On Sunday, May 25, NASCAR’s response to the Indy 500 is their annual race known as the Coca-Cola 600. The longest race of the Cup Series, the Coca-Cola 600 will have a 6pm ET start time live from the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Perhaps, the biggest change to NASCAR’s Memorial Day Weekend tradition is that the Charlotte race will stream live on Amazon Prime. For the first time ever, Amazon will air five NASCAR races over the next month. The global platform guarantees a unique viewing experience. For example, Amazon won’t cut away during green flag racing.

The Cup Series is coming off a fantastic weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway where they held their All-Star Race and All-Star Open qualifying event. If you missed the NASCAR results, Christopher Bell won the All-Star event and pocketed $1 million dollars.

Bell also enters this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 race as the defending champ, having taken the checkered flag last year. Yet, he’s behind Kyle Larson in the betting odds. Joining those two in the Top 5 spots at the top of the betting boards are Tyler Reddick, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Blaney.

With that said, let’s take a look at the latest NASCAR Charlotte odds, courtesy of the top sports betting sites, and make our Coca-Cola 600 predictions for this weekend’s Charlotte NASCAR Cup Series race.

Coca-Cola 600 Race Profile

The first Coca-Cola 600 race, known as the World 600, was held in 1960 and won by Joe Lee Johnson. This also marked the first race at Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS).

The CMS is an intermediate-track that’s shaped like a quad oval. It has an asphalt surface with four turns at 24 degrees banking, straights with 5 degrees in banking, and a lap distance of 1.5 miles.

Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 breaks down as follows:

• Total Miles: 600 miles
• Total Laps: 400 laps
• Stage 1: 100 laps
• Stage 2: 100 laps
• Stage 3: 100 laps
• Final Stage: 100 laps

Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 start time is at 6pm ET on Amazon Prime.

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Who Won The Coca-Cola 600?

The 2024 Coca-Cola 600 winner was Christopher Bell. He became the 8^th different winner over the last eight Memorial Day Weekend Charlotte NASCAR race.

However, it’s Darrell Waltrip who has the most Coca-Cola 600 wins with five. He also won this race in consecutive years on two separate occasions. That’s almost as dominant as Jimmie Johnson’s three straight from 2003-2005. Yet, Johnson is behind Waltrip with four Coca-Cola 600 wins.

The following is a list of the most recent winners:

• 2024: Christopher Bell
• 2023: Ryan Blaney
• 2022: Denny Hamlin
• 2021: Kyle Larson
• 2020: Brad Keselowski
• 2019: Martin Truex Jr.
• 2018: Kyle Busch
• 2017: Austin Dillon
• 2016: Martin Truex Jr.
• 2015: Carl Edwards

It should be pointed out that no current full-time Cup Series driver has won the Coca-Cola 600 more than once. Also, Hendrick Motorsports holds the record for most manufacturer wins with 12. Chevy has dominated the field with 25 wins.

Coca-Cola 600 Odds

Check out the latest Coca-Cola 600 odds:

Coca-Cola 600 Favorites

The following drivers are considered by oddsmakers to be the odds-on favorites to win the Coca-Cola 600:

Kyle Larson +550

• Driver Standings: 1
• Wins: 3
• Top 5: 8
• Top 10: 9

Kyle Larson comes into this weekend’s race as the leader in the Cup Series driver standings. Yet, the #5 car leads the field in more than just points. He’s also first with three wins (tied with Bell), Top 5s (8), Top 10s (9), laps led (817) and Playoff Points (23).

To give an idea of his lead, Bell is second with 16 Playoff Points despite being tied in wins with Larson. Furthermore, the #5 car has wo two of the last four races on the season, and three of the last seven.

Since last weekend’s All-Star race was a non-points event, the last official race was in Kansas two weeks ago. There, Larson dominated to win the AdventHealth 400. Two weeks prior to Kansas, Larson smoked the field by winning the Food City 500 at Bristol.

Dating back to his first win of the season, the Straight Talk Wireless 400 in Homestead-Miami, Larson has three wins, six Top 5s, and six Top 10s in seven starts. The lone blemish over that span was a busted suspension at Darlington.

