2011 Coca-Cola 600 – Post-Practice Predictions and Top 5 Drivers

2011 Coca-Cola 600 Post-Practice Predictions, Picks and Preview – Favorites and Sleepers to Win 2011 Coca-Cola 600: The Coca-Cola 600 is such a long race that practice speeds may or may not be a great indicator of which drivers will run well at the end of the event. However, it is possible to get a good idea of which drivers have the balance needed to keep up with the constant track changes. By looking at the drivers that ran well over the course of the entire practice, bettors can gain some insight as to which drivers are built to last on Sunday.

Post-Practice Top 5

Kyle Busch: Busch posted the fourth-fastest lap during Happy Hour Saturday, but more importantly, he recorded the top average speed and top 10-lap average speed. That consistency will pay off over the course of 600 miles. He is riding a streak of seven straight top-10 finishes at Charlotte, and Busch finished third and second in two starts at the track last season. It could be his time to close the deal.

Kasey Kahne: He posted the fifth-fastest lap in the opening practice, along with the top 10-lap average speed. He also recorded the eighth-best average speed throughout the two practices Saturday. Kahne is a three-time winner at Charlotte, with all three victories coming since 2006. He knows how to win at this track.

Carl Edwards: Edwards is riding a wave of momentum, and he rode it to the best average speed during the practices Saturday. With a car built for the long haul, Edwards should have no problem continuing his run of success at 1.5-mile tracks. He has three top-10 finishes on similar tracks this year already, including a win at Las Vegas. Not to mention the fact that he won the All-Star Race at Charlotte last weekend.

David Reutimann: Bettors are making a mistake if they forget about Reutimann this weekend. He posted the fifth-best 10-lap average speed in the opening practice Saturday, and he followed it up by topping the charts in Happy Hour. Reutimann has also been one of the most consistent performers at Charlotte lately. In his last five starts, he has four top-10 finishes, including a win in 2009.

Paul Menard: Menard was a staple at the top of the charts Saturday, ranking in the top three in terms of fastest lap and average speed in both sessions. In addition, the 1.5-mile tracks have always been his best. He has never finished higher than eighth at Charlotte, but Menard has never had the chance to run at Charlotte in a Richard Childress Racing car either.

David Ragan: Ragan finished 10th in his last start at Charlotte, and he posted a top-10 time during Happy Hour. More importantly, he posted a solid top-10 at similar Texas track. Ragan also has the advantage of driving for Roush Fenway Racing. All three of his teammates were fast as well, and the RFR drivers have been on the mark at the 1.5-mile tracks all year.

View the most current vegas betting odds to win the 2011 Coca-Cola 600 for this Sunday, May 29th at Charlotte Motor Speedway.