Winners and losers from a somber and emotional Coc...

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Daniel Suarez is now a Coca-Cola 600 winner, popping out of seemingly nowhere to win the 67th working of NASCAR’s longest race, with rain ending the occasion 27 laps in need of the scheduled distance.

It was a race dominated by Toyota, however received by Spire because the workforce is now equal with Hendrick Motorsports on race wins this 12 months

However greater than something, it was a day overshadowed by the indescribable lack of Kyle Busch, and the power of his grieving household, who were at the track for a heart-wrenching pre-race memorial.

However simply as we did following the sudden lack of Dale, Adam, Neil, Alan, Davey, and all the remaining — we race on. So here is a take a look at the most important winners and losers from the 2026 version of the Coca-Cola 600:

WINNER — The complete NASCAR neighborhood for coming collectively within the face of tragedy

Richard Childress, Samantha Busch, Brexton Busch, Lennix Busch, Nascar CEO Steve O’Donnell

Photograph by: Jonathan Bachman – Getty Photos

The place to even start with this? Over the previous few days, the NASCAR world has been reeling from unimaginable loss after the demise of 41-year-old Kyle Busch. However what we noticed within the fast aftermath is a testomony to how NASCAR is actually one large household, and that pre-race scene … the power of Samantha, Brexton, and the remainder of the Busch household to be standing there like they had been. It was a second that may perpetually be ingrained within the minds of those that noticed it, each in-person and from afar. As the sphere obtained able to go racing, there was a ‘lacking man’ formation in honor of the 2x champion, and on Lap 8, each single fan held up eight fingers in reminiscence of Busch. It was an exquisite tribute as we start the therapeutic course of. And after a full night time of racing, there have been tears, however there was additionally laughter and pleasure because the NASCAR on Prime workforce interviewed the primary tales of the race. It felt regular, for the primary time because the horrible information was introduced. And that was solely made doable by the closeness of the NASCAR neighborhood and its skill to as soon as once more come collectively within the face of tragedy.

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LOSER — Race management and the unimaginable state of affairs they confronted due to unstable climate

Rain and fog at Charlotte Motor Speedway

Photograph by: David Jensen / Getty Photos

Now to deal with the race weekend itself, NASCAR Race Management was put in an unenviable place. Rain and fog plagued the O’Reilly race and ended it early, a thrice-postponed Truck race had to end early due to a time limit, after which there was the 600 itself. NASCAR had accomplished virtually 560 of 600 miles when the skies opened and rain poured down on the speedway. Followers had been already irritated by how the decrease divisions ended, and they didn’t need to see one other untimely ending. This has by no means occurred earlier than, by the best way — thrice in a single weekend. If NASCAR caught round to dry the monitor, we had been taking a look at working the ultimate 27 laps round 1-2am on the earliest if the climate cooperated, and so NASCAR made the decision to drop the curtain on the race. The climate put them in a nasty spot, and race management made some controversial choices over the weekend, however I do not assume the 600 name was one among them. Both approach, it was a no-win state of affairs.

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WINNER — Daniel Suarez takes a bow after the most important win of his profession

Watch: Suárez wins Coca-Cola 600, salutes Kyle Busch

Final 12 months, folks had been speaking about Suarez as if he was on his approach out the door, however he has discovered a renewed purpose at Spire Motorsports. He is had a strong begin to the 12 months, and even earlier than the 600, was above all three Trackhouse automobiles in factors — the workforce that minimize him free after 5 years collectively. The 2 events simply did not jell effectively lately, however Spire has been an ideal match for the Mexican-born racer. And whereas he received a rain-shortened race on the 600, he did it after a number of unscheduled pit stops, after which held off a dominant fleet of Toyotas by a number of restarts whereas at a tire drawback. And now he’s a winner of a NASCAR crown jewel, turning into the primary driver born exterior of the USA to win any of NASCAR’s 4 crown jewel races. He jumped 4 positions within the standings to P10, and on prime of all of it, he obtained to honor the person who made his NASCAR profession doable, taking a bow for Kyle Busch.

