Comments: NASCAR Picks for Charlotte

For the second time in three weeks, the Cup Series drivers will attempt to win one of the crown jewels of NASCAR when they head to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola. Sunday night's race is the longest of the year, and it is no coincidence that it is held the same day as the Indianapolis 500. While NASCAR was fighting to become the premier motorsports organization in the United States, it decided to upstage the 500-mile race at Indy by holding a 600-mile event the same day. The Cup Series has long since become the top auto racing series in the U.S., but the 600-mile race has remained a staple of Memorial Day weekend, and the unique distance has made a victory in the event one of the most coveted accomplishments in the sport.

Of course, winning the race is far from easy. Engineers and fabricators have to build cars to last between 400 and 500 miles for 35 of the 36 races each season. The extra 100 miles in Sunday night's race tends to take a huge toll on engines, tires and the drivers for that matter. Throw in the changes that the track endures as the temperature drops throughout the night, and winning the Coca-Cola 600 takes as much endurance and patience as it does speed.

1. Jimmie Johnson, Lowe's/Kobalt Tools
2. Matt Kenseth, Husky/Dollar General
3. Kyle Busch, Mars Brands/Interstate Batteries
4. Kasey Kahne, Farmers Insurance/Quaker State
5. Kevin Harvick, Budweiser/Rheem
6. Carl Edwards, Fastenal/Aflac/UPS/Subway
7. Tony Stewart, Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1
8. Greg Biffle, 3M/Bondo
9. Denny Hamlin, FedEx
10. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., National Guard/Diet Mountain Dew
11. Jeff Gordon, Drive to End Hunger/Axalta
12. A.J. Allmendinger, Phoenix Racing
13. Joey Logano, Shell-Pennzoil
14. Martin Truex, Jr., NAPA Auto Parts
15. Marcos Ambrose, Stanley/Dewalt Power Tools
16. Ryan Newman, Quicken Loans/Haas Automation
17. Jamie McMurray, McDonald's/Cessna
18. Mark Martin, Aaron's Dream Machine
19. Brad Keselowski, Miller Lite
20. Regan Smith, Guy Roofing
21. Clint Bowyer, 5-Hour Energy
22. Trevor Bayne, Motorcraft/Quick Lane
23. Jeff Burton, Caterpillar/Cheerios
24. Juan Montoya, Target
25. Kurt Busch, Furniture Row
26. Paul Menard, Menards
27. Aric Almirola, Smithfield Foods
28. David Reutimann, Burger King/Doctor Pepper
29. David Ragan, CSX Transportation/Peanut Patch
30. Bobby Labonte, Kingsford/Clorox/Bush's Beans