NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 start time, TV, streaming, lineup, weather for Charlotte

NASCAR is back on its home turf for the annual Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but this year’s race will be infused with tragedy after the sudden death of Kyle Busch, on Thursday, May 21 – bringing a whole new meaning to the Memorial Day weekend race.

Busch, one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history and a surefire bet to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, was set to drive the No. 8 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, his team since 2023. A two-time Cup Series champion, winning titles with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2015 and 2019, Busch had 63 career wins in NASCAR’s premier series, which ranks ninth all-time. He was also a past winner at Charlotte, triumphing in the 2018 Coca-Cola 600, which is NASCAR’s longest race at 600 miles.

RCR announced Friday, May 22 that it planned to retire the No. 8 car in the wake of Busch’s death until his 11-year-old son Brexton was ready to take it over when he grows up. The racing team will instead switch to the No. 33 Chevrolet, beginning with the Coca-Cola 600 with Austin Hill behind the wheel. Hill will start 13th.

This year’s race was set to be intriguing for an entirely different reason with Katherine Legge set to become the sixth driver in auto racing history to attempt the motor sports "Double" – racing in IndyCar’s Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Legge will start 37th in the Coca-Cola 600 in the Live Fast Motorsports No. 78 Chevrolet and 26th in the Indy 500 in the No. 11 Chevrolet for HMD Motorsports with AJ Foyt Racing.

With all eyes now focused on Charlotte Sunday evening, both for Legge’s second leg of the double and to see tributes to Busch, the field of 39 drivers will race with heavy hearts in the wake of the NASCAR legend’s sudden passing.

Here’s all the information you need to get ready for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway:

What time does the 2026 Coca-Cola 600 start?

The Coca-Cola 600 is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. ET Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.

What TV channel is the 2026 Coca-Cola 600 on?

There is no national TV broadcast for Sunday's race. Amazon Prime Video is broadcasting the Coca-Cola 600, the first of five consecutive NASCAR Cup Series races on the streamer. Prime will air a pre-race show at 5 p.m. ET.

Will there be a live stream of the 2026 Coca-Cola 600?

How many laps is the 2026 Coca-Cola 600?

NASCAR's longest race is 400 laps around the 1.5-mile track for a total of 600 miles. The race will feature four segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 100 laps; Stage 2: 100 laps; Stage 3: 100 laps; Stage 4: 100 laps.

What is the weather forecast for the 2026 Coca-Cola 600?

Not good. The National Weather Service forecast shows precipitation in some form all of Sunday night, with a chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9 p.m. ET, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. ET. The overall chance of precipitation is 70%, while temperatures will range from the high 70s in the early evening and high 60s around midnight.

How will Katherine Legge get from Indianapolis to Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600?

As soon as Legge's day is done in the Indy 500 – pending any possible weather delays – she will immediately board a helicopter at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and then get on a private plane to fly to the Charlotte area. Another helicopter will take Legge from the Concord–Padgett Regional Airport to the infield at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Who won the Coca-Cola 600 last year?

Trackhouse Racing's Ross Chastain passed William Byron on Lap 395 of 400 before edging the Hendrick Motorsports driver by 0.673 seconds at the checkered flag on May 25, 2025.

Who will start on the pole at the 2026 Coca-Cola 600?

NASCAR Cup Series points leader Tyler Reddick will start on the pole in the No. 45 Toyota for 23XI Racing after qualifying was canceled Saturday due to weather.

What is the lineup for the 2026 NASCAR Coca-Cola 600?

(Car number in parentheses)

1. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota
2. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota
3. (97) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet
4. (71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet
5. (19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota
6. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford
7. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford
8. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford
9. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet
10. (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet
11. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota
12. (60) Ryan Preece, Ford
13. (33) Austin Hill, Chevrolet
14. (7) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet
15. (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota
16. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet
17. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota
18. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet
19. (38) Zane Smith, Ford
20. (34) Todd Gilliland, Ford
21. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota
22. (41) Cole Custer, Chevrolet
23. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet
24. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota
25. (88) Connor Zilisch, Chevrolet
26. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford
27. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet
28. (4) Noah Gragson, Ford
29. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet
30. (35) Riley Herbst, Toyota
31. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet
32. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet
33. (22) Joey Logano, Ford
34. (21) Josh Berry, Ford
35. (10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet
36. (66) Timmy Hill, Ford
37. (78) Katherine Legge, Chevrolet
38. (51) Cody Ware, Chevrolet
39. (67) Corey Heim, Toyota