At Charlotte, Larson has one win, two Top 5s, six Top 10s and a 17.7 average finish in 14 starts. He has crashed out of two of the last four Coca-Cola 600 races. Yet, in-between those DNFs, Larson won in 2021 and finished 9^th in 2022.

Larson is attempting to do the Indy 500-Coca-Cola 600 double this weekend. It’s something that a handful of drivers have attempted in the past. However, this also means that Larson will not be 100% when driving at Charlotte after flying from Indianapolis following the race.

While I believe that Larson has the potential to win the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, I’m not willing to say he’s the man to beat.

Christopher Bell +650

• Driver Standings: 3
• Wins: 3
• Top 5: 6
• Top 10: 8

As mentioned above, Bell is pretty much second in most major statistical categories other than being tied with Larson for the most wins in the Cup Series. However, he’s coming off a victory at the All-Star Race last weekend, and a victory in the Coca-Cola 600 last year.

On the season, Bell has five Top 9 finishes in the last six races. He came in behind Larson at Kansas two weeks ago, and narrowly missed picking up his fourth win of the season at Martinsville when he finished second.

At Charlotte, Bell has one win, two Top 5s, and three Top 10s in six appearances with a 14.0 average finish. He won this race last year and has two Top 5s in the last three events.

Bell has a lot of momentum heading into this weekend’s race. I think he has just as good of a chance to win Sunday’s Charlotte NASCAR race as anyone else. In fact, I like his chances more than Larson.

Tyler Reddick +700           

• Driver Standings: 6
• Wins: 0
• Top 5: 3
• Top 10: 4

If there’s one driver who could prevent Bell and Larson from taking the checkered flag, it’s Tyler Reddick. The #45 car has a strong resume at Charlotte despite not winning a Cup Series race there as of yet.

In six starts, Reddick has two Top 5s, five Top 10s, has never finished outside of the Top 15 and leads the field with a 7.7 average finish. Reddick has four straight Top 9 finishes, three straight Top 6, and was 4^th in this race last year. He’s also led laps in three of the last four Coca-Cola 600 races.

The one thing that makes me hesitate on saying Reddick is the man to beat, is the fact that he’s not been as great this year as he was last season. Reddick sits 6^th in the standings with just four Top 10s in 12 starts.

Furthermore, he hasn’t had a Top 10 in the last four races. And he has just one Top 5 in the last nine races on the season.

I think Reddick can compete for the checkered flag this Sunday, but I’m not ready to pull the trigger on the #45 car entering victory lane.

Denny Hamlin +750

• Driver Standings: 7
• Wins: 2
• Top 5: 5
• Top 10: 6

After winning the Cook Out 400 at Martinsville, the Goodyear 400 at Darlington, and a runner-up in Bristol, Hamlin has had three straight finishes outside of the Top 20. In fact, he has two consecutive DNFs that has dropped him from third to seventh in the standings.

Fortunately for the #11 car, Charlotte Motor Speedway is a venue where Hamlin has had plenty of success at in the past.

In 33 CMS starts, Hamlin has one win, 12 Top 5s, 21 Top 10s, and a 12.4 average finish which is the third best among the field. He has three Top 5s and four Top 7s in the last five Coca-Cola 600 races. Hamlin won this race in 2022, followed that up with a DNF in 2023, and was 5^th in this race last year.

Looking back further, Hamlin has one win, six Top 5s, and seven Top 10s in the last 10 Coca-Cola 600 races.

Hamlin is a Top 10 driver with a race winning ceiling. I expect the #11 car to turn things around this weekend and put together a strong finish.

Ryan Blaney +750

• Driver Standings: 5
• Wins: 0
• Top 5: 5
• Top 10: 6

The 2023 Cup Series Champion, has turned his season around over the last five weeks. During that stretch, Blaney has scored four Top 5 results with two third place finishes in the last two Cup races. The lone blemish was a crash at Talladega three races ago.

This stretch has helped Blaney move up five spots from 10^th to 5^th in the driver standings. It also gives him plenty of momentum heading into CMS this weekend.

