NASCAR calls Coca-Cola 600 due to weather, Christopher Bell named winner

NASCAR has officially called the Coca-Cola 600 as track drying efforts were unsuccessful and Christopher Bell has been named the winner. The track wouldn’t dry in time to start before 1 AM and the race had to be called.

This is a terrible turn of events for what should have been a great day of racing. It is great for Christopher Bell. However, not seeing the full 600 miles take place is a gut punch for fans and the rest of the drivers in the field.

Kyle Larson did not turn a single lap in the Coca-Cola 600. Justin Allgaier drove to a P13 finish in his replacement effort.

Due to inclement weather, high humidity and the likelihood of resuming action after 1 a.m. with the track-drying process, the race has been declared official.

Christopher Bell is the winner of the 65th Coca-Cola 600.#CocaCola600 | #AmericasHomeForRacing pic.twitter.com/280NnKi37i

— Charlotte Motor Speedway (@CLTMotorSpdwy) May 27, 2024

This is the second win of the season for Christopher Bell. He picked up the W at Phoenix earlier this year. The rain came in and brought out the caution flag, then the lightning entered the picture.

Things didn’t look like they were going to be so bad until a deluge of rain dropped on the track and surrounding area. It was a ton of rain. When the storms cleared, the humidity left behind by the storm made track-drying efforts impossible.

NASCAR wasn’t going to get this race restarted before 1 AM tonight and they had to call it. With the race being more than halfway through, Christopher Bell wins the Coca-Cola 600.

Indy 500, Coca-Cola 600 Double ruined for Kyle Larson

When it came down to it, weather was going to be the biggest factor in the Kyle Larson Double attempt. If the NASCAR champion was going to make both races and compete in both, he was going to have to have clear weather to do it.

Well, he got none of that. The 12:45 start time for the Indianapolis 500 was pushed back four hours. Then, after performing well for most of the race, Larson made a critical mistake. Speeding on pit lane. That required him to make a pass-through on pit lane and he went a lap down.

While Larson got back on the lead lap, he only managed a P18 finish. Josef Newgarden took the win from Pato O’Ward with a last-lap pass to go back-to-back in the 500. It was a thrilling finish, even with Larson not involved.

With the Coca-Cola 600 rained out, Larson never recorded a lap in the second race. The Double attempt failed. It’s a shame. Let’s hope that he can get a ride in 2025 and give this thing another try. He deserves it and the world of motorsports deserves it.