Turn 4 Disrupts Suarez and LaJoie at the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, North Carolina, on May 30th, 2022. The Coca-Cola 600 is an annual race of the NASCAR Cup Series and a part of the Memorial Day racing tradition. It is one of the longest races on the Cup Series schedule, taking place at Charlotte Motor Speedway with a distance of 600 miles and 400 laps on the 1.5-mile oval track.
Race Review
Chase Elliott Wins the Pole Position
The Coca-Cola 600 started with qualifying on May 27th, 2022, where the reigning Cup Series Champion, Chase Elliott, won the pole position with a speed of 189.372 mph. Kyle Larson, William Byron, Kurt Busch, and Joey Logano completed the top five starters on the grid.
Stage 1
The race began with Stage 1 on May 29th, 2022, where William Byron led the opening lap. However, on lap 18, Ross Chastain hit the wall in Turn 2, bringing out the first caution of the race. The stage resumed on lap 23, and Byron, Harvick, and Larson swapped the lead multiple times. Byron won the stage after a photo-finish with Christopher Bell.
Stage 2
The second stage began on lap 101, with Chris Buescher taking the lead until rain interrupted the race on lap 141, leading to a 31-minute red flag. The stage resumed on lap 157, and Buescher held off Kevin Harvick to win Stage 2.
Turn 4 Disrupts Suarez and LaJoie
Moments before the end of Stage 3, on lap 253, Daniel Suarez and Corey LaJoie crashed hard into the Turn 4 wall, bringing out the caution and ending the hopes of both drivers to win the race.
Stage 3 and 4
The third and fourth stages restarted after the debris from the Suarez and LaJoie crash was cleared. Ryan Blaney took the lead and won Stage 3, leading Tyler Reddick, Martin Truex Jr., Chris Buescher, and Bubba Wallace to round out the top five. In the final stage, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch had a minor collision, which triggered another caution. Ryan Blaney stayed in the lead and won the Coca-Cola 600, followed by William Byron in second place, Martin Truex Jr. in third, Bubba Wallace in fourth, and Tyler Reddick in fifth place.
Conclusion
The Coca-Cola 600 was a thrilling race of the NASCAR Cup Series with multiple lead changes and disruptions. Ryan Blaney emerged as the winner after 400 long laps of hard racing, beating William Byron’s Hendrick Chevrolet at a restart with 20 laps to go, a day after Josef Newgarden won the Indianapolis 500 for Team Penske. However, the Turn 4 crash disrupted the races of Daniel Suarez and Corey LaJoie who finished at 31st and 32nd positions, respectively.
FAQs
What are the stages of a NASCAR Cup Series race?
A NASCAR Cup Series race consists of three stages: Stage 1, Stage 2, and the Final Stage. The first two stages determine the starting lineup for the Final Stage, and the results of the Final Stage determine the overall race winner.
What is the significance of the Coca-Cola 600?
The Coca-Cola 600 is one of the most prestigious and longest races of the NASCAR Cup Series, held annually over Memorial Day Weekend since 1960 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It honors the men and women who died while serving in the US military.
Who won the Coca-Cola 600 in 2021?
Kyle Larson won the Coca-Cola 600 in 2021, leading 327 laps and beating Brad Keselowski by 10 seconds. It was Larson’s second win of the season and the eighth of his NASCAR Cup Series career.
What happens when there is rain during a NASCAR race?
If there is rain during a NASCAR race, the officials can decide to stop the race and resume it after the rain stops or postpone the race to another day. The rules and policies for rain delays or suspensions vary depending on the track, weather conditions, and the length of the race.
What is a red flag in NASCAR?
A red flag in NASCAR means that the race must be stopped immediately due to conditions that threaten the safety of the drivers, officials, or spectators, such as rain, fog, or debris on the track. The drivers must stop their cars in a single-file line on the track, and the race clock stops until the track is cleared and inspected for safety.
