It’s the greatest day in racing! Every race fan circles Memorial Day Weekend for three of the year’s biggest events. We started the morning with the Monaco Grand Prix, then ran the 108th Indianapolis 500, and wrapped up the day with the Coca-Cola 600. As NASCAR ventured home to Charlotte Motor Speedway, there were many storylines that needed bookends, and what better place than during the longest race of the season to do so? How did the drivers handle 400 laps in NASCAR’s backyard? Let’s talk about it.
Ty Gibbs wasted no time setting the pace at the drop of the green flag as he pulled away from the pole position. Gibbs opened the race leading 64 of 74 laps, with only Byron in the same zip code as the 54 Camry. Unfortunately for Gibbs, his car couldn’t cut through lap traffic like the 24 could, which Byron used to his advantage on lap 72 to take the lead. Byron would be chased by an army of Toyotas, who made up five of the top six spots but not the top spot.
Byron used his lead to help his teammate, Allgaier, get him back on the lead lap before the first caution came out with 13 laps to go in Stage 1. This would be huge, as it kept the five car on the lead lap while Kyle Larson returned from competing in the Indy 500. While Byron came onto pit road in the top spot, Gibbs took advantage of the number one pit stall by winning the pole to get ahead of Byron for the restart, ensuring a thrilling finish to the opening stage between the 54 and 24.
Byron restarting on the high side proved to be the stage-winning decision. While Gibbs resumed the race in first, it was Byron who finished the stage in first, as the outside line propelled him to his first stage win of the season, just tenths ahead of Ty.
Trouble for the defending Coca-Cola 600 winner came during Stage 2 when Ryan Blaney was penalized for an uncontrolled tire, but that would be the least of his worries. Blaney’s right front tire wasn’t tightened during the pit stop, causing him to slam the Turn 2 wall, causing heavy damage. The defending champion would retire from the race, relinquishing his chance of going back-to-back at Charlotte. Blaney’s car got stuck on pit road, which brought out the third caution of the night a few laps later.
The race’s fourth caution came when Noah Gragson spun on the backstretch and hit the inside wall. Gragson made contact with Stenhouse Jr. coming off Turn 2, which sent him head-on into the inside wall and out of the race. It was a tough break for the Las Vegas native, who spent much of the race inside the top 15.
Christopher Bell ran inside the top five for most of the race’s first half. The driver of the 20 finished Stage 1 in 4th and picked up right where he left off in Stage 2. Bell tracked down Byron and took the lead from him on lap 189, but the 24 and the 23 stayed within one second of him with less than five laps left in the stage.
Harrison Burton hit the outside wall, bringing out the race’s fifth caution. Any chance Byron or Bubba Wallace had at chasing down Bell was thwarted as the 20 took the green and white checkered flag under yellow for his third stage win of 2024.
Kyle Larson’s Memorial Day double was jeopardized when the Indy 500 was delayed over four hours due to a massive storm hovering over the area. The race began around 4:45 p.m., meaning Larson had to choose between running the Indianapolis 500 or starting the Coca-Cola 600. Ultimately, Larson chose to run the 500 and missed the first half of the 600. Allgaier drove the 5 while Larson finished his Indy duties and flew back to Charlotte. Allgaier stayed competitive despite his lack of track time, and most importantly, he stayed on the lead lap by the time Kyle took over driving duties for the 5.
Larson didn’t just bring himself, as the same storms that plagued Indianapolis followed him to wreak havoc on Charlotte, N.C. His plane tried to circle the storms while he was still far from landing. This put his 600 in more jeopardy as to when he would arrive at the race track. Larson arrived in Charlotte at 9:19 p.m. and immediately got in a helicopter to head to the race track, where he arrived with 55 laps to go in Stage 3. Larson relieved Allgaier after a lightning hold was put on the race. Per the NASCAR rulebook, a driver change during the red flag means the car has to start in the back, meaning Larson’s journey to the front would’ve began from the rear.
As mentioned earlier, the same storm that hit Indianapolis, Ind., made its way to Charlotte during Stage 3. After a caution for Corey LaJoie, NASCAR informed the teams that the weather was 15 minutes away with 63 laps to go in Stage 3. This ramped up the intensity for the drivers, who believed there was a chance that the rain could mean the end of the race.
Rain hit the track just as Larson’s helicopter landed with 55 laps to go in Stage 3. While it was unclear who won the race from Indy to Charlotte, Larson took over driving duties when it was held for a lightning delay of lap 249. The track was shortly met with a massive rain shower that engulfed the speedway, and having reached the halfway mark, the race’s resumption was in question.
