Dearborn, Mich. — This weekend, for the second points-payin’ race in a row, drivers will get a chance to earn their racin’ stripes. Only, this weekend, that will be more literally than figuratively. A Charlotte stripe is a whole lot different that a Darlington stripe.

This weekend’s race, on a Sunday night after, what, three straight Saturday night events, will take place at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, just outside of Charlotte. Or, in other words, right in the middle of everything NASCAR.

And, this weekend’s race will mark the 50th running of the 600, and it is another one of those signature races that drivers really want to have on their resume’. It’s right up there with the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and Southern 500 on the must-win list.

For the longest time, what’s now known as the Coca-Cola 600 was known as the World 600, which, really, does it the most justice. That’s a name. Kind of like the Firecracker 400. It fits. The World 600. It has a large-scale feel to it, and that’s what it is, a large-scale race. It’s one of the big ones. At one time, it was part of what was called the Big Four. Win the 600, and you’ve done something. Something big.

When you take a closer look at the Coca-Cola 600, you can see why drivers are so interested in stayin’ in tip-top shape. Six hundred miles is a long, long race.

It’s almost as long as 500 miles at Pocono. Or, 400 miles at Dover.

It is the longest race on the circuit and has been since what was then known as Charlotte Motor Speedway started hosting the Memorial Weekend event back in 1960. And, no, Ol’ Sparky wasn’t at the very first one, but he knows a number of people who were.

Six hundred miles may not seem like a whole lot more than 500, but it is a full 20 percent longer. And that means 20 percent more laps for something to go wrong.

Now, that makes it sound a lot longer, doesn’t it? Just imagine how long it sounds to a driver or a crew chief or a crew member. Especially when the track may cool 15 to 20 degrees from the beginnin’ of the race to the end.

But, that is the dilemma that 43 race teams will face Sunday afternoon-and-into-the-evenin’.

Bobby Labonte, a NASCAR champion now drivin’ the No. 96 Ask.com Ford Fusion remembers. He talked about what those extra 100 miles meant to him in his earliest starts in the 600.

Another NASCAR champion, Ol’ Steady Matty Kenseth, won his very first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in the 600; it’s difficult to believe that that was nine years ago, in 2000. Since then, of course, he’s established himself as one of the most consistent drivers on the circuit, leadin’ the series in wins in ’02, leadin’ the points race for a record 33 consecutive weeks in ’03, never missin’ the Chase, and winnin’ the Daytona 500 to start this year.

He also had a good last couple of weeks, winnin’ the pole at Darlington and nearly winnin’ the All-Star race.

However, it has been a while since a Ford driver has won at Charlotte, let alone the 600, and Kenseth and Awesome Bill Elliott (Class of 1984 and ’87) are the only current Ford drivers to have reached victory lane in that race.

However, Jack Roush has been very successful at Lowe’s, winnin’ a total of seven times, which ties him for third on the track’s all-time list, just one behind both Richard Petty and Junior Johnson, a couple of pretty fair racers in their own right. The Wood Brothers have six total wins there, most recently, though, in 1987, with The King’s son, Kyle Petty, behind the wheel. Before that, of course, it was David Pearson, who, total, won a record 14 poles, twice as many as the next drivers on the list (Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman), and four races—includin’ three for the Woods between 1974 and ’76.

So, here’s to racin’ this weekend like it’s the old days. For Kenseth, that would be circa February.

GOOD RACIN’ STORIES
As far as the Sparkster is concerned, the only thing almost as good as good racin’ is good racin’ stories. The Spark really loves good stories, which is a good thing, because Ol’ Sparky reads a whole lot better than he writes. Now, there are a number of really good storytellers in the garage, but not all of their stories are for public consumption. Remember, racin’ is a competition.

But, the Spark does want to tell you about a tremendous storyteller who is for everybody: Dan Zacharias, and he’s been around long enough for someone to get him a good rockin’ chair. So, of course, he can tell some stories. And, of course, he’s a Ford guy, so his stories are just a little bit better than everyone else’s.

Now, Dan has started writin’ a blog for the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

It is a must-read for Sparky, although Dan types faster than the Sparkster can read. That’s not meant to be funny, that’s actually true. Dan types so fast that the IT department makes spring adjustments on his keyboard. Dan types so fast that he once qualified at Talladega. Dan types so fast that he would’ve finished this paragraph yesterday.

And Dan’s stories are so good that that noted racin’ site, Jayski, supplied a link last week to the one he wrote about the All-Star race. While you’re over there, check out the stories Dan wrote about Bud Moore or eatin’ breakfast with David Pearson. You think you’ve heard every story there is to here about someone, and along comes Dan with one to top ’em all.

That’s good. And fast.

Hopefully, the Fords will be the same way this weekend.

AND ANOTHER ONE
And, the Sparkster’s Spring-and-Summer Solstice Classic Ford Bingo continued this weekend with the sightin’ of a ’65 Fairlane, which was seen rollin’ down a local thoroughfare. That joins the previously seen ’61 Falcon, ’66 Galaxie, and ’67 or ’68 Cougar (the Sparkster still can’t tell the difference). What cool Fords are left? The Sparkster knows there is a ’51 Ford pickup somewhere in the area, but hasn’t seen it yet this year, and there was a ’23 Model T in the old neighborhood, but that might be askin’ for a bit too much; after all, it’s still not yet summer. What cool classic Ford signifies the start of summer where you live?

While makin’ sure there are enough beverages and snacks to make it through the full 600 miles, the Sparkster went through this week’s mailbag.

Hey, Sparky:

The Coca-Cola 600 is that 12th race of the season, and that means the season officially will be one-third over and that there will be only 14 races until the Chase cutoff. Only three Ford drivers right now are in the top 12 (and much closer to 12th than first), and no other driver is in the top 20. Is it time to start worrying yet?

Graham,
North Carolina

No, Graham, it’s not time to start worryin’; as long as they’re racin’, there’s a chance. Certain things are certain in racin’, like the 600 bein’ the longest race of the year, and among them are Matt Kenseth’s consistency, Greg Biffle’s want-to, and Carl Edwards’ focus. Those three will be in the Chase when it starts later this year, and once they get there, they’ll know what to do. Don’t forget that Ol’ Steady Matty has never missed a Chase, that Biffle won the first two races of the ’08 Chase, and that Edwards won three of the last four races in the Chase last year. It has been a strange start for David Ragan, though, who after just missin’ out on the Chase last year, finds himself way back in the standings midway through May. Expect that to change. Right now, the schedule is Ford’s best friend. A mile-and-a-half track this weekend, and, down the road, Michigan, and, well, Michigan again.