2010 Coca-Cola 600 Predictions – Betting Preview + Picks + Odds
Preview: The number ‘600’ in the Coca-Cola 600 represents 600 miles – 400 laps on this 1.5-mile quad oval track – which is a very long race, even in NASCAR terms. And the race won’t get under way until after 6 PM ET so that motorsports fans can catch the Indy 500 earlier in the day. NASCAR has been racing at this track since 1960 with a total of 102 Cup races in the books.
Race: Coca-Cola 600 – Charlotte Motor Speedway
Date: Sunday, May 30, 2010
Time: 6:16 PM EST (scheduled green flag)
TV: 6:00 PM EST on FOX
For years, the spring race in Charlotte was the iconic World 600.
The schedule for this event is somewhat unusual, with first practice and qualifying on Thursday, no Cup action on the track Friday, and two practices on Saturday.
There is a good chance of rain in the forecast for Saturday as well, but a slightly more promising weather outlook by race time Sunday.
Safe Bets:
1. Jimmie Johnson (5/2): As I mentioned in last week’s All-Star Race preview, Charlotte is called “The House that Jimmie Built” for good reason. He was the only Cup winner here for two straight years (’04-’05), has the most wins of any active Cup driver (six), has the best average finish among active drivers with more than two starts (8.9), and won here as recently as last October.
Although he didn’t have the finish to show for it, Johnson had the dominant car in the All-Star Race, leading more than half the laps overall. He qualified fifth for Sunday’s race.
2. Kurt Busch (12/1): Busch survived a hard-fought battle in last weekend’s All-Star race to win the event, and followed up by qualifying on the outside pole for the Coca-Cola 600. Though he’s never won a Sprint Cup points race at Charlotte, he has a second, a third, and a fourth-place finish.
Busch won at Atlanta in March, often described as a sister track to Charlotte, and is currently in the top 10 in Sprint Cup points.
Dark Horse:
1. Joey Logano (20/1): In last week’s All-Star ‘race of attrition,’ talented young Logano survived the mayhem to finish third.
Though he only has two Sprint Cup starts at Charlotte, he’s posted two impressive finishes of ninth and fifth. Logano qualified eighth for Sunday’s race. 
Summary: If Saturday’s Happy Hour is not rained out, the session’s final running order should be a good predictor of Sunday’s results.
As the track will change considerably from the start to the finish of the Coca-Cola 600, experienced crew chiefs like those of the drivers listed above will play a pivotal role in the results as well, since they will be the ones adjusting the cars to changing track conditions.
Coca-Cola 600 – Charlotte Motor Speedway
Race Date: Sunday, May 30, 2010
Location: Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C.
Odds to win 2010 Coca Cola 600 Race
Jimmie Johnson 3/1
Kyle Busch 6/1
Kurt Busch 8/1
Denny Hamlin 8/1
Jeff Gordon 8/1
Jeff Burton 12/1
Kasey Kahne 15/1
Joey Logano 20/1
Matt Kenseth 20/1
Clint Bowyer 20/1
Mark Martin 20/1
Tony Stewart 25/1
Kevin Harvick 25/1
Ryan Newman 25/1
Martin Truex Jr 25/1
David Reutimann 30/1
Juan Montoya 30/1
Greg Biffle 35/1
Carl Edwards 35/1
Jamie McMurray 40/1
Dale Earnhardt Jr 50/1
Casey Mears 100/1
David Ragan 100/1
AJ Allmendinger 100/1
Marcos Ambrose 100/1
Sam Hornish Jr 100/1
Brad Keselowski 100/1
Regan Smith 100/1
Paul Menard 100/1
Scott Speed 100/1
David Gilliland 100/1
Travis Kvapil 100/1
Elliott Sadler 100/1
Field (Any Other Driver) 50/1
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Becca Gladden is a freelance writer and race handicapper specializing in NASCAR.
