Story By: BRANDON LEE / RFK RACING – CONCORD, NC – The 2024 running of the Coca-Cola 600 was shortened Sunday night to just shy of 250 laps after inclement weather moved into the Concord area. After a lengthy delay, the race was deemed official due to ‘inclement weather, high humidity and the likelihood of resuming action after 1 a.m. with the track-drying process.’
Despite the controversy and what appeared to be a dry race track soon after, Brad Keselowski was credited with a second-place finish, his third of the season, while Chris Buescher was on the flip side of the call with a 23rd-place official result.
The finish for Buescher and the No. 17 Fastenal team capped off a grueling weekend, going to a backup car after Saturday’s practice and qualifying sessions, prompting a start at the tail end of the field.
For Keselowski and the No. 6 BuildSubmarines.com team, it’s the third-runner up result of the season, and fourth of second or better in the last six races.
“Yeah, it was pretty disappointing,” Keselowski said after the race. “I felt like we had a car to win the race. We kind of ran down the 20 car twice and just didn’t get to see it play out. Kind of slipped through our fingers there. Would have liked to have just had more laps and ran the Coke 600. I think we ran the Coke 350 today.
“All in all, really happy with our performance. Car was really fast, pit stops were phenomenal. Just didn’t get to see it through. Bummed for our team, bummed for everybody. But the weather is what the weather is.”
6 Recap
Keselowski’s qualifying effort was not indicative of the speed shown on Sunday, as he qualified 30th in Saturday’s single-car session.
He wasted no time improving upon that, though, advancing into the top-20 just 40 laps into Sunday’s action. He was scored 14th at the first yellow flag of the day at lap 86, restarted ninth and went on to finish eighth in the opening stage of 100 laps, a 22-spot improvement from the drop of the green flag.
The BuildSubmarines.com Ford fired off ninth to begin the second stage as Keselowski went on to long pit, ultimately inheriting second place before pitting again under green-flag conditions at lap 145. Three cautions then flew in the final 40 laps of the stage as Keselowski drove to fifth by lap 196, earning more stage points.
He rolled sixth for the third stage as inclement weather approached the area. Another caution flew at lap 228 with Keselowski back in the runner-up position, and after another solid stop, he fired off second for the race’s final restart at lap 234.
Then, at lap 246, NASCAR threw the caution for the final time – this time due to precipitation – in what ultimately led to red-flag conditions, and the decision to declare the race official.
17 Recap
Buescher had an eventful 250-lap race after starting the race with effectively a brand new car, after he lost a left-rear tire in practice on Saturday, resulting in a backup car for Sunday.
Despite starting at the rear, Buescher found himself near the front early and often, advancing all the way to second in the first pit cycle of the day at lap 50. He finished the opening stage in 15th, and worked his way back into the top-10 midway through stage two.
Pit road positioning issues throughout the night caused headache for Buescher and neighboring cars, which ultimately led to the No. 17 losing multiple positions in the opening set of stops. He finished the second stage in 11th, and was forced to restart 27th for the third stage.
He was scored 21st at lap 228 – the final yellow before weather – and restarted 26th at lap 234. But, due to the limited laps that ensued under green, Buescher was unable to regain any additional track position, finishing 23rd.
Up Next
The NASCAR Cup Series turns its attention to World Wide Technology Raceway next weekend with race coverage on Sunday set for 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1, with radio coverage on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).