The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series hits Charlotte Motor Speedway today, Sunday, May 24, for one of the most important races on the schedule - the Coca Cola 600.
However, sadly, the racing is not the only thing we are talking about ahead of Sunday's green flag.
Tragically, two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch lost his life at the age of 41 on Thursday after severe pneumonia developed into sepsis. A giant of the sport, Kyle sits ninth on the all-time Cup Series win list with 63 victories, while his 234 wins across the Cup, O'Reilly and Truck Series make him the most winningest NASCAR driver ever.
Oval Insider sends our deepest sympathies to Samantha, Brexton, Lennix, and the wider Busch family at this difficult time.
Despite the above, NASCAR is going racing on Sunday because Kyle would be "pretty p****d off" if the race didn't go ahead, according to CEO Steve O'Donnell.
KYLE BUSCH: Remembering 'Rowdy' after NASCAR legend's tragic death at 41
What time is the NASCAR Cup Series Coca Cola 600 race today?
The NASCAR Cup Series Coca Cola 600 from Charlotte Motor Speedway takes place today, Sunday, May 24, at 6 p.m. ET.
Here are the race start times converted to your local time zones.
| City (Time Zone) | Race Start Time |
|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC (ET) | 6 P.M. |
| New York, NY (ET) | 6 P.M. |
| Columbia, SC (ET) | 6 P.M. |
| Charleston, WV (ET) | 6 P.M. |
| Augusta, ME (ET) | 6 P.M. |
| Chicago, IL (CT) | 5 P.M. |
| Pierre, SD (CT) | 5 P.M. |
| Nashville, TN (CT) | 5 P.M. |
| Des Moines, IA (CT) | 5 P.M. |
| Montgomery, AL (CT) | 5 P.M. |
| Denver, CO (MT) | 4 P.M. |
| Salt Lake City, UT (MT) | 4 P.M. |
| Albuquerque, NM (MT) | 4 P.M. |
| El Paso, TX (MT) | 4 P.M. |
| Los Angeles, CA (PT) | 3 P.M. |
| Las Vegas, NV (PT) | 3 P.M. |
| Seattle, WA (PT) | 3 P.M. |
| Portland, OR (PT) | 3 P.M. |
| San Francisco, CA (PT) | 3 P.M. |
NOTE: All times are weather permitting, with rain having wreaked havoc with the schedule so far this weekend.
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What TV channel is the NASCAR Cup Series Coca Cola 600 race on today?
Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series action from Charlotte will be broadcast live on Amazon Prime Video.
Prime Video is currently offering a free 30-day trial of Prime, meaning you can watch today’s NASCAR Cup Series action for free, subject to their terms and conditions.
You can download the Prime Video app on your TV on devices such as the following:
- Roku
- Amazon Fire TV
- VIZIO Smart TV
- LG TV
- Chromecast
- Android TV
- Apple TV
- Samsung Smart TV
READ MORE: NASCAR legend Kyle Busch built a beautiful legacy that extends far beyond the race track
Live stream options
The best live stream option for today's Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte is Prime Video.You can download the Prime Video app on your handheld device from the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and Amazon App Store.
NASCAR Cup Series Coca Cola 600 starting lineup
After Cup Series qualifying from Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday was washed out by rain, here is the full starting lineup for Sunday’s Coca Cola 600, set as per the NASCAR rule book.
| Pos | Driver (Car No.) | Team (OEM) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyler Reddick (45) | 23XI Racing (Toyota) |
| 2 | Ty Gibbs (54) | Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota) |
| 3 | Shane Van Gisbergen (97) | Trackhouse Racing (Chevrolet) |
| 4 | Michael McDowell (71) | Spire Motorsports (Chevrolet) |
| 5 | Chase Briscoe (19) | Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota) |
| 6 | Ryan Blaney (12) | Team Penske (Ford) |
| 7 | Chris Buescher (17) | RFK Racing (Ford) |
| 8 | Austin Cindric (2) | Team Penske (Ford) |
| 9 | Austin Dillon (3) | Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet) |
| 10 | AJ Allmendinger (16) | Kaulig Racing (Chevrolet) |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin (11) | Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota) |
| 12 | Ryan Preece (60) | RFK Racing (Ford) |
| 13 | Austin Hill(i) (33) | Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet) |
| 14 | Daniel Suárez (7) | Spire Motorsports (Chevrolet) |
| 15 | John H. Nemechek (42) | Legacy Motor Club (Toyota) |
| 16 | Chase Elliott (9) | Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet) |
| 17 | Christopher Bell (20) | Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota) |
| 18 | Kyle Larson (5) | Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet) |
| 19 | Zane Smith (38) | Front Row Motorsports (Ford) |
| 20 | Todd Gilliland (34) | Front Row Motorsports (Ford) |
| 21 | Erik Jones (43) | Legacy Motor Club (Toyota) |
| 22 | Cole Custer (41) | Haas Factory Team (Chevrolet) |
| 23 | Carson Hocevar (77) | Spire Motorsports (Chevrolet) |
| 24 | Bubba Wallace (23) | 23XI Racing (Toyota) |
| 25 | Connor Zilisch # (88) | Trackhouse Racing (Chevrolet) |
| 26 | Brad Keselowski (6) | RFK Racing (Ford) |
| 27 | Ross Chastain (1) | Trackhouse Racing (Chevrolet) |
| 28 | Noah Gragson (4) | Front Row Motorsports (Ford) |
| 29 | Alex Bowman (48) | Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet) |
| 30 | Riley Herbst (35) | 23XI Racing (Toyota) |
| 31 | William Byron (24) | Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet) |
| 32 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47) | HYAK Motorsports (Chevrolet) |
| 33 | Joey Logano (22) | Team Penske (Ford) |
| 34 | Josh Berry (21) | Wood Brothers Racing (Ford) |
| 35 | Ty Dillon (10) | Kaulig Racing (Chevrolet) |
| 36 | Timmy Hill(i) (66) | Garage 66 (Ford) |
| 37 | Katherine Legge (78) | Live Fast Motorsports (Chevrolet) |
| 38 | Cody Ware (51) | Rick Ware Racing (Ford) |
| 39 | Corey Heim(i) (67) | 23XI Racing (Toyota) |
(i) = ineligible to score points in this series.
READ MORE: Kyle Busch family confirm cause of NASCAR legend's sudden death
