Contested over 400 laps on the 1.5-mile (2.4 km) asphalt quad-oval, it was the twelfth race of the 2011 Sprint Cup Series season.

He remained 36 points behind first place driver Carl Edwards and one ahead of Jimmie Johnson in third.

Charlotte Motor Speedway is one of ten intermediate to hold NASCAR races.

Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart rounded out the top ten positions.

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

[12] 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.

[17] Johnson was just off Edwards' pace, followed by Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman, and Brad Keselowski.

Hamlin, Greg Biffle, Martin Truex Jr., Kurt Busch, and Ragan rounded out the top ten positions.

[21] The race, the twelfth in the season, began at 6:00 p.m. EDT and was televised live in the United States on Fox.

[22] Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family, began pre-race ceremonies, by giving the invocation.

Capitol Nashville recording artist Darius Rucker performed the national anthem.

One lap later, Burton moved up to fourth, as Stenhouse Jr. reported no damage to his car resulting from the collision.

At lap 12, Jeff Gordon moved up three positions to eighth, while Skinner retired from the race.

Once the pit stop session completed, Edwards was the leader, ahead of Allmendinger and Kenseth.

Six laps later, Earnhardt Jr. moved up to the eighth position, as Edwards continued to expand his over Allmendinger to 4.4 seconds.

At the lap 79 restart, Burton was the leader, ahead of Edwards, Hamlin, Kenseth and Johnson.

Two laps later, Johnson passed Burton to take over the second position, as Robby Gordon drove to the garage.

Five laps later, the second caution period began after Bobby Labonte spun sideways.

At the lap 103 restart, Ragan became the leader, ahead of Reutimann and Juan Pablo Montoya in second and third.

Thirteen laps later, Edwards passed Hamlin to take over the second position, as Kyle Busch moved up to ninth.

The session lasted four laps, and Kenseth remained the leader ahead of Edwards.

At the lap 240 restart, Ambrose was the leader, as Menard collided into the wall to cause the seventh caution.

At the lap 287 restart, Kyle Busch was the leader ahead of Ambrose and Ragan.

Two laps after the restart, the tenth caution was given after Cassill ran through the grass on the front straightaway.

At the lap 301 restart, Kyle Busch continued to lead as Martin, Newman, and Gilliland collided into each other, causing the 11th caution.

[22] On the 314th lap, Biffle moved up to the seventh position, as Logano and Stenhouse Jr. collided into the wall, but sustained minor damage.

However, Kahne, Harvick, and Earnhardt Jr. didn't pit and became the race leaders on the restart.

After pit stops, Gordon was the leader on the restart, as Kyle Busch drove to the garage.

Harvick passed Earnhardt Jr. (who would drop to seventh) to win his third race of the season, ahead of Ragan and Logano.

We didn’t have a spectacular night, but to be in victory lane says a lot about this Budweiser team.