Before we get into this week’s picks I need to take a moment to talk about something that has genuinely shaken the entire NASCAR world this week.
Let’s get into it.
In Memory of Kyle Busch
Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch passed away on Thursday May 21 at the age of 41 after being hospitalised with a severe illness. The cause of death was not disclosed. Busch had been testing in a simulator in Concord on Wednesday when he became unresponsive and was transported to a hospital in Charlotte.
There are no words adequate enough for a loss like this. Kyle Busch won 63 Cup Series races, 102 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races, and 69 Truck Series races — 234 combined victories across NASCAR’s three national series, more than any driver in the history of the sport. He was a two-time Cup Series champion. He was 41 years old. He was three days away from racing in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Richard Childress Racing’s No. 8 has been renumbered to No. 33 this weekend out of respect for Busch. The No. 8 has been reserved for his 11-year-old son Brexton, should Brexton one day climb through the ranks and reach NASCAR’s top level. That gesture alone says everything about how much this sport loved Kyle Busch.
He leaves behind his wife Samantha, son Brexton, and daughter Lennix. Our thoughts are with the entire Busch family this weekend and always.
This race will be run with his memory front and center for everyone at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday night. Rowdy forever.
The 67th Coca-Cola 600
The 67th Coca-Cola 600 goes green at 6:00 PM ET this Sunday May 24 on Amazon Prime Video. It is the longest race in NASCAR at 600 miles and 400 laps, and the only race on the schedule with four stages instead of three. All four stages run 100 laps each, making this the highest-scoring race in terms of points a driver can collect in a single event. The race starts in daylight, transitions through dusk, and finishes under the lights. It is one of the most unique and special events on the entire calendar.
Qualifying is this afternoon at 1:30 PM ET on Amazon Prime Video. I’ll be watching every lap time closely and if anything changes the card significantly I’ll update before Sunday’s green flag. The pool picks below are based on pre-qualifying data so keep that in mind.
Ross Chastain is the defending champion having started from the rear of the field in a backup car and passing William Byron on the inside with six laps remaining to win by 0.673 seconds last year. One of the most dramatic Coca-Cola 600 finishes in years and a performance that showed exactly what this race demands patience, bravery, and the ability to deliver when it matters most.
Let’s get into this weeks picks for the Coca-Cola 600.
My Main Pick: Christopher Bell (11th in points, 311 pts)
You all know how this works. Bell is my driver for the first half of the season and I’m fully locked in on him again this week. And honestly? The Coca-Cola 600 is one of the races I’ve been most excited about for Bell all season.
Bell won the 2024 Coca-Cola 600 in a rain-shortened race after leading 90 laps and taking Stage 2.
He is a defending Coca-Cola 600 champion and he knows exactly what this track demands over 400 laps under the Charlotte lights. He followed that up by finishing eighth at last year’s full-distance Coca-Cola 600 which tells you the speed and the endurance are both consistently there at this venue.
After a frustrating Watkins Glen where he finished 21st despite strong early-race pace, Charlotte is the bounce-back race. JGR’s Charlotte setup has historically been one of the absolute best in the garage and Bell arrives as a proven winner at this specific track. He’s my pick to have a massive Sunday night.
Inside Top 12 Pick No. 1: Brad Keselowski (9th in points, 318 pts)
When you look at total points accumulation at Charlotte Motor Speedway among all active drivers currently inside the top 12, Keselowski comes out on top and it’s not particularly close.
Brad Keselowski leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in wins at Charlotte Motor Speedway with two victories in 2013 and 2020. He finished fifth at last year’s Coca-Cola 600 which is outstanding recent form at this track. RFK Racing has been on a consistent upward trajectory throughout 2026 and the combination of the best active win record at Charlotte with genuine recent pace makes him the most compelling inside top 12 anchor on the board this week. He’s on the card.