At Charlotte, Blaney has one win, three Top 5s, and four Top 10s in 14 starts. Although he has two DNFs in the last three Coca-Cola 600 races, Blaney did win this event in 2023. He was also 3^rd in both 2020 races, which were modified due to covid.

Of all the favorites, Blaney is the one being overlooked the most. Now, I’m not saying he’s going to take the checkered flag on Sunday, but I do believe that he can be a Top 5 driver with a shot at winning.

William Byron +800

• Driver Standings: 2
• Wins: 1
• Top 5: 5
• Top 10: 7

Following the second week of the season, until Kansas’s finish, William Byron had led the Cup Series driver standings for roughly 10 weeks. Unfortunately, his two subpar finishes over the last two races, combined with his teammate’s success, has led to Byron falling behind fellow Hendrick driver Larson.

Yet, Byron is still a driver that can hang in the Top 10 all race long and threaten to win the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday.

In eight CMS starts, Byron has three Top 5s, four Top 10s and a 15.1 average finish. He has three Top 4s in the last four Coca-Cola 600 races which includes runner-up in 2023 and third last year.

I think Byron can be a sneaky Top 5 pick (+150) and a consistent Top 10 driver this weekend. Yet, I would put him down the list for winning as there are other cars that have a better chance.

The Best Coca-Cola 600 Betting Value

The following drivers are my NASCAR picks for the best betting value in the Coca-Cola 600 based on their previous success at the Charlotte Motor Speedway:

Chase Elliott +1600

• Driver Standings: 4
• Wins: 0
• Top 5: 3
• Top 10: 6

Joining his two Hendrick teammates in the Top 4 of the standings, is Chase Elliott. Although he doesn’t have a win on the season like Larson and Byron do, Elliott has been very consistent all year long, which is why he’s in fourth. Elliott has not finished outside of the Top 20 in 12 races so far, and has not scored a DNF as of yet.

At CMS, Elliott has one win, five Top 5s, and seven Top 10s in 13 starts. He was 7^th in this race last year which bucked his two-race DNF streaj. Prior to that, he finished in the Top 2 for three straight races including a win in 2020.

Elliott’s consistency makes him a reliable Top 10 driver for most weeks. A previous win at this track gives him an outside shot at upsetting the favorites on Sunday.

With that said, Elliott’s value is with his Top 10 odds (-125). He’s sitting at a 50% Top 10 finishing rate on the season, has finished all 12 races at 20^th or better, and has a 53.8% Top 10 finishing rate at CMS.

Joey Logano +2000

• Driver Standings: 9
• Wins: 1
• Top 5: 1
• Top 10: 3

The reigning Cup champ, is slowly turning things around. Over the last three events, including the non-points All-Star Race, Logano has been a contender. He won the Wurth 400 at Texas three weeks ago, was 9^th at Kansas two races ago, and was second in the All-Star Race.

Although the All-Star Race doesn’t count for points or the standings, it furthered to prove that the #22 car is gaining momentum and slowly rounding back into Championship form.

At CMS, Logano has one win, six Top 5s, 11 Top 10s, and a solid 13.1 average finish in 26 starts. Where I really think he offers value is with his Top 10 odds (+120).

For a driver of Logano’s caliber, combined with his recent momentum over the last three weeks, the #22 car could be a Top 10 driver this weekend. Additionally, he won this race in 2015, so I wouldn’t dismiss his small chances of winning on Sunday.

The Top Coca-Cola 600 Longshot

Josh Berry (+2500) is my longshot of choice for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600. Berry’s lone Cup start in this race was last year and he finished 10^th. In the Xfinity Series, Berry won at CMS in 2022.

On the season, Berry won the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas which pretty much locks him in to the Playoffs. He was 6^th in the Kansas race two weeks ago.

Berry is a solid longshot to win this race on the eve of Memorial Day. But I also like his Top 10 odds (+135) as he could sneak his way into a respectable result at Charlotte.

