Coca-Cola 600 Weather Update: Thunderstorms Warning Could Could Wreck Havoc in NASCAR’s Charlotte Plan

The North Carolina Education Lottery 200 delivered a fairytale story for Rev Racing in the Truck Series. With Nick Sanchez snatching victory from right under Corey Heim’s nose, fans are expecting the Charlotte Motor Speedway to continue to deliver similar action in the Xfinity and Cup races. However, one variable could remind fans of last year’s Coca-Cola 600 delay: the North Carolina weather.

As the weekend unfolds, forecasts for Saturday and Sunday’s weather are throwing curveballs at Kyle Larson’s Double preparation. With clouds expected to form over Charlotte Motor Speedway in a few hours, can the Hendrick Motorsports crew expect their driver to make it back in time?

Will Kyle Larson’s prayers to the weather gods go unanswered?

A few days before the Coca-Cola 600 weekend, Kye Larson shared his concerns regarding Indiana’s worsening weather. With a 70% chance of rain, strong storms are expected ahead of the Indy 500. This prompted the Arrow McLaren driver to call out to the weather deities and state, “Hopefully, the weather gods work out for us.” But so far, it appears Larson’s prayers have gone unanswered, both at Indy and Charlotte.

Even if the skies clear up in Indiana and Larson attempts the Indy 500 successfully, his return to Charlotte Motor Speedway could largely depend on North Carolina weather. But that’s not all. Apart from a potential flight risk, the worsening weather over Indiana could mean that Larson’s return could be futile. As of the latest reports, Concord, NC is expected to witness 1/4 inch of rain along with a 100% chance of rain on Saturday.

This means that the Xfinity Series race might need to be postponed, and the Coke 600 could face a similar fate. In what can only be described as the unfortunate Déjà vu of last year’s delays, Kyle Larson’s attempt at the Double could be ruined by the weather in NC. If the Coca-Cola 600 is postponed, the Double attempt will not be valid as the Indy500 would not have occurred on the same day.

Unless, in a freak coincidence, both the races face such rainfall on Sunday that they are postponed, Larson might not have a solid shot. That said, lower humidity and higher temperatures on Sunday could spare the Coke 600 from possible delays. Unfortunately for the Xfinity Series race, Saturday seems to be the day to be most worried about in terms of rain.

However, with only a few hours remaining before we find out how Charlotte’s grand weekend will unfold, it’s not just Kyle Larson and Co. that could face heartbreak.

NASCAR’s grand ambitions for the Coca-Cola 600 are in jeopardy

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With the Coke 600’s Crown Jewel status, NASCAR aims to maximize the eyes with marketing for the event. The last time around that the sport had gone all out for such an event was the inaugural Chicago Street Race. That being said, the primary aim of NASCAR was to give fans a memorable race unlike any other. When the sport is witnessing a resurgence of sorts, capitalizing on the grandeur of the Coca-Cola 600 was key.

To do so, NASCAR prepared an enticing weekend of on and off-track action for fans. From exciting one-on-one sessions with Michael Waltrip and McDowell to a true ‘conversation’ with Kenny Wallace for his pre-race show, several events were planned for this weekend. This includes performances by artists such as Kameron Marlowe, Tim Dugger and Friends, and Matchbox Twenty, which are now at risk of cancellation owing to the forecast.

In what can only be described as an unfortunate coincidence, the Coca-Cola 600 once again finds itself at the mercy of the weather gods. As things stand, off-track action on Saturday may have to be sacrificed to accommodate the racing activities. But with some hope for the skies to clear up on Sunday, can Kyle Larson complete The Double successfully?