The NASCAR Cup Series makes its annual Memorial Day weekend stop at Charlotte Motor Speedway this Sunday, May 25, for the 65th running of the Coca-Cola 600, the sport’s longest race at 400 laps and 600 miles. The four-stage marathon under the lights begins at 6 p.m. Eastern Time and serves as the second leg of motorsport’s famed “Double” for Kyle Larson, who is slated to run the Indianapolis 500 earlier that afternoon. With fresh aerodynamic tweaks to the current-generation cars producing tighter packs on 1.5-mile tracks, bettors can expect sustained action and multiple strategy shifts as teams cope with tyre fall-off through the cool Charlotte night.
Coca-Cola 600 Preview
Charlotte’s 1.5-mile quad-oval rewards balance over outright speed. Smooth throttle application through Turns 3 and 4 keeps the right-rear tire alive; those who abuse it early will pay during the closing 50-lap green-flag runs that typically decide this event. Extra sets of Goodyear rubber in the pits allow crew chiefs to be aggressive with short-pitting, yet the 600’s length means the car must stay quick as the track tightens after sunset.
No driver enters hotter than Kansas winner Kyle Larson, who led 221 of 267 laps last weekend for his third points victory of 2025, boosting him to the top of the standings on 469 points. However, his 21st-place effort in the All-Star Race after travel back from Indy qualifying proved the logistical squeeze is real.
Christopher Bell captured that All-Star event and owns three points wins already, though he admits Joe Gibbs Racing still lacks peak speed on intermediates. Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron is second in points yet has finished fourth, second, third and fourth in his last four Coca-Cola 600 starts, showcasing an uncanny feel for the changing track. Meanwhile Tyler Reddick’s high-line commitment yielded a pair of top-five runs on similar layouts this spring, and Denny Hamlin’s pit-stall discipline has produced two 2025 triumphs.
Several storylines add intrigue. Chris Buescher’s 60-point penalty for a bumper infraction after Kansas dropped him to 284 points and left RFK Racing scrambling, while Josh Berry’s Kansas charge from 38th to sixth flashed the raw pace of Stewart-Haas Racing’s new chassis. Add defending series champion Ryan Blaney, who quietly logged five top-fives on intermediates this season, and bettors face a deep list capable of stretching the fuel window into the night.
Betting Insights
bet365 released updated outright numbers for the Coca-Cola 600 on Monday afternoon:
- Kyle Larson +600
- Tyler Reddick +650
- Denny Hamlin +700
- Christopher Bell +700
- William Byron +750
- Ryan Blaney +750
- Kyle Busch +1400
- Chase Elliott +1500
- Ty Gibbs +2000
- Joey Logano +2000
- Alex Bowman +2000
Larson remains favorite on sheer pace, but risk-averse bettors should weigh the Indy-Charlotte transfer. Historically, double-duty drivers post an average finish of 18.7 at Charlotte and have never won. The tighter spread between Hamlin, Reddick and Bell reflects recent intermediate performance: combined, the trio owns six top-five finishes on 1.5-mile tracks this year.
Byron’s +750 price carries value considering his Charlotte resume and clean pit crew record, with only two lost spots on stops in twelve races. For longer shots, Joey Logano sits at +2000 despite excellent night-race data (average finish 6.3 under the lights in 2024-25).
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2025 Coca-Cola 600 Prediction
The 2025 Coca-Cola 600 usually rewards teams that keep the splitter intact through the first 300 laps before unleashing outright speed. Hendrick’s package suits that script, yet Larson’s cross-country schedule introduces uncertainty. My pick is William Byron to secure his first Charlotte Cup victory and reclaim momentum in the championship chase. Expect Christopher Bell to contend throughout and Ryan Blaney to complete the podium, with Kyle Larson climbing to a gritty fourth after a busy day that spans 1,100 miles of racing.