Coca-Cola 600 Predictions

For most weeks, Kyle Larson is one of the preferred choices to win any give race. Unfortunately, I can’t pick my favorite driver this weekend. There are too many variables at play for Larson, which starts with his appearance in the Indy 500 earlier in the day.

Larson will have to driver 1100 miles on the day, fly from Indy to Charlotte between races, and have the endurance to pull off this impressive double. I think his ceiling is a Top 5 finish.

Joining Larson in the Top 5 are Bell, Blaney, Reddick, and Elliott. Of those four, I am going with Christopher Bell. I really like how he’s driving as of late.

I also like Blaney as well, and he could win this race, but I’m giving the edge to Bell on Sunday due to his performance last year plus his results over the last two Cup Series events (Kansas, All-Star Race).   

Bet: Christopher Bell (+650)

NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 Prop Bets

Check out some of the best Coca-Cola 600 prop bets:

Head-To-Head Matchup

• Tyler Reddick (-130)
• William Byron (+100)

I’m taking Tyler Reddick in this matchup and I really like the value we’re getting with the #45 car. Although Byron has more wins and sits higher in the standings than Reddick at this point in the season, Reddick has been the better driver at Charlotte.

Reddick leads the field with a 7.7 average finish, compared to Byron at a 15.1 average finish. Reddick has more Top 10s (5) than Byron (4) and has done that in two less starts.

Both men have been strong over the last few years at this track. But, Byron did crash out in 2022, which lowers his average finish to 8.2 over the last four races compared to Reddick at 6.0.  

Bet: Tyler Reddick (-130)

The Best Top 5 Bet for the Coca-Cola 600

As you can see, I am high on Tyler Reddick (+125) this weekend. I think he has a strong performance on Sunday. In six Cup starts, he has two Top 5s and five Top 10s. That’s an 83.3% Top 10 finishing rate. This means that he’s very close to Top 5 results and has a strong shot of doing so again, on Sunday.

Bet: Tyler Reddick (+125)

The Best Top 10 Bet for the Coca-Cola 600

Kyle Busch (+100) is my Top 10 choice this weekend, although I have mentioned a few drivers above that offer great betting value for their Top 10 odds.

In 36 Charlotte starts, Busch has one win (2018), 16 Top 5s, 22 Top 10s, and a 13.8 average finish which is 5^th best among full-time Cup Series drivers.

He’s also snagged six Top 10s in the last eight Coca-Cola 600 races which includes three in the last four.

Bet: Kyle Busch (+100)

Winning Manufacturer

• Chevrolet (+130)
• Toyota (+160)
• Ford (+280)

I’m going with Toyota in this race largely due to Bell, Hamlin and Reddick. All three drivers sit in the Top 5 on the betting boards and all three have had success at CMS. I picked Bell to win the race, but his teammate Hamlin or rival Reddick could just as easily win on Sunday.

Bet: Toyota (+160)

Team of Race Winner

• Hendrick Motorsports (+200)
• Joe Gibbs Racing (+230)
• Team Penske (+500)
• 23XL Racing (+600)
• RFK Racing (+1200)
• Richard Childress Racing (+1400)
• Trackhouse Racing (+1400)
• Spire Motorsports (+2200)
• Wood Brothers Racing (+2500)

I picked Joe Gibbs Racing to win this race on Sunday, just like they did last weekend. However, I like the option to hedge our bets by taking Hendrick Motorsports in this prop bet.

Hendrick has won 12 Coca-Cola 600 races so far. Additionally, Larson, Byron and Elliott are all realistic contenders for this weekend’s race.

Bet: Hendrick Motorsports (+200)

Winning Car Number

• Over 17.5 (-120)
• Under 17.5 (-110)

Just like with the prop bet above, I think this one also offers us a chance to hedge our bets. Bell was my winner of choice, but I like the Under for this prop bet.

With the Under, we get drivers like: Chastain (1), Cindric (2), Larson (5), Keselowski (6), Busch (8), Elliott (9), Hamlin (11), and Blaney (12). Three of those drivers are in the Top 5 pre-race favorites – Larson, Hamlin and Blaney. I also have Busch and Elliott in my Top 10.

Bet: Under 17.5 (-110)