The 2020 Drydene 311 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on August 23, 2020, at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware. Scheduled to be contested over 400 laps but shortened to 311 laps because of the doubleheader format on the 1-mile (1.6 km) concrete speedway, it was the 25th race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Report
Background
Dover International Speedway is an oval race track in Dover, Delaware, United States that has held at least two NASCAR races since it opened in 1969. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosted USAC and the NTT IndyCar Series. The track features one layout, a concrete oval, with 24° banking in the turns and 9° banking on the straights. The speedway is owned and operated by Dover Motorsports.
The track, nicknamed "The Monster Mile", was built in 1969 by Melvin Joseph of Melvin L. Joseph Construction Company, Inc., with an asphalt surface, but was replaced with concrete in 1995. Six years later in 2001, the track's capacity moved to 135,000 seats, making the track have the largest capacity of sports venue in the mid-Atlantic. In 2002, the name changed to Dover International Speedway from Dover Downs International Speedway after Dover Downs Gaming and Entertainment split, making Dover Motorsports. From 2007 to 2009, the speedway worked on an improvement project called "The Monster Makeover", which expanded facilities at the track and beautified the track. After the 2014 season, the track's capacity was reduced to 95,500 seats.
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 Garrett Smithley (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 Joey Gase (i) Petty Ware Racing Ford 53 Josh Bilicki (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 77 Reed Sorenson Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 78 B. J. McLeod (i) B. J. McLeod 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 Matt DiBenedetto was awarded the pole for the race as determined by the top 20 from Saturday's finishing order inverted.
Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 2 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 3 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 4 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 5 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 6 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 7 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 8 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 9 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 10 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 11 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 12 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 13 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 14 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 15 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 16 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 17 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 18 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 19 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 22 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 23 42 Matt Kenseth Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 24 38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 25 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 26 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 27 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 28 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 30 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 31 27 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 32 53 Josh Bilicki (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 33 00 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 34 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 35 51 Joey Gase (i) Petty Ware Racing Ford 36 15 Brennan Poole (R) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 37 7 Garrett Smithley (i) Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 38 78 B. J. McLeod (i) B. J. McLeod Motorsports Chevrolet 39 77 Reed Sorenson Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 40 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing ChevroletOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 70
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 102 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 93 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 84 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 75 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 66 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 57 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 48 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 210 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 115
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 102 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 93 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 75 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 66 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 57 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 48 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 39 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 210 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 126
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 17 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 311 602 19 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 311 423 14 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 311 394 23 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 311 465 21 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 311 366 13 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 311 457 4 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 311 378 12 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 311 369 6 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 311 2910 10 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 311 3011 18 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 311 2612 7 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 311 4013 28 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 311 2614 5 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 311 2315 22 42 Matt Kenseth Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 311 2216 15 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 311 2117 1 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 311 2418 8 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 311 1919 20 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 311 2620 27 38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 311 1721 26 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 311 1622 9 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 310 1523 30 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 310 1424 2 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 310 1325 25 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 310 1226 29 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 310 1127 24 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 310 1028 31 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 309 929 3 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 309 830 34 15 Brennan Poole (R) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 305 731 40 78 B. J. McLeod (i) B. J. McLeod Motorsports Chevrolet 303 032 33 53 Josh Bilicki (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 302 033 37 77 Reed Sorenson Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 302 434 35 00 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 302 335 39 7 Garrett Smithley (i) Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 296 036 36 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 252 037 11 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 215 138 31 27 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 110 039 16 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 140 35 51 Joey Gase (i) Petty Ware Racing Ford 4 0Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 15 among 6 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 7 for 40 Red flags: 1 for 12 minutes and 19 seconds Time of race: 2 hours, 48 minutes and 7 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, 2006 race winner Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and 2001 race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. covered the race from the booth at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Dave Burns, Parker Kligerman and Dillon Welch 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. Dave BurnsParker KligermanDillon Welch
Radio MRN had the radio call for the race, which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
MRN RadioBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Jeff Striegle Backstretch: Mike Bagley Steve PostKim Coon
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Kevin Harvick 1,041 2 Denny Hamlin 907 (–134) 3 Brad Keselowski 881 (–160) 1 4 Martin Truex Jr. 845 (–196) 1 5 Joey Logano 836 (–205) 1 6 Ryan Blaney 818 (–223) 3 7 Chase Elliott 809 (–232) 8 Aric Almirola 740 (–301) 9 Kyle Busch 719 (–322) 10 Kurt Busch 700 (–341) 11 Clint Bowyer 685 (–356) 12 Alex Bowman 662 (–379) 13 Matt DiBenedetto 637 (–404) 1 14 William Byron 632 (–409) 1 15 Jimmie Johnson 628 (–413) 16 Erik Jones 582 (–459)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Ford 933 2 Toyota 880 (–53) 3 Chevrolet 831 (–102)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings. . – Driver has clinched a position in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
References