National

NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte: How to watch, stream, TV channel, schedule, best bets, weather and more

Memorial Day weekend means a homecoming for the NASCAR Cup Series and the longest mileage race on the calendar. The series shifts to Charlotte Motor Speedway in the suburbs of Queen City, where every team's headquarters are located, for the Coca-Cola 600.

Hendrick Motorsports, located literally down the street from the speedway, comes in as the team to beat, having won five of the 13 races so far this season, plus last weekend’s All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the Coca-Cola 600:

Coca-Cola 600 TV/streaming/radio schedule

All times Eastern

Saturday, May 277-9 p.m.: Practice and qualifying (FS1, Fox Sports app, PRN)

Sunday, May 285:30-6 p.m.: Pre-race show (Fox, Fox Sports app, PRN)6-10 p.m.: Coca-Cola 600 (Fox, Fox Sports app, PRN)

Coca-Cola 600 details

Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway (1.5-mile dog-leg oval), Concord, North CarolinaLength: 400 laps for 600 milesBanking: 5 degrees on straightaways, 24 degrees in the turnsLast year's winner: Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing

Top drivers and best bets for the Coca-Cola 600

Hendrick Motorsports has been dominant on tracks 1.5 miles or shorter and that's reflected in BetMGM's odds entering the weekend. Kyle Larson (+400) dominated the NASCAR All-Star Race last weekend at North Wilkesboro and has won at two short tracks so far while William Byron (+700) has won three of the four intermediate track races this season.

Best odds to winKyle Larson +400William Byron +700Denny Hamlin +750Martin Truex Jr. +900Chase Elliott +900

We wrote more in depth about odds earlier in the week and recommend finding good mid-tier value in Tyler Reddick (+1600), who has an average finish of 9.3 in four starts at Charlotte and Kevin Harvick (+1700), who has won there three times. Ty Gibbs (+6000), making his first Cup start at Charlotte, is an enticing longshot as he has won and finished second in two Xfinity races.

Coca-Cola 600 entry list

Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing ChevroletAustin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford|Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing ChevroletKevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing FordKyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports ChevroletBrad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing FordCorey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports ChevroletKyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing ChevroletChase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports ChevroletAric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing FordDenny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing ToyotaRyan Blaney (12), Team Penske FordChase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing FordJ.J. Yeley (15), Rick Ware Racing FordA.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing ChevroletChris Buescher (17), RFK Racing FordMartin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing ToyotaChristopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing ToyotaHarrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing FordJoey Logano (22), Team Penske FordBubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing ToyotaWilliam Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports ChevroletJustin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing ChevroletMichael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports FordZane Smith (38), Front Row Motorsports FordRyan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing FordNoah Gragson (42), Legacy Motor Club ChevroletErik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club ChevroletTyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing ToyotaRicky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing ChevroletAlex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports ChevroletTodd Gilliland (51), Rick Ware Racing FordTy Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing ToyotaTy Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports ChevroletBJ McLeod (78), Live Fast Motorsports FordJimmie Johnson (84), Legacy Motor Club ChevroletDaniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Coca-Cola 600 weather

The forecast calls for cool temperatures and rain all weekend, which will make the schedule-makers at the speedway rub their temples. In addition to the Cup cars, there will be practice, qualifying and races for the ARCA Menards, Craftsman Truck and Xfinity Series on track. With Monday being a federal holiday, NASCAR may be more inclined to push the Cup race back more quickly rather than waiting on weather to clear late into Sunday night.

0