Charlotte Motor Speedway race weekend closes with three rain-shortened races & memories of fallen heroes

NASCAR fans in the grandstands gesturing the number eight in unison in honor of Kyle Busch during lap eight of the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

Every year, Charlotte Motor Speedway hosts a powerful Memorial Day tribute to the nation's fallen heroes. The patriotism and pageantry, from the flyovers to the teams carrying the name of a fallen service member on their cars, are always somber and emotional. This year, with the death of NASCAR's own fallen hero, Kyle Busch, the weekend took on a whole new meaning of appreciation for each day we get to spend with our loved ones.

The rainy weather played into the gloomy mood, causing all three national series races to be shortened by inclement weather, a first in NASCAR history. Practice and qualifying for all three series were cancelled, with the exception of a 45-minute practice session for the NASCAR Cup Series on Saturday.

 

Ross Chastain in Victory Lane
(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

  Cup Series practice was followed by the NASCAR
  O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Charbroil 300. The race
  was marred by cautions, off-and-on rain, foggy
  conditions, a 4-hour stoppage for rain, and as if that
  weren't enough, oil deposited on the track from the
  No. 35 Chevrolet of Dawson Cram.

  The race was red-flagged for rain shortly after Stage
   2. The No. 9 Chevrolet of JR Motorsports with
  NASCAR Cup Series driver Ross Chastain at the
  wheel crossed the finish line to win the second stage
  on Lap 90. At Lap 91, NASCAR called 
  the race and declared Chastain the winner.

 

The win was Chastain’s first in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series since 2019, his third career series win and his first at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He paid homage to Busch by performing the signature bow, and of course, his own victory celebration, the watermelon smash from the roof of his car.

 

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, originally scheduled for Friday evening, was rescheduled three times. The North Carolina Education Lottery 200 was finally run on Sunday morning under NASCAR’s adverse conditions provision with a noon ET time limit.

Layne Riggs celebrates in Victory Lane
(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

Taking the checkered flag was the driver of the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford truck, Layne Riggs, who completed 110 of a scheduled 134 laps before the clock ran out. As Riggs took the checkered flag, he made it clear that the late Kyle Busch was weighing heavily on his mind. 

“I did it for Kyle, man, did it for Kyle,” Riggs said. After collecting the checkered flag, he also paid homage to Busch by performing the bow. 

The win was Riggs' second of the season, the seventh of his Truck Series career, and his first at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

 

Despite the dismal weather conditions all weekend long, the fans packed the grandstands on Sunday for the Coca-Cola 600, the longest race of the year. NASCAR made the decision to end this year’s race at Lap 373 when they lost the track to persistent rain, coming up about 40 miles short of the advertised 600.

This year's Coca-Cola 600 also had the dubious distinction of being the first race since 1979 that didn't have an Earnhardt or Busch in the field.

In true NASCAR fashion, the race win came down to a fast car, a great strategy call, and an awesome wheelman who nailed the restarts. The No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, piloted by Daniel Suárez, secured his first win in 82 races. 

 

At Lap 356, during a pit stop under caution for lightning in the area, Ryan Sparks, the crew chief for the No. 7 team, made the call for two right-side tires only. The call gained the team 13 spots on the field, leading them to the green on Lap 360.

At the final restart, Suárez lined up on the inside lane with Christopher Bell on the outside. Thanks to a push from fellow Chevrolet driver Kyle Larson, Suárez took the lead at Lap 370 and held it until the race was called for persistent rain three laps later.

The win was Suárez' third in the NASCAR Cup Series and his first of the 2026 season. 

In his frontstretch interview, Suárez spoke about Kyle Busch's influence on his career. "This win is for him. If it wasn't for Kyle, I wasn't going to be an Xfinity champion. I wasn't going to have my shot in the Cup series. To win this race for him is unbelievable." 

In Victory Lane, Suarez also performed Busch’s signature bow. 

Later, in the media center, he elaborated on his relationship with Busch.

"I mentioned it a few days ago, but back in 2015, Kyle and I, we used to be on the phone every single week because he was helping me, trying to understand what I needed to look for, trying to understand the racetrack. Back then, we didn't have SMT, we didn't have data. So everything was by feel. If you had experience, you had an advantage," Suarez said.

"He didn't have to help me. He didn't have to help this Mexican kid that can barely speak English. He was already a legend of the sport, and he took the time every single week to help me. That for me spoke very, very highly of not who he is as a driver, but who he is as a person. Most people didn't know that side of him. I got to know that side of him.

"I just — those are the kinds of things I want to remember about him. Honestly, because of those things, he made me want to be like him, wanting to help others, want to go give a hand to those upcoming drivers that need a hand. He was a role model."

Daniel Suarez, driver of the No. 7 Freeway Insurance Chevrolet, after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. 
(Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)

Next week, all three NASCAR national series race at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tennessee.