NASCAR began drying the track as soon as the heavy rain left the area. Jet dryers surrounded the racing surface in the hopes to get the race underway. Pit road was able to get dried but one factor NASCAR did not expect was humidity. The rain left dense humidity across the track, meaning the surface would take longer to dry. Racing wasn’t expected to resume until 1 a.m.
With all these factors in mind, NASCAR elected to declare the race official on lap 249 despite having started the drying process. Christopher Bell, who led at the time of the red flag, was declared the winner of the 65th Coca-Cola 600. It was Bell’s second win of the season and eighth of his career.
While Bell came away with the win, the race being called early meant that Larson did not get to race in the Coca-Cola 600. The storm that delayed his run in the Indianapolis 500 ultimately ended his hopes of running the 600. Justin Allgaier finished the race in 13th after starting in the back in a fantastic substitution drive from the Xfinity Series regular. While Larson was not granted a waiver at the time the race finished, it is expected that NASCAR will give Larson a playoff waiver at some point to keep him eligible for the playoffs.
Korey24Seven was willing to wait out the rain delay. With a sell-out crowd and Larson sprinting from Indy to Charlotte, it’s safe to say Korey’s right.
Honestly, with how the last two weeks have gone, Murilo_1604 might be onto something.
Chris_Hansen98 comments on Allgaier’s run driving the 5 in relief for Larson.
SlimJimJZ comments on Larson’s eventful Indy/Charlotte double
Ryanpistrana was not happy with NASCAR’s decision to call the race despite working to dry the track.
JOTT_Podcast commented on NASCAR’s decision to call the race. He stated that a crown jewel race should not have been handled the way it was tonight.
It’s never a good time when a race ends due to weather. After a fan favorite win in Monaco and a fantastic finish in Indy, it’s a shame that the final leg of the Memorial Day Triple Header had to end on a whimper. Larson was not able to run the double, but who would’ve thought it would be the NASCAR leg that he missed altogether? He’ll have another shot next year to complete 1100 miles.
Despite the lackluster ending, the race was what fans expect from Charlotte: fantastic racing and plenty of lead changes. Byron, Gibbs, and Bell all put on a show up front, while guys like Allgaier and Buescher sliced their way through the field. Fans, however, won’t be happy with how NASCAR chose to handle the ending of the race.
What did you guys think, DailyDownforce readers? Are you bummed for Larson? Should NASCAR have called the race sooner? Are you Bell fans happy your driver won, regardless of how so? Let us know! And be sure to come back here at DailyDownforce.com for all the latest news and discussions going on in the world of NASCAR!
Joe Gibbs Racing has added to its lawsuit filed against former Crew Chief and Competition Director Chris Gabehart, filing to add Spire as a co-defendant, and to prevent Gabehart from continuing his work at Spire.
JGR initiated this lawsuit on February 19, alleging Gabehart, a long-time Crew Chief, most recently for Denny Hamlin, and the team’s now former Competition Director, “embarked on a brazen scheme to steal JGR’s most sensitive information and use it for the benefit of a direct competitor in NASCAR.”
That direct competitor, Spire Motorsports, which currently employs Gabehart as their Chief Motorsports Officer, is now a co-defendant in this lawsuit, via an amended complaint filed Tuesday.
Per the latest filing from JGR, which employed Gabehart as Competition Director last season, is asking the court for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction with seven key requests.
Key to these requests is that Gabehardt cease providing Spire with “services for Spire similar to those he provided to JGR” for 18 months following his February 9 formal termination from JGR.
JGR also requested that Spire stop accepting Gabehart’s work as per the noncompete obligation of his termination.
The filing also has several requests regarding the team information Gabehart allegedly retained from JGR.
These include Gabehart returning this information alongside the devices that store this information and “cease and desist from retaining, transferring, using or copying any Confidential Information and Trade Secrets.”
