Ross Chastain and Connor Zilisch are going to compete for NASCAR’s ultimate test this weekend: a tripleheader. Both drivers are taking on just about 1,100 miles in total. While Memorial Day Weekend is often famed for 1,100 miles via ‘The Double,’ Chastain and Zilisch will race it via all three of NASCAR’s featured races at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
This upcoming Friday, May 22, the Craftsman Truck Series will run its North Carolina Education Lottery 200. That race will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Chastain will take the green flag in the No. 45 Chevrolet Truck for Niece Motorsports. Zilisch will race the No. 77 Chevrolet Truck for Spire Motorsports.
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On Saturday, May 23, the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series will take the track for the Charbroil 300. That race will be broadcast on The CW at 5:00 p.m. ET. Chastain will race the No. 9 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, teaming up with Zilisch, who will race the No. 1 Chevrolet also for JR Motorsports.
Sunday, of course, NASCAR will race its longest race of the season: the Coca-Cola 600. Chastain races in the No. 1 car for Trackhouse Racing, as Zilisch races as Chastain’s teammate in the No. 88 car for Trackhouse Racing.
Tripleheader at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Connor Zilisch wins at Charlotte. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
When totaling the mileage to be run, 201 + 300 + 600 equals 1,101 miles. If either driver completes all 3 races on the lead lap, they will have elapsed Katherine Legge’s aimed-for total of 1,100 miles, which she will gun for as the 6th person ever to attempt ‘The Double.’ That will be an attempt to run the Indy 500 during the day and the Coca-Cola 600 at night, both on Sunday, May 24.
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Chastain has not been shy about racing in the Truck Series this season. He has five races to date on his 2026 resume, featuring 4 top-5’s despite zero wins.
He also has 6 races to date in the 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts season. Chastain has just 1 top-5 and 4 top-10’s with zero wins.
When it comes to Zilisch this season, he has had many fewer truck races to his credit, having raced just once at Watkins Glen. Zilisch finished 2nd in that race to Kaden Honeycutt.
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In the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series this season, Zilisch has run five races. Zilisch earned 2 wins in those at Bristol and Watkins Glen.
The drivers aim to gain an edge by racking up experience across all three race days. Nonetheless, all three vehicles are vastly different, so the edge on Sunday may not translate quite as much as one may think.
Charlotte’s D-shaped oval has high-speed cornering with minimal tire wear. Pit strategy will revolve around the gas tank rather than managing the tires for faster run laps. Preparation for the track is less valuable than running laps, especially during practice and in the early stages of the Coca-Cola 600.
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Attempting the Implausible
No driver has ever swept all three races at Charlotte Motor Speedway in one single weekend. Only twice has a driver ever swept all three races at any track’s race weekend. Kyle Busch did it at Bristol Motor Speedway twice: in 2010 and 2017.
Chastain is currently 19th in the NASCAR Cup Series Driver Standings, having achieved just 2 top-10 finishes all year long. He is the 2025 Coca-Cola 600 winner, but the odds of Chastain repeating that win, let alone all three races in a single weekend, are extremely low.
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As for Zilisch, he ranks 32nd in the Driver Standings, with zero top-10 finishes all season. While he may be more likely to win the undercard races, the odds of Zilisch sweeping the weekend are extremely low as well.
The efforts by both drivers can be fatiguing. Between all three races, qualifying sessions, and practice sessions, both drivers expect to spend at least 10 total hours in their vehicles cumulatively from Friday to Sunday. Unlike the feat Katherine Legge goes for on Sunday, it shall not be quite as grueling with events spaced out.
Rain also threatens the weekend, which could further space things out for Chastain and Zilisch. Stay tuned to the weather report as the weekend nears.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on May 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the Racing section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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