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The Sunday before Memorial Day marks the biggest day in auto racing every year with the running of Indy Car’s Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600.
That’s 1,100 miles of grueling racing that seldomly disappoints.
There have been just four drivers to compete in both races on the same day, with only one of them (Tony Stewart, 2001) completing all 1,100 miles.
NASCAR Cup Series points leader Kyle Larson will attempt to not only complete both events this Sunday, but win them, as he’ll be the latest driver to try and pull off “The Double.”
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Larson has the third-shortest odds to win the Indianapolis 500 at +675, as he’ll start fifth in that race, setting a record for the fastest qualifying four-lap average by a rookie in the series at 232.846 mph.
Oh, and he’s the favorite to win the NASCAR race later that evening at +475.
We’ll find out as FrontPageBets takes a look at drivers to watch in the NASCAR Cup Series’ 65th running of the Coca-Cola 600 at the 1.5-mile Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday (6 p.m., FOX).
(All odds courtesy of BetMGM and are subject to change)
Pick To Win Coca-Cola 600: Martin Truex Jr. (+1000)
While Larson is the favorite, 1,100 miles in one day in two different cars is a lot to ask.
Even though the driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy won the Coke 600 in 2021 after taking the pole and has six top-10 finishes in 14 career starts at Charlotte, there’s a lot going against Larson.
So we’re going with the driver who has won the Coca-Cola 600 twice in his career, which is the most by any active driver in Sunday’s field.
That’s right, Martin Truex Jr.
Despite not having a victory yet this season, the driver of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota is second in Cup points.
Coca-Cola 600 Top-5 Pick: Ryan Blaney (+125)
The defending Cup Series champion is also winless this year, but sits eighth in points with four top-5s through 13 races.
In 13 career starts at Charlotte, the driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford has one win, three top-5s and four top-10 finishes.
He’s also the defending champion of this race, leading 83 of the 600 laps in 2023.
Coca-Cola 600 Long Shot Pick: Chase Elliott (+1100)
While it’s not a super long shot, this is a good value for a driver who can win any race at any time.
Elliott, the driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy, has one career win at the 1.5-mile superspeedway to go along with five top-5s in 12 career starts.
Elliott is fourth in points this season, winning at Texas last month, while also racking up five top-5s in the first half of the season.
Odds-on favorites to win Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway
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Mike Szvetitz is the General Manager and Content Director for FrontPageBets.com. Szvetitz is a 24-year veteran reporter and editor, including serving 17 years as a sports editor in Florida, Alabama and Virginia, covering everything from preps to pros. His “View From The Lazy Boy” column won multiple state and national awards. He can be reached at mszvetitz@timesdispatch.com.
