[8] The Coca-Cola 600 was conceived by race car driver Curtis Turner who built the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

[11] The long distance makes it the most physically demanding event in NASCAR, and teams adapt to changing track conditions because the race occurs between late afternoon and evening.

[14] In the first practice, Juan Pablo Montoya was quickest, ahead of Ryan Newman in second, Jimmie Johnson in third, Elliott Sadler in fourth, and Kasey Kahne in fifth.

[15] In the second practice, Kasey Kahne was fastest while Kurt Busch, David Reutimann, Jimmie Johnson, and Jeff Burton followed.

[16] During final practice, the quickest five were Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle, and Jimmie Johnson.

Four drivers did not make the race; they were Reed Sorenson, Max Papis, David Stremme, and Mike Bliss.

At 5:55 p.m. EDT, pre-race ceremonies began; first, Dr. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, delivered the invocation.

On lap 52, Busch gave the lead to Joey Logano when he made his pit stop.

The first caution of the race came out on lap 61 Juan Pablo Montoya spun and hit the inside wall.

The third caution came out on lap 166 when Johnson got loose, collided with the outside wall, came down the track, and shoved Hamlin in the grass.

Kurt Busch led until green flag pit stops which began on lap 264.

Two laps later, Reutimann made a pit stop, giving the lead to Matt Kenseth.

On lap 376, the eighth caution came out because Marcos Ambrose lost control and collided with the wall.

During pit stops, Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin stayed out, to start first and second on the restart on lap 381.