Who's HOT at Charlotte
• Defending race winner Martin Truex Jr. has combined to lead 523 laps in the last two Coca-Cola 600s.
• Jimmie Johnson, who finished third in this event last year, leads all drivers with eight wins.
• Kevin Harvick has finished in the top 10 in seven of the last eight races, including two wins - one coming in this event in 2013.
• Brad Keselowski has posted a 7.9 average finish in the last seven races, including a win in the 2013 fall race.
• Kurt Busch has finished in the top 10 in the last four races with a 7.2 average finish in the span.
• Kyle Busch, winner of last weekend's All-Star Race, has finished ninth or better in 14 of his last 19 starts.
• Joey Logano, winner of the 2015 fall race, ranks second in laps led (248) in the last five races.
Keep an Eye On at Charlotte
• Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Kyle Larson and Jamie McMurray have finished in the top 10 in each of the four races at 1.5-mile tracks this season. Three of Larson's finishes were in the runner-up position.
• Ryan Blaney has led the most laps (231) in the last two races at 1.5-mile tracks this season.
• Clint Bowyer (10.2), Chase Elliott (11.5) and Trevor Bayne (12.0) each have a top-10 ranked average finish at 1.5-mile tracks in 2017.
• Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman each have finished in the top 10 in four of the last five races at Charlotte.
• Kasey Kahne is a four-time winner at Charlotte, but only has one top 10 (fourth) at a 1.5-mile track this season - Atlanta.
• Teams in the Cup Series and XFINITY Series will run the same tire set-up at Charlotte this week. Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon, Blaney, Keselowski, Harvick and Hamlin are the drivers doing double duty.
backyard birds
