In preparation for the Coca-Cola 600 on May 29 2022, NASCAR drivers Bubba Wallace Jr., Ross Chastain, and Cole Custer spent Tuesday at Charlotte Motor Speedway for a Goodyear tire test.
Speedway Digest highlighted on Twitter their participation in the Good Year tire test, stating that:
" NASCAR drivers Bubba Wallace, Ross Chastain and Cole Custer spent Tuesday afternoon and evening at Charlotte Motor Speedway for a…"
Drivers tested several tire combinations on their Next Gen race cars. They were tested in the midday sun and under the lights to simulate the varying track conditions faced during the 600-mile race. On Twitter, Christian Espinoza stated that:
"Next Gen looking good under the lights here"
The Coca-Cola 600 starts in daylight, runs into dusk, and finishes under the lights, making it one of the few important night races of the season. The race, dubbed the "24 Hours of Charlotte," was memorable in 2009 for the torrential rains that forced Coca-Cola 600 to be moved from Sunday to Monday.
More rain the next day, combined with caution and red flags, resulted in the race taking six and a half hours longer to finish.
Coca-Cola 600 is the longest NASCAR Series event
The Coca-Cola 600 is the longest Cup Series event and the world's longest oval circuit race, with a total distance of 600 miles. It has even come to rival the Indy 500, which takes place on the same day.
In fact, the time between the end of the Indy 500 and the start of the Coca-Cola 600 is now only an hour apart, making the entire day a boon for race fans and advertisers alike.
The Coca-Cola 600 was first conducted in 1960, and it was the first official race at the newly constructed Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The Coca-Cola 600 was first held by NASCAR on Memorial Day Weekend to compete in the Indy 500. The first time both races were held on the same day was in 1974.
Like the rest of the races, all drivers are set to race on the speedway where the Coca-Cola 600, signaling the start of the summer season. The 63rd edition of the Coca-Cola 600 will take place on Sunday, May 29, 2022, at 6 p.m. EST on FOX.