Qualifying canceled – Inclement weather wiped out qualifying for Sunday’s NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Tyler Reddick will start on the pole based on metric score, while Ty Gibbs, Shane van Gisbergen and others line up behind him as the rest of the weekend’s sch
Rain took over Charlotte Motor Speedway and swallowed qualifying for Sunday’s NASCAR Coca-Cola 600, forcing NASCAR’s weekend to reshape itself around a track that officials couldn’t get ready in time.
The Speedway canceled qualifying due to inclement weather in the area and said it would try to dry the track for a combined Cup practice session. In a Saturday statement on May 23, the Speedway said: “We will make every attempt to dry the track for a combined cup practice session.”
When the session was wiped out, Tyler Reddick’s season performance became the deciding factor. Reddick, who has five wins through 12 races this season, will start on the pole based on his metric score.
Ty Gibbs will be on the front row with Reddick. Shane van Gisbergen will start third, Michael McDowell fourth, and Chase Briscoe fifth.
Katherine Legge, attempting “The Double” by racing in both the Coca-Cola 600 and the Indianapolis 500, will start 37th in the 39-car field.
The disruption didn’t stop with the Cup race. Rain wreaked havoc on the Charlotte weekend schedule. moving the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race to Saturday night due to weather and wiping out practice and qualifying. Practice was also canceled for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Charbroil 300, scheduled for Saturday afternoon.
The Coca-Cola 600 at 400 laps remains scheduled to start at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 24. The race course will light the pylon on lap 18 to honor Kyle Busch, who died on May 21 at age 41.
The family said Saturday that the two-time Cup Series champion died from severe pneumonia and sepsis.
The weekend’s schedule now hinges on whether Charlotte can get enough drying time for the combined Cup practice session—because with qualifying canceled. the grid is already set by metrics and season résumés. For drivers in the middle and back of the field. the timing shift is more than inconvenient; it compresses the usual preparation window in a race that. at 400 laps. leaves little room for error.
With the lights set for Sunday at 6 p.m. ET and a planned lap-18 tribute to Busch, the focus for everyone at the track is now simple: get the car working quickly, because the rain took away the usual chance to prove it in qualifying.
NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 Charlotte Motor Speedway Tyler Reddick qualifying canceled weather Ty Gibbs Shane van Gisbergen Kyle Busch tribute Katherine Legge The Double
So basically weather said no qualifying and now they just pick whoever did best? That’s kinda lame.
I don’t get why Katherine Legge is 37th like… she’s even doing Indy too, right? Meanwhile Ty Gibbs on the front row like nothing happened. Rain always ruins the fun but NASCAR acts like it’s normal.
Kyle Busch tribute at lap 18?? I thought it was lap 20 or something from earlier posts. Severe pneumonia and sepsis is horrible though. Anyway if they can’t dry the track how are they practicing, like just vibes?
“Metric score” decides the pole… so it’s not even about speed on the day. Next time just let the standings start the race and save us the drama. Also isn’t this the same track that always has rain delays like it’s cursed? I feel bad for the guys in the back though cause they didn’t even get a shot.