It Was Worth The Wait: 2023 Coca-Cola 600 Race Review and Analysis




The 63rd running of the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day! The Nascar Cup Series visited Charlotte Motor Speedway, in Nascar’s backyard of Concord, North Carolina for a showdown. Ryan Blaney took home the checkered flag, which is the 8th win of his career, and his 1st of the 2023 season. The 29-year-old joins Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Kyle Busch, William Byron, Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Martin Truex Jr, and Denny Hamlin as the only drivers locked in the playoffs. 


600 miles of remembrance was on display once again as the prestigious Memorial Weekend race kicked off on a rare Monday start time.  Tumultuous rain poured on all on-track activities, only allowing the Craftsman Truck Series race to be run on Friday night, with Ben Rhodes collecting a win. The Cup race was pushed back until 3:00pm ET, with 400 laps of racing.


(Ryan Blaney in Front of the Fans)

The Xfinity Series Alsco Uniforms 300 was postponed twice in order to get this evening’s Coke 600 event started, and finished, as Blaney was able to survive the endurance test; leading 163 laps, and snapping his 59-race winning streak. 



When mentioning endurance… stamina, handling, patience, and determination all translate into what can be a -career or season defining moment- for a plethora of drivers… 


Blaney swept the Greatest Weekend in Motorsports for Team Penske, as William Byron for Hendrick Motorsports comes home 2nd. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr, comes home 3rd, as 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace, and Tyler Reddick, in -career-best Coke 600 finishes- cross the line 4th and 5th. 


Sixth is awarded to Kyle Busch of Richard Childress Racing, with Ricky Stenhouse Jr, in an impressive evening for JTG Daugherty in 7th. Eighth goes to Chris Buescher of RFK Racing, as Austin Dillon of Richard Childress Racing scored 9th. In a career-best finish, rookie Zane Smith of Front Row Motorsports rounds out the top 10.   


(Blaney in Victory Lane)



Kevin Harvick is in 11th for Stewart Racing, as Alex Bowman places 12th in his first race back from injury for Hendrick Motorsports. Stewart-Haas’ Ryan Preece finishes 13th; A.J. Allmendinger crosses the line 14th, and Justin Haley is in 15th for the Kaulig Racing teammates. J.J. Yeley of Rick Ware Racing is in 16th, and Spire Motorsports’ Corey LaJoie is credited 17th.  



In a career race, the results did not show for rookie Ty Gibbs of Joe Gibbs Racing. Gibbs hung around the top 10 all race until he was caught up in a wreck after Kyle Larson spun, ending an impressive race for the 20-year-old; he finished 26th. In addition, Gibbs ran 900-miles with the Coke 600, and the Xfinity race, along with Justin Haley as well.


Before the sun came out as the race progressed, controversy and conflict arose with the old 2017 rivals of Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott. 


Entering the trioval, Hamlin’s #11 became loose and washed up the track into Elliott’s #9 forcing the Dawsonville, Georgia driver up the race track in a vulnerable position. Brad Keselowski was in the vicinity.. as initially many believed Keselowski had something to do with this ordeal.  Elliott, in a act that looked similar to Bubba Wallace’s October ‘22 Las Vegas move on fellow Hendrick teammate Kyle Larson, blatantly hooked Hamlin into the outside wall. 


Hamlin went for a ride but was fortunately okay, after pounding the wall, and as his car lifted off the 1.5-mile surface. Nascar will have the decision to make, as Elliott’s move corresponded directly with the suspension of Wallace during last year’s playoffs. Fans are left with the glaring question of… how do you deal with this situation caused by Elliott?


Looking to bounce back entering week 15 is Elliott[Pending suspension call], and Hamlin; who both scored 34th and 35th. Aric Almirola in 25th, Kyle Larson in 30th, and Austin Cindric in 31st as well are looking to regain momentum entering the summer portion.



Pivoting back to arguably the greatest race of the ‘23 season, a lot happened.  This race ran nearly five hours, with a series of spins, pit road strategies, a rain delay, and a new winner: all kept fans excited for what is to come next weekend at the 1.25-mile oval of World Wide Technology Raceway, and the road course of Portland International Raceway. 



Practice and qualifying for the Truck Series get underway at 6:00pm ET Friday evening, and the Toyota 200 Truck race begins at 1:30pm ET; Saturday afternoon. The Xfinity Series will head to Portland, practice and qualifying starts at 11:30am ET, as the Pacific Office Automation 147 starts at 4:30pm ET Saturday. Cup practice and qualifying begin at 10:00am ET Saturday morning, with the Enjoy Illinois 300 presented by TicketSmarter getting underway at 3:30pm ET, Sunday afternoon.


( All images credited to https://www.foxsports.com/nascar/cup-series.)


For next week's race information please view the link down below:



Gateway Website

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