NASCAR drivers aren’t in favor of shortening Coca-Cola 600

CONCORD, N.C. – With a furrowed brow NASCAR legend Darrell Waltrip scoffed at the notion that the Coca-Cola 600 race is too long and should be shortened by, say, maybe a hundred miles or so.

“Is that what some thirty-something said?” the 72-year-old Waltrip said. Well, as a matter of fact…

It was 38-year-old Denny Hamlin who recently suggested that NASCAR should shorten its longest race because nobody – at least not the friends that he knows – wants to sit and watch stock cars race around an oval 400 times for nearly five hours.

But Waltrip, a five-time winner of the Coca-Cola 600, said that would be a mistake.

“It’s a tough race, it’s a grueling race,” Waltrip said. “It takes a long time to run this race. But it’s iconic. It’s the only one we have. Our sport is definitely in a tailspin if we ever do away with the Coke 600, I will tell you that.”

Waltrip is getting plenty of support. Joey Logano said he gets a little angry when people suggest the race many refer to as the crown jewel of NASCAR should be shortened, saying to him it’s a no brainer to keep the race length.

“This is a special race, this is the Coca-Cola 600,” Logano said. “It has been around for a very long time. Yeah, you keep it. That is what it makes it so special, what makes it so unique. Does every other race need to be 500 miles, probably not? But certain ones, the iconic ones, need to stay.”

NASCAR has shortened some races, including at Pocono.

But to defending champion

Kyle Busch, changing the 600 wouldn’t be right.

“I think it brings a different aspect to our sport – it’s longevity,” Busch said. “People will say, ‘It’s too long. It’s boring.’ Whatever. Well, you know, it’s a part of the product and history that we’ve had on Memorial Day weekend for a long time that you run the extra hundred miles.”

While Hamlin would be just as happy winning a Coca-Cola 300, others disagree.

Brad Keselowski said the race honors the tradition of the sport. The race began in 1961, growing into a Memorial Day tradition at Charlotte Motor Speedway and a celebration of those who served in the military.

“This race is a different challenge than anything else we have – and by a good bit,” Keselowski said. “I appreciate so much about this race. I appreciate that you are going to go through the daytime and be burning hot and the car is going be out of control. Then we are going to transition to nighttime and the cars are going to be just crazy fast. I think that is tremendous.”

NASCAR Xfinity Series: Tyler Reddick won the Alsco 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway after taking the lead for good on a restart with 15 laps to go.

He led 110 of 200 laps to win for the second time this season and the second time in three races. He finished more than two seconds ahead of Justin Allgaier. Jeffrey Earnhardt was third, followed by Noah Gragson.

Pole-sitter Christopher Bell was in front for 20 of the first 49 laps and won the race’s first stage. But Bell’s front right tire caught fire after hitting the wall to knock him out of the race.