As the teams and drivers gear up for one of the longest and most challenging NASCAR races, the former Hendrick Motorsports crew chief opens up about the challenges at the Coca-Cola 600. 

Previously, Steve Letarte had worked as Hendrick Motorsports' Crew Chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon. He currently serves as an NBC Sports broadcast analyst.

While talking about the upcoming race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Letarte opened up about the challenges the track presents for the NASCAR Next Gen car. 

“Well, first of all, this car is really built for these high-speed intermediate tracks: the mile-and-a-half and the two miles. But Charlotte, remember, is a little smaller than Michigan; it’s about the same size as Kansas, but it has a little more grip," Letarte said.

The 1.5-mile oval's wide surface allows the drivers to race closely. Moreover, the way the NextGen cars are built makes them very aero-sensitive. That makes it difficult to control the Next Gen cars across some sections of this track.

According to Letarte, another reason the track seems challenging is the changing conditions. He noted how the track temperature changes as the race progresses, making it even more challenging. 

“As tires age, the better cars still are going to advance, and it’s gonna help the cars when the grip goes up. The other big magic of this racetrack, I think, is the changing conditions.” 

With the possibility of rain making an appearance, it will be interesting to see how the race will pan out, as teams will have to opt for various strategies to stand on top of these challenges.

NASCAR veteran makes his pick for the Coca-Cola 600 

Kevin Harvick, who is known for his spot-on predictions, recently picked his winner for the race at Charlotte. During the recent episode of Kevin Harvick's Happy Hour, he announced Denny Hamlin as his pick to take the victory. 

“I already told you. I'm riding a Denny Hamlin train. He's going to win again,” Harvick said.

In the past few years, Hamlin has won the event only once in 2022. During 2023 and 2025, he finished the race outside the top 15. Harvick made his pick after the No. 11 driver dominated the track and won the All-Star race at Dover.

Taking into consideration that Dover and Charlotte Motor Speedway are somewhat similar, the NASCAR Cup Champion might not be far off. 

You can read more on the Daytona Racing Digest!

Written by

Chionia Libania Colaco

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit