Drivers to watch in Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte

The NASCAR industry is ready for a race in its backyard at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Hendrick Motorsports reigned supreme in the 2021 running of the sport’s longest race. Will that translate to more success with the Next Gen car?

As part of his electric 2021, Larson dominated last year’s Coca-Cola 600. The eventual Cup champion led 327 of 400 laps en route to his first Charlotte victory, leading Hendrick Motorsports’ incredible night running 1-2 for 356 laps.

Larson’s only win this season came at the abrasive 2-mile oval at Auto Club Speedway back in February, but he was runner-up two weeks ago at Kansas, a 1.5-mile oval similar to Charlotte. The No. 5 Chevrolet might be in position to score win No. 2 of the year Sunday night.

Elliott is still looking for his first Coca-Cola 600 victory, but his recent results at Charlotte make the 2020 champion a favorite this weekend. Elliott has finished second in each of the past two 600-milers and won on the Charlotte oval in 2020 when NASCAR held a second event there returning from the COVID pandemic.

The series points leader had a six-race top-10 streak come to an end at Kansas after a flat tire derailed a solid day for the No. 9 team. Without issues this weekend, Elliott should be in the mix Sunday.

Few, if any, are better than Busch at Charlotte right now. The 2018 Coca-Cola 600 winner has finished inside the top-four in each of the past five races, including a third-place finish a season ago, coupled with seven top 10s in his last 10 600-mile starts.

His recent stats have been encouraging, scoring six top 10s in his last seven starts, a stretch that includes his Bristol dirt win and two other third-place finishes. As the rest of his Toyota companions find their rhythm — all six