Inside Top 12 Pick No. 2: William Byron (12th in points, 309 pts)
This one writes itself. Last year Byron dominated the Coca-Cola 600, winning the first three stages and leading a race-high 283 of 400 laps before being passed by Chastain on the inside with just six laps remaining. He absolutely owned that race from start to finish and came away with second place. That is the most extreme example of unfinished business at a specific track that we have anywhere on the 2026 schedule.
Byron leads all active drivers in average starting position at Charlotte Motor Speedway with a 5.3 in nine starts. He consistently qualifies near the front here and a top-five starting position has produced 55.56% of all Charlotte winners. If he qualifies well this afternoon that is an enormous positive signal for Sunday night. The motivation from last year’s heartbreak at this exact track combined with the best qualifying pace of any active driver at Charlotte makes him one of the most dangerous cars in the field. He’s the anchor of the inside picks this week.
Outside Top 12 Pick No. 1: Chase Briscoe (17th in points, 277 pts)
Briscoe finished third at last year’s Coca-Cola 600. Third place at a crown jewel race from outside the top 12 in the standings is an extraordinary result that the market consistently undersells heading into this weekend. He finished fourth at Watkins Glen two weeks ago showing genuine multi-track-type pace continues to build through 2026. JGR’s Charlotte setup is one of the very best in the garage and Briscoe shares all of that knowledge with Bell. At the price he’ll be available at this week he is genuinely one of the best value plays on the entire board. He’s the most confident outside pick on the card.
Outside Top 12 Pick No. 2: Ross Chastain (19th in points, 236 pts)
Ross Chastain the defending Coca-Cola 600 champion, started 40th in a backup car last year and drove through the entire field to pass Byron for the lead with six laps remaining and win by 0.673 seconds.
He has now won this race. He knows how to do it. The late-race aggression and bravery that defined that 2025 victory are exactly the qualities the final stage of a 600-mile race demands when it comes down to the last few laps under the Charlotte lights.
He’s 19th in the standings and outside the playoff bubble which makes Sunday night genuinely urgent for the No. 1 Trackhouse Chevrolet. At +3500 the defending champion of this specific race is significantly undervalued. He’s on the card.
Outside Top 12 Pick No. 3: AJ Allmendinger (20th in points, 235 pts)
Allmendinger finished fourth at last year’s Coca-Cola 600. Let that sit for a second. Fourth at the Coca-Cola 600 from a Kaulig Racing Chevrolet. That result absolutely demands that he gets a place on the outside tier of the card this week and the market at +5000 is significantly underestimating what he showed at this track twelve months ago. Kaulig Racing brings genuine Charlotte oval setup knowledge and Allmendinger has the patience and discipline over a 400-lap race to put himself in position late when it matters most. He’s the value dart of the week and I genuinely love this pick.
Dark Horses Worth Watching
Tyler Reddick (+650) — Leads all active drivers in average finishing position at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Five wins in 2026 and the dominant championship leader. He’s inside the top 12 in standings so he can’t fill our outside slots but he’s a legitimate win candidate and the No. 45 is the fastest car in the garage most Sundays.
Chase Elliott (+900) — Back-to-back wins at Texas and Watkins Glen and an average finish of 9.85 at Charlotte in recent seasons. Hendrick Motorsports leads all active organizations with 21 Charlotte wins. He’s never won the Coca-Cola 600 but the form and the equipment are pointing in the right direction.
Denny Hamlin (+1100) — Three poles, one win, 12 top fives, and 21 top tens at Charlotte in his career. Inside the top 12 in standings but worth knowing his numbers here are genuinely strong heading into Sunday.
Ryan Preece (+4500) — Finished ninth at last year’s Coca-Cola 600. Outside the top 12 in standings at 13th. At that price the ninth-place finish from last year makes him worth a small look as an additional dart if you want to go deeper on the card.
Drivers I'm Steering Clear Of
Kyle Larson — The double adds real unpredictability. Last year his double attempt ended in crashes in both races. The 2021 Charlotte dominance is real but the variables from running the Indy 500 first are simply too significant in a pool format. He’ll also be starting from further back in the field given the missed qualifying situation.
