Update 10:30 PM CT: NASCAR has called the race, with Christopher Bell declared the winner of the rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600. NASCAR says it can’t dry the track fast enough for a reasonable restart time Sunday night.
The Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Cup Series race is subject to a weather delay due to lightning and rain after 249 of 400 laps at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday.
The system moved to the Charlotte Motor Speedway area, near Concord, North Carolina. The caution flag was waved due to rain on lap 247, with a lightning bolt forcing the red flag later.
Christopher Bell is the race leader with 151 laps to go. Suspending lightning requires waiting at least 30 minutes without another lightning strike, but rain is also falling in the area and drenching the race course.
Live updates: NASCAR Cup Series race at Charlotte: Live updates, highlights, live leaderboard for the Coca-Cola 600
Kyle Larson arrived at Charlotte Motor Speedway and was preparing to enter the car when the race was stopped, and will likely be in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet if racing resumes. Larson finished 18th in the Indy 500, which was delayed four hours due to weather. Justin Allgaier drove the No. 5 Chevy and is currently 13th.
Since the driver change will occur under a red flag, Larson will have to start from the back at the next restart, if that happens.
This story will be updated.
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