From JGR’s filing:
c. Gabehart immediately cease and desist from retaining, transferring, using or copying any Confidential Information and Trade Secrets
d. Gabehart return any Confidential Information and Trade Secrets in his possession to JGR;
e. Gabehart transfer to the custody of JGR’s counsel any device used to store the Confidential Information and Trade Secrets and, through an agreed upon Court ordered process, allow the forensic preservation and review of these devices for identification of Confidential Information and Trade Secrets, the return of any identified Confidential Information and Trade Secrets to JGR, and the removal of any identified Confidential Information and Trade Secrets from the devices;
f. Gabehart cease and desist from using or disclosing JGR’s Confidential Information and Trade Secrets to third parties;
As of press time, Gabehart has commented on the lawsuit in a post to X on February 20, where he claimed a third-party investigator “examined my laptop, cell phone and personal Google Drive and found no evidence to support the baseless allegations in JGR’s lawsuit.”
What’s Happening? Joe Gibbs Racing has filed a lawsuit against former competition director Chris Gabehart, alleging he took confidential team information…
What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
The NASCAR rumor mill is heating up as a new rumor suggests that a former series champion and an active NASCAR Cup Series driver could be in line to drive for Legacy Motor Club in 2027.
What’s Happening? NASCAR drivers, much like any athletes, have a period of free agency and multi-million dollar contracts. Based on information…
The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season is well underway, while teams and drivers are still settling into their new lineups and seats, others are already prepping for next season.
Most expect the 2027 NASCAR Silly Season to be one of the wildest in years, with many major names on contract seasons, and top seats looking for new drivers.
One story that will likely carry through the 2026 season, and into the offseason, is Legacy Motor Club, which is expanding to three full-time cars in 2027 via the acquisition of a charter from Rick Ware Racing, which is currently leased to RFK Racing for their No. 60 entry.
While many storylines could stem from this transaction, one that is already playing out is LMC’s driver search, as the team looks to add a new face to their roster alongside drivers John Hunter Nemechek and Erik Jones.
Though we are nearly a year away from what would be the first race for this third car, per recent rumors, a few names are already emerging as top candidates.
What’s Happening? NASCAR Hall of Famer and Seven-Time Champion Jimmie Johnson’s Legacy Motor Club is suing Rick Ware Racing over a…
Monday afternoon, a post from a well-known NASCAR rumor account made the rounds on social media, naming two drivers as possible options for LMC.
In their post, the user claimed that 23XI Racing’s Riley Herbst and Richard Childress Racing prospect Jesse Love were “early contenders” for the ride.
Of course, this is just a rumor, and even if they are possible candidates, things can change. However, both of these options come with their own storylines and questions.
The first thing that likely comes to mind when hearing this rumor is that both of these drivers would have to depart their current spots, something that most have suspected will happen by next season.
For Herbst, he is facing the impending promotion of top NASCAR prospect Corey Heim to full-time competition.
This year, Heim, the reigning NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion, is racing part-time with 23XI Racing, with almost every rumor and blurb suggesting next year will be his first full-time season in NASCAR’s highest level.
While 2026 Daytona 500 Champion Tyler Reddick is reportedly on a contract season, most see Herbst as the clear weak link at 23XI, though, in the somewhat unlikely event Reddick were to jump ship, there could be a world where a spot opens for Heim without affecting Herbst.
Regarding Love, the reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion is in his third full-time year with RCR in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and, for some time now, has been rumored to be looking for a promotion, beyond his part-time Cup Series schedule.
This is not the first time Love and LMC have been tied together in the rumor mill, as in June 2025, when LMC was in the midst of a lawsuit to get their third charter by this season (something that never came to be), a report from Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports suggested there could be interest in Love as that third driver at LMC.
As of right now, Love has yet to score a full-time Cup Series ride. But there is a chance a slot opens in-house as RCR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch is on a contract year, a situation that could leave Love with a difficult decision between staying in a familiar spot or returning ot the Toyota camp.
But the biggest decision could come down to RCR, which, in the event Busch excels this year, could face deciding between a NASCAR legend and keeping their best prospect in some time.
Nonetheless, all of this is hypothetical, as the gears are just now turning on what could be a NASCAR Cup Series Silly Season for the ages.
What’s Happening? Some recent developments in NASCAR Silly Season rumors and reports have some NASCAR fans wondering if Spire Motorsports could…
What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Denny Hamlin fires off on Carson Hocevar, Sheldon Creed finally gets his long-awaited breakthrough, and 13-year-old Keelan Harvick makes a massive career move. From sharp words on a podcast to a feel-good victory and a headline-grabbing development deal, this episode covers three very different stories that could all have long-term ripple effects.
There’s controversy, redemption, and a glimpse at the next generation all wrapped into one packed show. Some reputations are being tested, others are being rebuilt, and one young driver may have just taken the first major step toward the Cup Series.
Watch Also
