Four NASCAR Cup stars who will reach major career milestones in the Coke 600

The 66th running of the Coca-Cola 600 will feature 40 drivers, and four of them will be celebrating special milestones when they take the green flag on Sunday.

The biggest milestone belongs to seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. After driving the IndyCar two-seater with NFL legend Tom Brady as part of the parade laps at the Indianapolis 500, he will then head to Charlotte to take part in the Coke 600. 

And when Johnson climbs into the No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota that he co-owns, it will be his 700th career NASCAR Cup Series start. Johnson made his Cup debut in 2001 and on Sunday, he will become just the 21st driver to ever reach 700 career starts. He is also a four-time winner of the Coca-Cola 600 (only Darrell Waltrip has more) and has been running a partial schedule this season. Looking at active drivers, the only Cup driver to also reach 700 starts is Kyle Busch, who currently sits at 726.

Next weekend, Denny Hamlin will be the 22nd driver to reach this milestone after Johnson, as Hamlin makes his 699th start in the Coke 600.

Johnson has also pushed back on rumors that claim this weekend will be his final start in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Daniel Suarez, who is the only foreign-born driver to win a NASCAR championship at the national level (Xfinity 2016), will be making his 300th career start on Sunday. The Trackhouse Racing Team driver has two Cup wins but none yet this year, having finished as high as second at Las Vegas.

Ryan Preece, who drives the No. 60 RFK Racing Ford, will be making his 200th career start on Sunday. Preece is having the strongest season of his career right now as he hunts his first career win. He finished second at Talladega in a photo finish, but was later disqualified when the car failed post-race inspection.

And then there’s Ty Gibbs, the grandson of Joe Gibbs. Driving the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, he will be competing in his 100th career Cup race. Like Preece, Gibbs has never won in the Cup Series, finishing as high as second at Darlington last year. He is also the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, also winning at the Charlotte oval during that season.