CONCORD, N.C. — Christopher Bell took just 373.5 miles to win the Coca-Cola 600 after a two-hour rain delay prompted NASCAR to end the Charlotte Motor Speedway race early.
Bell led a race-high 90 of the 249 completed laps on Sunday before rain drenched the Cabbarus County track. After the rain passed, drying efforts were made to seemingly get the race restarted but NASCAR made the call at 11:30 p.m. to end the race.
"It feels so good [to win the Coca-Cola 600," Bell said to the media after the win. "We've been in a slump the last couple of weeks so to come out here and win such a prestigious event is a big deal for us."
Bell's second win of the 2024 season came at the expense of his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Ty Gibbs, who started on the pole and pursued his first NASCAR Cup Series victory.
Rain hit the track just as Kyle Larson was about to take his ride back from Justin Allgaier, who was filling in as Larson raced in the Indianapolis 500. That race was delayed by rain, which forced Larson to miss the beginning of the Charlotte race.
Gibbs led most of the first stage until William Byron found his way to the top spot. Byron won the first stage with Gibbs right on his bumper.
B.J. McLeod spun out 10 laps before the first stage break, bringing out the only caution for an incident in the early going. This forced a quick dash to the stage finish, which Byron held on to win.
Pit strategy put Christopher Bell in the lead to start the second stage.
Ryan Blaney, the defending Coca-600 winner, finished at the opposite side of the grid in this year's race after he smashed the wall on lap 148. Blaney's car stalled on pit road and needed a push to the garage, forcing a caution.
Noah Gragson wrecked a few laps after the ensuing restart, ending his day.
Byron and Bell traded the lead for the rest of the second stage with Bell prevailing, which ultimately proved to be a winning move.
