Last Saturday night, it took four segments for a total of 100 laps to determine a winner in the All-Star Race.  It was a sprint to the finish to get a winner, and a $1 million paycheck.

That is not the case on Sunday.

It will be four times the laps, four times the miles, and the track conditions will be ever changing.  It's unlike any race on the circuit.  The green flag flies under bright skies, with a majority of the track under the hot sun.  THen, as the hours continue to wind, the shade begins to overtake the track, and the lights begin to turn on.

As the stars start to peek through the sky, the lights become more noticable.  Finally, after what seems to be a never-ending event, one driver takes the checkered flag under a night sky as fireworks set off the night sky.

Even the pre-race show is unlike any event on the circuit, with the United States Armed Forces being honored by the fans and NASCAR, complete with a 21-gun salute, the playing of Taps, and all the glory of being an American.

It's the Coca-Cola 600, the longest and most challenging race on the circuit.  Someone will be taking a major win on Sunday night, but who?

Here's the writers' picks for this Sunday's action at the Charlotte Motor Speedway:

 

Misan Ayuka (SB Nation):  Tony Stewart

Same car he nearly won at Vegas...Nuff said.

 

James Broomhead (The Checkered Flag):  Kevin Harvick

The obvious picks are Carl Edwards or Jimmie Johnson, so I’ll pick Harvick. The big 600-miler demands strategy and patience, and Mr. where-did-he-come-from is probably the dictionary definition of both of those things.

 

Kelly Crandall (Speedway Media):  Matt Kenseth

Really only thought about Matt and Clint Bowyer. Why? Because Charlotte is a lot like Texas and early this year it was Kenseth and Bowyer who dominated and finished 1-2 in Texas.

Kenseth has a lot of momentum coming from his Dover win and was confident in his car during the All-Star race just never made it to the front but this Sunday he'll have 600 miles to do so.

 

Summer Dreyer (Next Time By):  Jimmie Johnson

No reason given.

 

Billy Fellin (Richmond Times-Dispatch):  Kasey Kahne

I might be going out on my own here, but if I'm going to, might as well do it early in the season. I know Carl Edwards was impressive in the All-Star Race, but Kasey had a great car before his blown tire. He has always been strong at Charlotte, having won there three times.

This team is on a upswing after a slow start to the year, so I think that the #4 Red Bull Toyota will get it done at Charlotte.

 

Michael Hirshbein (Fan Vs. Fan):  Kyle Busch

No reason given.

 

Christopher Leone (On Pit Row):  Joey Logano

Logano’s been the picture of consistency at Charlotte for the past two years. Three top-10s in four starts, including a best finish of fifth, give him the best average finish of any active driver at the track.

Logano’s had a rough season, sitting 27th in points, and hasn’t won since taking his maiden victory in a rain-shortened Loudon race in 2009, making him exactly the type of turnaround candidate I’m talking about.

 

Kara Martin (Speedway Media):  Jimmie Johnson

No reason given.

 

Ryan O'Hara (Speedway Media):  Kyle Busch

It's finally time for Kyle to win the Coca Cola 600. I looked at the 2010 past race results at Charlotte and looked at Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray, but recently they have struggled and Kyle had an average finish of 2.5 there last season. Kyle will win.

 

Dustin Parks (All About Horsepower):  Kasey Kahne

This is a track Kahne absolutely loves.  He got his first win here in 2006, eventually sweeping the entire season at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.  After an off-year, he roared back and swept the All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600 in 2008.

At the same time, in Red Bull's first year, 2007, Kahne's teammate Brian Vickers led quite a bit of the 600 ans showed that the team was making progress.

Combine the two, and you have a winning combination.  I'm going with the blue Red Bull Toyota.

 

Sal Sigala Jr. (3 Wide and 1 To Go):  Kyle Busch

Since coming over to Joe Gibbs Racing, Busch has not finished worse than sixth in three starts in the 600. This season Busch has shown a different side of his racing skills, by being more patient and waiting for the right time to make his move to the front.

In season's past, Busch ran every lap as if it was his last which didn't leave him much for when he really needed it. Busch so far this season has been, "Money" in all three touring series.

 

Rob Tiongson (The Podium Finish):  David Ragan

Sure, this might be the most wildest of picks I've made thus far in 2011, but I have this feeling that a fresh face winner will emerge from Victory Lane this Sunday night at Charlotte.

Ragan's performance last weekend during the Challenge and All-Star race reminds me a bit of a younger Jeff Gordon in 1994, who won that year's "qualifying" heat before moving on to the main event.

Sure, Kenseth and Edwards would probably be much more logical to pick, but this track tends to bring out the unexpected, so expect someone we've never seen in the winner's circle in a points paying race.

 

Standings following Dover:

Kelly Crandall (412) Matt Kenseth WON (2)

Sal Sigala Jr. (403) Jimmie Johnson finished ninth (2)

Billy Fellin (373) Jimmie Johnson finished ninth (2)

Misan Ayuka (366) Matt Kenseth WON (2)

Christopher Leone (359) Martin Truex Jr. finished eighth (2)

Kara Martin (352) Denny Hamlin finished 16th (1)

Dustin Parks (350) Carl Edwards finished seventh (0)

Rob Tiongson (347) Jimmie Johnson finished ninth (1)

Michael Hirshbein (341) Kyle Busch finished fourth (2)

Ryan O'Hara (335) Kyle Busch finished fourth (1)

James Broomhead (333) Carl Edwards finished seventh (0)

Summer Dreyer (318) Jimmie Johnson finished ninth (0)

 

Final Thoughts:  In one of the most physically demanding, and most critical races of the early season, the writers have shown that they aren't afraid to go outside the norm to make their picks.  This week is proof, as with the 12 writers, there were eight different drivers chosen to win.

Only once in recent years has the winner of this race had the dominant car go to victory, that being in 2004 when Jimmie Johnson at one point lapped the entire field.  Now, the winner often has a rough go early in the event, but when the night skies fall the car is handling just fine.

Who is going to win this marathon of a race?  Find out at 6 p.m. on Sunday, live on FOX with Darrell, Larry and Mike making the call.

 

Summary of Picks:

Kyle Busch-3

Jimmie Johnson-2

Kasey Kahne-2

Kevin Harvick-1

Matt Kenseth-1

Joey Logano-1

David Ragan-1

Tony Stewart-1