CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NASCAR fans will soon gather in Concord for the annual running of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day weekend.
This year's event will feature four races including the 600, plus a pre-race concert by Matchbox Twenty and plenty of fan experiences you only get when NASCAR's racing in Charlotte. Charlotte Motor Speedway officials are again expecting a large crowd for the Coca-Cola 600 with tens of thousands of fans filling the stands and campgrounds surrounding the track.
Coca-Cola 600 weekend race schedule
- Friday, May 24: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series North Carolina Education Lottery 200 and ARCA Menard's Series General Tire 150, 6 p.m. ET
- Saturday, May 25: NASCAR Xfinity Series BetMGM 300, 1 p.m. ET
- Sunday, May 26: NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600, 6 p.m. ET
Driver appearances
Charlotte Motor Speedway will host multiple driver Q&A sessions on Sunday, May 26. Here is the schedule for the pre-race stage and NASCAR Trackside Live.
Trackside Live
- 12 p.m.: Daniel Hemric
- 12:15 p.m.: Austin Dillon
- 12:30 p.m.: Justin Haley
- 12:45 p.m.: Chris Buescher
Pre-race stage
- 2:40 p.m.: Martin Truex Jr.
- 2:55 p.m.: Chase Elliott
- 3:10 p.m.: Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric
Pre-race concert with Matchbox Twenty
The '90s alternative legends will play a full 60-minute set on the pre-race stage. Fans can get an up-close view of the show with a track pass.
The annual military appreciation performance will follow the concert with salutes to each military branch as NASCAR honors those killed in the line of duty on Memorial Day.
Tickets
All tickets, parking and camping passes for the Coca-Cola 600 are electronic. All tickets purchased through the track will be linked to Ticketmaster accounts and can be accessed through the Charlotte Motor Speedway app. Click here for instructions to download race tickets.
What if it rains?
If the Coca-Cola 600 is postponed and fans can't go, Speedway Motorsports has a weather guarantee policy that allows fans to use a ticket credit toward a future race at any of its properties, including Bristol Motor Speedway, North Wilkesboro Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway.
Traffic information
North Carolina DOT will be prepared for heavy traffic on Interstate 85, U.S. 29 and North Carolina 49, as well as Bruton Smith Boulevard, which takes fans from I-85 to the track. Here are the best ways to get to the track from various locations, according to Charlotte Motor Speedway:
From South Carolina
- Take I-77 north to the I-485 loop (Exit 1B) to U.S. 29 (Exit 32) or NC 49 (Exit 33)
From west of Charlotte
- Take I-85 north to I-485 (exit 30) and follow I-485 inner to U.S. 29 north
- Alternate route: I-85 north to Poplar Tent Road (Exit 52) to Pitts School Road to U.S. 29 South.
From east of Charlotte
- Take I-485 Outer to U.S. 29 north or NC 49 north
From north of Charlotte
- Take I-85 south to George Lyles Parkway (Exit 54) to U.S. 29 south
NOTE: After race events, all traffic will be directed away from the speedway. North Carolina State Highway Patrol will have all lanes of U.S. 29 flowing away from the track, as well as outbound lanes of Bruton Smith Boulevard toward I-85.
Race day fast facts
No cash: The Coca-Cola 600 is a cashless event. All major credit cards will be accepted at souvenir and concession stands, as well as Apple Pay.
Coolers allowed: Fans will be allowed to bring a soft-sided cooler no bigger than 14" x 14" x 14". Backpacks are also allowed. No hard coolers will be permitted inside the grandstands. Click here for a complete list of what is and isn't allowed inside the gates at CMS.
Parking information
Charlotte Motor Speedway has numerous lots surrounding the track with shuttle service to get fans to the entrances. Parking fees may vary by day.
CMS has reserved and unreserved handicap parking areas, too. All reserved handicap parking is sold in conjunction with wheelchair-reserved seats in the Ford seating section. Unreserved handicap parking is located along the frontstretch in the Orange Zone. For fans who park on the backstretch, handicap parking is located in the Green Zone.
Race storylines
Kyle Larson's Memorial Day 'double'
Larson, the 2021 Cup Series champion, will be the first driver to race in the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day since Kurt Busch pulled it off in 2014. Larson will start the Indy 500 in fifth and has a realistic shot at winning or finishing on the podium. Once he finishes at Indy, Larson will hop on a jet and fly to Concord, where he'll then race in the 600 moments after landing.
Larson already did a mini-double, qualifying at Indy and competing in the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro on Sunday.
Possible payback
Larson's Indy-to-Wilkesboro travel was small potatoes compared to the post-race brawl between Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Kyle Busch. Stenhouse waited patiently in the garage after being crashed by Busch and confronted the two-time champ after the race. Numerous videos captured the incident, including Stenhouse threatening to get Busch back at Charlotte. Will it happen? It wouldn't be unprecedented. Chase Elliott took out frustration with Denny Hamlin in this race last year, resulting in a one-race suspension for NASCAR's most popular driver.
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