The 2020 FireKeepers Casino 400 is a NASCAR Cup Series race that was originally scheduled to be held on June 7, 2020, at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan, but moved to August 8, 2020, and to be held over 500 kilometers (312 miles), shortened by 44 laps from the original distance because of modified NASCAR rules for doubleheader races, one of three Cup Series events to be run under the doubleheader format. It was the 21st race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.
During both Michigan races that season Reed Sorenson ran a special #74 Fake Steak sponsored car fielded by Spire Motorsports that was used to gather footage that was used in the 2021 Netflix sitcom The Crew. Despite being used for filming he was officially classified as being in the race and finished 30th.
Report
Background
The race was held at Michigan International Speedway, a moderate-banked D-shaped speedway located in Brooklyn, Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas World Speedway, and was used as the basis of Auto Club Speedway. The track is owned by International Speedway Corporation. Michigan International Speedway is recognized as one of motorsports' premier facilities because of its wide racing surface and high banking (by open-wheel standards; the 18-degree banking is modest by stock car standards).
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who are ineligible for series driver points.
Driver Team Manufacturer 00 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 7 Joey Gase (i) Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 15 Brennan Poole (R) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 27 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 42 Matt Kenseth Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51 James Davison Petty Ware Racing Ford 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 74 Reed Sorenson Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing ToyotaOfficial entry list
Qualifying Joey Logano was awarded the pole for the race as determined by a random draw.
Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 2 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 3 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 4 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 5 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 6 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 7 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 8 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 9 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 10 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 11 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 12 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 13 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 14 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 15 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 16 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 17 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 18 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 19 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 20 42 Matt Kenseth Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 21 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 22 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 23 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 24 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 25 00 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 26 27 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 27 15 Brennan Poole (R) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 28 51 James Davison Petty Ware Racing Ford 29 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 30 74 Reed Sorenson Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 31 38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 32 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 33 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 34 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 35 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 36 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 37 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 38 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 39 7 Joey Gase (i) Tommy Baldwin Racing ChevroletOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 40
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 102 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 84 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 75 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 66 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 48 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 210 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 45
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 102 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 93 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 75 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 66 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 48 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 210 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 71
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 3 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 161 602 5 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 161 473 12 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 161 344 11 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 161 505 7 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 161 396 2 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 161 487 8 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 161 338 1 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 161 299 24 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 161 2810 10 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 161 3811 23 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 161 3812 17 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 161 2613 29 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 161 2414 19 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 161 2315 15 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 161 2216 4 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 161 2117 20 42 Matt Kenseth Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 161 2018 14 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 161 1919 9 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 161 2020 22 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 161 1721 6 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 161 2322 36 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 161 1523 34 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 161 1424 37 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 161 1325 35 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 161 1226 26 27 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 161 027 25 00 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 161 1028 13 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 161 929 21 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 161 830 30 74 Reed Sorenson Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 161 731 18 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 161 632 32 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 161 633 38 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 159 034 16 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 148 335 33 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 141 036 31 38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 127 137 27 15 Brennan Poole (R) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 125 138 28 51 James Davison Petty Ware Racing Ford 103 139 39 7 Joey Gase (i) Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 68 0Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 12 among 7 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 9 for 43 Red flags: 1 for 5 minutes and 45 seconds Time of race: 2 hours, 34 minutes and 55 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and two-time Michigan winner, Dale Earnhardt Jr. covered the race from the booth at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast handled the pit road duties on site.
NBCSNBooth announcersPit reporters Lap-by-lap: Rick AllenColor-commentator: Jeff BurtonColor-commentator: Steve LetarteColor-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Marty SniderKelli Stavast
Radio Radio coverage of the race was broadcast by Motor Racing Network (MRN) and simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden and Jeff Striegle called the race in the booth while the field is racing on the front stretch. Dave Moody called the race from a billboard outside of turn 2 when the field is racing through turns 1 and 2. Kyle Rickey called the race from a platform outside of turn 3 when the field races through turns 3 and 4. Winston Kelley and Kim Coon worked pit road for the radio side.
MRNBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Jeff Striegle Turns 1 & 2: Dave MoodyTurns 3 & 4: Kyle Rickey Winston KelleyKim Coon
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Kevin Harvick 863 2 Brad Keselowski 769 (–94) 3 Denny Hamlin 736 (–127) 4 Ryan Blaney 735 (–128) 5 Chase Elliott 693 (–170) 6 Joey Logano 682 (–181) 7 Martin Truex Jr. 682 (–181) 8 Aric Almirola 635 (–228) 9 Kurt Busch 619 (–244) 10 Kyle Busch 602 (–261) 11 Alex Bowman 584 (–279) 12 Clint Bowyer 532 (–331) 13 Matt DiBenedetto 531 (–332) 14 William Byron 507 (–356) 3 15 Erik Jones 491 (–372) 1 16 Tyler Reddick 488 (–375)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Ford 788 2 Toyota 735 (–53) 3 Chevrolet 696 (–92)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings. . – Driver has clinched a position in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
References