By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Writer
CONCORD, N.C. – The Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway usually is the longest race day of the year on NASCAR schedule. Due to inclement weather and Hurricane Matthew, both the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series will run back-to-back races today.
With the Bank of America 500 and the Drive for the Cure 300 being run back-to-back, the combined mileage of the two races is scheduled to be 800 miles.
Prior to the weather delays, six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regulars were already scheduled to run both races this weekend. With qualifying for the NASCAR Xfinity Series washed out, Matt Dibenedetto’s No. 10 Tri-Star Motorsports Toyota Camry missed making the field.
All five of the remaining drivers qualified for the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase. Those drivers are Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Austin Dillon, Brad Keselowski, and Kevin Harvick.
Larson, who was eliminated from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase after the end of the Round of 16, will start 25th in the Bank of America 500 and on the pole for the Drive for the Cure 300.
Logano, the defending winner of the Bank of America 500 starts 10th in the Cup Series race and will line up third in the Drive for the Cure 300.
Dillon, the defending winner of the Drive for the Cure 300 will start 19th in Bank of America 500 and 10th in the Xfinity Series race.
Keselowski, the 2013 winner of the Bank of America 500 will start 20th in the Cup Series race and 17th in Drive for the Cure 300.
Harvick, the 2014 winner of the Bank of America 500 will start on the pole in the Cup Series race, and 19th in the Drive for the Cure 300.
These five drivers will face a test of endurance in the 800 miles at Charlotte. Four of them, Dillon, Harvick, Logano, and Keselowski, look to secure their spot in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Round of Eight while also playing the role of spoiler in the first ever NASCAR Xfinity Series Chase Elimination race.