Carson Hocevar — Brilliant season overall but Spire Motorsports has just one top-ten in 15 Charlotte Cup Series starts. The organizational gap at a 600-mile race is genuinely hard to overcome regardless of how strong the driver’s form has been.
Joey Logano — Needs points badly after a nightmare Watkins Glen but Charlotte hasn’t been his strongest Gen 7 track and desperation over 400 laps can lead to overdriving in the stages where patience is the most important quality.
Shane Van Gisbergen — Riding the wave of the Watkins Glen win but finished 14th at last year’s Charlotte oval. The oval learning curve is still real and 400 laps under the lights at Charlotte demands a level of long-run oval setup knowledge that takes time to develop.
My Full Pool Card — Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Sunday, May 24, 2026 | 6:00 PM ET | Amazon Prime Video | Concord, North Carolina
This race runs four stages of 100 laps each — more stage points available than any other race on the schedule.
Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte
| # | Driver | Role | Odds | The Case | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐ | 20 | Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing • Toyota | Main Driver | +900 | Won 2024 Coca-Cola 600, finished 8th last year going full 400 laps, JGR Charlotte setup is elite, bounce-back race incoming |
| 🏆 | 6 | Brad Keselowski RFK Racing • Ford | Inside Top 12 | +1400 | Most active wins at Charlotte (2), finished 5th last year, leads all active drivers in Charlotte victories, RFK form is strong |
| 🏆 | 24 | William Byron Hendrick Motorsports • Chevrolet | Inside Top 12 | +700 | Led 283 laps and won 3 stages last year, best active avg starting position at Charlotte (5.3), unfinished business is a real motivator |
| 🔥 | 19 | Chase Briscoe Joe Gibbs Racing • Toyota | Outside Top 12 | +2200 | Finished 3rd at last year's Coca-Cola 600, JGR Charlotte setup is outstanding, strong recent form across multiple track types |
| 🔥 | 1 | Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing • Chevrolet | Outside Top 12 | +3500 | Defending Coca-Cola 600 champion, started 40th last year and won, playoff bubble desperation adds a real edge this weekend |
| 🔥 | 16 | AJ Allmendinger Kaulig Racing • Chevrolet | Outside Top 12 | +5000 | Finished 4th at last year's Coca-Cola 600, Kaulig brings strong Charlotte oval setup, massively undervalued at this price |
Odds based on pre-qualifying data and subject to change. Always bet responsibly.
WrappingUp This Weeks Picks Post For the Coca-Cola 600
That’s the card everyone. Bell as our main man at a track where he’s already won the Coca-Cola 600 and finished eighth in the full-distance version last year. Keselowski as the inside anchor with the best active win record at this track. Byron with the most Charlotte qualifying pace of any active driver and the most powerful motivating force of the weekend after leading 283 laps last year and losing with six laps to go. Briscoe with a third from last year’s crown jewel. Chastain as the defending champion with everything to play for on the playoff bubble. And Allmendinger as the true value play at +5000 for a driver who finished fourth at this same race twelve months ago.
Qualifying is this afternoon from 1:30 PM ET on Amazon Prime Video. Keep an eye on where Byron, Bell, and Briscoe qualify because a top-five starting position has produced 55.56% of all Coca-Cola 600 winners in history. If our picks are near the front of that grid tonight it’s a great sign for Sunday.
The green flag drops at 6:00 PM ET on Amazon Prime Video. And this Sunday night at Charlotte, every lap will be run with the memory of Kyle Busch in mind.
Rowdy forever.
Bryan | Driving on Marbles
Author Profile
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Hey there race fans, welcome to Driving on Marbles, where I break down NASCAR with real insight, smart strategy, and race by race analysis. This isn’t just race recaps and highlight talk, it’s trends, track history, driver momentum, and the little details that actually make a difference on race day.
Whether you’re setting your fantasy lineup, looking for betting angles, or just want to understand why things happen on the track, I’ve got you covered. My goal is simple: help fans see the race the way teams and strategists do, one decision, one adjustment, one edge at a time.
If you love NASCAR and want more than surface level coverage, you’re in the right place.
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