Coca-Cola 600 Start Time Tonight: How to Watch the 2025 NASCAR Memorial Day Race Live

NASCAR’s longest race returns to prime time this Memorial Day weekend, and fans are asking the same question: what time does the 2025 Coca-Cola 600 start? The green flag is scheduled to wave at 6:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 25, from Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. Why the evening slot matters Running 600 miles—400 laps around Charlotte’s 1.5-mile oval—demands cooler track temperatures and shifting daylight. The twilight start lets drivers log the opening stages in sunlight before settling into a night-time dash, forcing teams to chase an ever-evolving track and tire strategy. That changing grip level has produced nine different winners in the last ten editions. TV, streaming and radio options • Television: Live coverage begins at 5:00 p.m. ET with pre-race festivities on Amazon Prime Video, the network’s first year anchoring NASCAR’s crown-jewel marathon. • Streaming: Prime Video subscribers can watch on smart TVs, mobile devices, and the web; non-members can sign up for a 30-day trial to catch the race. • Radio: PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90) provide flag-to-flag calls for listeners on the road or at the campground. • Spanish-language stream: Pit-road audio feed available on NASCAR’s app and at NASCAR.com. Full race-day schedule (all times Eastern) • 12:30 p.m. – Spectator gates open • 3:00 p.m. – Driver introductions and military salute • 5:43 p.m. – Command to start engines • 6:00 p.m. – Green flag for Stage 1 (100 laps) • Approx. 10:15 p.m. – Checkered flag and Victory Lane ceremony Key storylines to watch • Endurance test: With 600 miles on tap, pit crews face roughly 10 four-tire stops; mistakes here can erase a day’s work. • Playoff implications: The winner secures an automatic berth, critical for drivers hovering around the elimination line. • Charlotte dominance: Hendrick Motorsports has claimed five of the last seven Coca-Cola 600s—can Chevrolet extend the streak? • Weather factor: Sunday’s forecast calls for mid-70s temps at the drop of the green and cooling into the low 60s after sundown, a recipe for added grip and late-race surges. How to beat race-day traffic Charlotte Motor Speedway suggests arriving by 2:00 p.m. to avoid I-85 congestion and recommends using the Bruton Smith Boulevard or Morehead Road exits. Parking lots open at 8:00 a.m.. Fans can also ride share to the track’s designated drop-off zone outside Gate 2. History at a glance • First run: 1960 (then called the World 600) • Laps led record: 392 by Martin Truex Jr. (2016) • Closest finish: 0.271 seconds, Jeff Gordon over Bobby Labonte (1994) • Active win leaders: Jimmie Johnson (4), Kyle Busch (2) Bottom line Set your reminders for 6:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 25, cue up Prime Video, and prepare for four stages of high-speed drama under the Carolina sunset. Whether you’re tracking stage points, fantasy lineups, or simply soaking in NASCAR’s salute to the military, knowing the Coca-Cola 600 start time is the first step to getting the full holiday-weekend experience.