NASCAR adds fourth stage to Coca-Cola 600

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. >> The longest race on the NASCAR schedule will now be one of the most valuable.

NASCAR on Monday said the Coca-Cola 600 will be split into four stages when it is run at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day weekend.

At 600 miles, the race is the longest by 100 miles over anything else on the NASCAR calendar and is considered a crown jewel event of the season.

By splitting it into four stages of 100 laps apiece, NASCAR has increased the points value of the event.

The fourth stage means the maximum number of points a driver can score, by sweeping all three stages and winning the race, is 70 points. BALTIMORE >> Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming got a bit rambunctious while stepping onto the track at Pimlico for a gallop ahead of this weekend’s Preakness.

The dark bay colt tried to buck off exercise rider Nick Bush on Monday and stumbled a bit in doing so, putting a brief scare into trainer Todd Pletcher.

The trainer says Always Dreaming quickly recovered and turned in a smooth and energetic 1½-mile gallop.

The colt has been at Pimlico since three days after winning the May 6 Derby so he could settle in before things get busy.

Pletcher says Always Dreaming’s behavior may have been sparked by the arrival of several horses in the barn area as he went to the track.