallen soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country. This weekend, Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), Smithfield Foods, and Aric Almirola will honor Master-at-Arms Second Class (MA2) Michael A. Monsoor, a Navy Seal from Task Unit Bruiser. Monsoor paid the ultimate sacrifice on September 29, 2006 during operation Iraqi freedom. When a grenade was thrown at the rooftop where he and his fellow sailors were positioned, Monsoor jumped on top of the grenade, absorbing the blast and saving them. Two years later, Monsoor was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by President George W. Bush in 2008. The USS Michael Monsoor, the second ship in the Zumwalt class of guided missile destroyers, was also named in his honor.    ●  In addition to Monsoor, two other members of Task Unit Bruiser will be honored on the hood of Almirola’s Mustang this weekend – Petty Officer Second Class Ryan C. Job and Petty Officer Second Class Marc A. Lee.   ●  The recommendation to honor Monsoor and Task Unit Bruiser came from Almirola’s longtime partner Smithfield Foods. Dennis Organ, CEO of Smithfield, met Jocko Willink, the commander of Task Unit Bruiser, during a leadership building program hosted by Willink and his company, Echelon Front. Echelon Front’s mission is to educate, train, mentor, and empower leaders and organizations to achieve total victory. Echelon Front applies unmatched leadership experiences in the most dynamic and complex environments to help clients solve problems, overcome obstacles, and win.   ●  In addition to honoring Monsoor and Task Unit Bruiser, SHR will be showing its admiration for all who have made the ultimate sacrifice and the challenges faced by their families by supporting the America’s Mighty Warriors Foundation. Debbie Lee, after the death of her son and Navy Seal Marc Lee, started America's Mighty Warriors to honor and support troops, veterans and Gold Star families. The foundation provides programs and therapies that improve quality of life, resiliency and recovery after injury or loss. To learn more, request assistance or to find out what can be done to help, visit www.AmericasMightyWarriors.org.    ●  History at Charlotte Motor Speedway: In 15 starts, Almirola has one top-10 finish and has led four laps. Last year, Almirola finished 15th and 20th in the two Charlotte oval races, respectively.   ●  In Almirola’s last 10 starts at 1.5-mile tracks, he has earned four top-10 finishes, one top-five and has led 164 laps.    ●  Career Stats: Almirola has career totals of two wins, two poles, 24 top-five finishes, 80 top-10s and 842 laps led in 366 NASCAR Cup Series starts.   ●  Smithfield Foods celebrates 10 years of partnership with Almirola this season with a special campaign called Taste Victory.As one of the most active partners in NASCAR, Smithfield plans to engage fans all year long by hosting a microsite that provides the opportunity to win when Almirola wins or finishes inside the top-10. When Almirola wins, one fan wins $10,000, and 10 fans win a gift card for each top-10 finish. The microsite also doubles as an Aric Almirola fan page and entertainment source where fans can get behind the wheel of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford with a custom racing game, and learn more about Almirola with fast facts, favorite recipes and custom content about his life on and off the track. Visit www.tastevictory.com to learn more. Thanks to Almirola’s Feb. 11 win in his Duel qualifying race for the Daytona 500, one lucky fan has already won $10,000.    ●  Beyond the 10 YouTube Series: In 2021, Almirola continues to share his life beyond the No. 10 Smithfield Ford with season three of his award-winning YouTube series. Fans and media can subscribe on YouTube to see Almirola’s personality on and off the track. Episodes have already featured life as a dad, a husband and an athlete, and it gives fans a unique perspective on what goes on in the life of a professional NASCAR driver. Fans can also follow Almirola’s social media channels: @Aric_Almirola on Twitter and Instagram, and @AricAlmirola on Facebook.    ●  The Smithfield Ford team sits 28th in the championship standings with 180 points, 417 behind leader Denny Hamlin.

Aric Almirola, Driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

How cool is it to honor members of the military who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom this Memorial Day weekend at Charlotte?    “This is the coolest weekend all year. Being able to race and pay tribute to the men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for me to live in the greatest country in the world is really cool. My dad was in the Air Force, so I know firsthand what the families have sacrificed. There are men and women who wake up every day and fight for our freedom and some of them lay down their lives for us. We get to do really cool things and I get to drive a racecar for a living without the worry of being attacked. We take it for granted that we live in a safe and free country. Honoring the military members who paid the ultimate sacrifice this weekend is the least we can do.”   Tell us what it means to you to specifically honor Master-at-Arms Second Class Michael Monsoor on your No. 10 Smithfield Ford this weekend.   “Michael not only served his country, but selflessly protected other men in his own unit. He laid down his life protecting everyone he could. That kind of selfless act deserves as much recognition as we can possible give him. It seems to me that Michael and I had some things in common, too. He loved to go fast and he had fun with everything he did. His mother told us, no matter what it was, he always had fun and went all out on everything from driving, surfing or snowboarding. I’m grateful to be able to honor him and his family on our car this weekend and I hope we can make them proud.”   What does it take to win the Coke 600?    “It’s a hundred miles longer than any other race we run, which provides a challenge in and of itself. On top of that, there is an extra stage, which gives us the opportunity to earn more points. The cars have less grip when the sun is out and they tend to slip and slide a lot more. As the sun goes down, the track gets more grip and we start going faster. That’s one of the very unique things about this race. What you have from a driveability and balance standpoint from the racecar at the beginning of the race is not what you have at the end. You’re trying to figure out what it takes to get your car to win at the end and you have to be good at all facets because there are a lot of points to be made.”