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LOSER — Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota for giving it away

Watch: Bell reacts to runner-up end at Charlotte

It’s surprising that JGR and Toyota did not win Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600. Close to the tip of Stage 3, they had been working 1-2-3-4-5 and had their very own non-public battle for the race lead. JGR drivers led a mixed 170 of 373 laps — add in Tyler Reddick, and so they led 289 of 373 laps on Sunday. However as an alternative of working collectively to beat the tire-disadvantaged Suarez on back-to-back restarts, they fought amongst themselves earlier than finally working out of time when unhealthy climate hit. Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin had been bouncing off one another’s doorways within the battle for second moments earlier than the race-ending warning flew. Toyota drivers completed 2nd, third, 4th, and sixth, and stroll away with no checkered flag, and so they solely themselves in charge.

WINNER — SVG together with his most full oval displaying but

Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Photograph by: Krista Jasso / Getty Photos

The Coke 600 wasn’t Shane van Gisbergen’s greatest oval end, however it was his most full oval race by an extended shot. He earned stage factors in each single stage, and even led 11 laps within the ultimate stage of the race. By means of the late-race restart chaos, he dropped to eleventh within the ultimate order, however he spent virtually your entire race inside the highest ten. The outcome bumps him up two positions within the standings, getting him off the Chase bubble. He was additionally the quickest of the Trackhouse drivers, even out-performing 2025 Coke 600 winner Ross Chastain earlier than his mid-race wreck.

LOSER — Chase hopefuls lose valuable floor amid carnage

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing

Photograph by: Jonathan Bachman – Getty Photos

There have been some large hits in Sunday’s Coke 600, and a few most likely damage greater than others — and I do not simply imply due to the severity of the affect. DNFs for Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Chase Briscoe, and Ryan Preece damage all of them within the battle across the Chase bubble. Chastain was the most important loser within the factors, dropping from nineteenth to twenty third within the standings after coming into the 600 as its defending winner. Briscoe really moved up within the stanings, however he misplaced over 30 factors and probably a race win after crashing out of the occasion, leaving him dangerously near the bubble. Preece has fallen three spots all the way down to sixteenth, and Cindric is now under the cut-line after they wrecked large as effectively.

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WINNER — Zane Smith places on a present within the FRM No. 38

Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford

Zane Smith, No. 38 Entrance Row Motorsports Ford

Photograph by: Jeffrey Vest / Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos

What an evening for Zane Smith and the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford. He led 31 laps, which is greater than 3x that of his earlier document for laps led throughout a Cup race. He remained regular all through the night time, and scored a prime ten end, inserting P10. Exterior of the Penske duo, he was the next-highest Ford in the long run, ten or extra spots forward of his FRM teammates.

LOSER — Ever-consistent Chase Elliott makes a uncommon mistake

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports

Photograph by: David Jensen / Getty Photos

Elliott entered this race third within the championship standings, however leaves fifth in factors after crashing out within the opening stage of the race. Elliott merely misplaced it on the exit of Flip 2, slamming the within wall and ending his night time. Elliott is a really constant driver, so it was a really uncommon mistake and his first DNF of your entire 12 months. He is additionally crashed in three of the final 5 Coke 600s.

BONUS WINNER/LOSER – Katherine Legge provides her identify to the ‘Double’ listing, however not with out frustration

Katherine Legge, No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet

Katherine Legge, No. 78 Stay Quick Motorsports Chevrolet

Photograph by: Krista Jasso / Getty Photos

It was a superb and unhealthy day for the 45-year-old British racer. Legge made historical past because the sixth driver to start out the Indy 500 and Coke 600 on the identical day. She was additionally the primary girl to take action, the primary non-American, and the oldest by a decade. Nonetheless, the day didn’t go as deliberate, and he or she solely accomplished 585 of a doable 1,100 miles between the 2 races. She crashed on the 18th lap of the Indy 500, making an attempt to keep away from a spinning Ryan Hunter-Reay. On the 600, she stayed out of bother, however a wheel disconnected after a pit cease and he or she misplaced a number of laps within the course of. As Legge herself stated, whereas historic, the day was a “calamity of errors” between Indy and Charlotte.