The 2020 Go Bowling 235 was a NASCAR Cup Series raced on August 16, 2020, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Contested over 65 laps on the road course, it was the 23rd race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, which was a replacement race for the Watkins Glen round because of government restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The race had three stages: the first two stages at 15 laps each, and 35 for the final.
Background
The race was held at Daytona International Speedway, a race track located in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since its opening in 1959, the track has been the home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts ARCA, AMA Superbike, USCC, SCCA, and Motocross races. It features multiple layouts including the primary high speed tri-oval, a sports car course, a motorcycle course, and a karting and motorcycle flat-track. The track's infield includes the Lake Lloyd, which has hosted powerboat racing. The speedway is owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation.
The track was built in 1959 by NASCAR founder William "Bill" France, Sr. to host racing held at the former Daytona Beach Road Course. His banked design permitted higher speeds and gave fans a better view of the cars. Lights were installed around the track in 1998 and today, it is the third-largest single lit outdoor sports facility. The speedway has been renovated three times, with the infield renovated in 2004 and the track repaved twice — in 1978 and in 2010. On January 22, 2013, the track unveiled artist depictions of a renovated speedway. On July 5 of that year, ground was broken for a project that would remove the backstretch seating and completely redevelop the frontstretch seating. The renovation to the speedway was done by Rossetti Architects. The project, named "Daytona Rising", was completed in January 2016, at a cost of US $400 million, placing emphasis on improving fan experience with five expanded and redesigned fan entrances (called "injectors") as well as wider and more comfortable seating with more restrooms and concession stands. After the renovations, the track's grandstands included 101,000 permanent seats with the ability to increase permanent seating to 125,000. The project was completed before the start of Speedweeks.
On July 30, it was revealed after simulation testing revealed concerns of high speeds entering turn 1 (a turn already considered to be difficult among road racers), a temporary chicane was added in between the 4th turn of the oval and the entrance to pit road (similar to the Charlotte Roval). NASCAR further announced that it would use the high-downforce aero package used for the road course races in 2019 (in 2020, road courses were scheduled to use a low-downforce package similar to what was used in 2018 and what is used on ovals 1-mile or shorter in 2020). The addition of the chicane increased the length of the course from 3.56 to 3.61 miles and added a 13th and 14th turn to the original 12-turn layout.
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 Kaz Grala (i) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 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 Chevrolet 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 62 Brendan Gaughan Beard Motorsports Chevrolet 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 77 Stanton Barrett 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 Kevin Harvick was awarded the pole for the race as determined by a new formula that NASCAR officials announced on August 6.NASCAR announces new lineup formula to take effect with Daytona Road Course The formula will use three performance metrics, which will be weighted and averaged to determine the lineup and pit selection order. The metrics are Finishing position from the previous race (weighted 50%), Ranking in team owner points standings (35%), and Fastest lap from the previous race (15%). The success of this system led to NASCAR replacing the traditional rules for determining starting positions of owner points, then race winners, and then most qualifying attempts (with owner points as the tiebreaker) in the 2021 season if qualifying cannot be held because of inclement weather in the eight races where practice and qualifying cannot be conducted, and expanded in the 2022 season to determining practice and qualifying groups for all races.
Kaz Grala replaced Austin Dillon, who was medically disqualified by NASCAR after a positive virus test. NASCAR further restricted drivers from participation in more than one race during the weekend, which meant typical Xfinity drivers who would substitute would not be permitted to participate in the Cup race. NASCAR did allow an Xfinity Series driver who was still on premises to relieve for a Cup driver in Sunday's event who fell ill.
Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 2 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 3 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 4 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 5 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 6 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 7 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 8 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 9 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 10 3 Kaz Grala (i) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 11 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 12 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 13 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 14 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 15 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 16 42 Matt Kenseth Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 17 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 18 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 19 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 20 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 22 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 23 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 24 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 25 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 26 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 27 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28 38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 29 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 30 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 31 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 32 27 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 33 15 Brennan Poole (R) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 34 77 Stanton Barrett Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 35 00 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 36 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 37 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 38 51 James Davison Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 39 62 Brendan Gaughan Beard Motorsports ChevroletOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 15
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 102 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 93 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 84 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 75 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 66 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 48 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 39 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 210 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 15
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 93 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 84 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 75 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 66 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 57 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 48 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 39 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 210 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 35
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 7 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 65 542 2 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 65 453 3 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 65 374 11 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 65 415 21 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 65 326 12 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 65 477 10 3 Kaz Grala (i) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 65 08 13 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 65 409 5 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 65 3710 30 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 65 2711 20 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 65 3112 27 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 65 2513 17 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 65 2414 8 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 65 2515 9 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 65 2816 25 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 65 2717 1 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 65 2318 18 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 65 1919 14 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 65 1820 23 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 65 1721 15 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 65 1622 26 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 65 1723 22 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 65 2024 6 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 65 1325 19 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 65 1226 16 42 Matt Kenseth Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 65 1127 31 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 65 1028 33 15 Brennan Poole (R) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 65 929 37 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 65 030 38 51 James Davison Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 65 731 24 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 65 1432 29 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 65 633 35 00 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 64 434 32 27 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 64 035 28 38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 62 236 36 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 60 037 4 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 53 138 34 77 Stanton Barrett Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 49 139 39 62 Brendan Gaughan Beard Motorsports Chevrolet 46 1Official race results
Notes
Race statistics Lead changes: 13 among 6 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 4 for 7 laps Red flags: 1 for 31 minutes and 14 seconds (lightning policy) Time of race: 2 hours, 37 minutes and 30 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television