The 2020 Federated Auto Parts 400 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on September 12, 2020, at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. Contested over 400 laps on the D-shaped short track, it was the 28th race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, second race of the Playoffs and second race of the Round of 16.
Report
Background
Richmond Raceway (RR), formerly known as Richmond International Raceway (RIR), is a 3/4-mile (1.2 km), D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Cup Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series and the IndyCar series. Known as "America's premier short track", it formerly hosted two USAC sprint car races.
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 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 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 77 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 Kevin Harvick was awarded the pole for the race as determined by competition-based formula.
Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 2 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 3 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 5 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 7 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 8 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 9 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 10 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 11 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 12 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 13 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 14 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 15 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 16 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 17 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 18 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 19 42 Matt Kenseth Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 20 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 21 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 22 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 23 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 24 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 25 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 26 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 27 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 28 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 29 15 Brennan Poole (R) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 30 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 31 38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 32 27 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 33 00 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 34 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 35 77 Reed Sorenson Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 36 51 Joey Gase (i) Petty Ware Racing Ford 37 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 38 53 James Davison Rick Ware Racing ChevroletOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 80
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 93 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 84 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 75 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 66 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 57 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 48 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 210 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 155
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 102 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 93 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 75 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 48 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 39 42 Matt Kenseth Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 210 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 165
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 9 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 400 572 14 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 400 473 2 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 400 494 3 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 400 515 12 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 400 416 6 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 400 367 1 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 400 378 10 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 400 329 4 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 400 3310 11 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 400 2811 22 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 400 2612 7 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 399 3513 8 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 399 2814 13 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 399 2315 26 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 399 2216 19 42 Matt Kenseth Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 399 2317 16 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 399 2018 23 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 398 2119 15 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 398 1820 24 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 398 1721 5 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 398 1622 17 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 398 1523 21 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 397 1424 25 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 397 1325 20 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 397 1226 30 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 397 1127 34 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 396 1028 27 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 396 929 28 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 396 830 31 38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 396 731 18 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 395 632 33 00 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 390 533 29 15 Brennan Poole (R) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 390 434 32 27 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 388 035 36 51 Joey Gase (i) Petty Ware Racing Ford 387 036 35 77 Reed Sorenson Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 387 137 38 53 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 385 138 37 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 100 0Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 19 among 9 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 3 for 21 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 2 hours, 56 minutes and 42 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and three-time Richmond winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. covered the race from the booth at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Dave Burns, Parker Kligerman and Marty Snider 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 KligermanMarty Snider
Radio The Motor Racing Network had the radio call for the race, which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle and Rusty Wallace had the call in the broadcast booth for MRN when the field races through the front straightaway. Dave Moody called the race from a platform when the field races down the backstraightaway. Jason Toy and Kim Coon called the action for MRN from pit lane.
MRN RadioBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Jeff StriegleAnnouncer: Rusty Wallace Backstretch: Dave Moody Jason ToyKim Coon
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Kevin Harvick 2,143 2 Denny Hamlin 2,122 (–21) 1 3 Brad Keselowski 2,112 (–31) 1 4 Joey Logano 2,109 (–34) 1 5 Martin Truex Jr. 2,096 (–47) 2 6 Austin Dillon 2,094 (–49) 7 Chase Elliott 2,086 (–57) 3 8 Alex Bowman 2,085 (–58) 1 9 Kyle Busch 2,076 (–67) 2 10 Aric Almirola 2,065 (–78) 11 Kurt Busch 2,065 (–78) 1 12 Clint Bowyer 2,061 (–82) 4 13 William Byron 2,058 (–85) 14 Cole Custer 2,053 (–90) 15 Matt DiBenedetto 2,036 (–107) 16 Ryan Blaney 2,034 (–109)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Ford 1,044 2 Toyota 982 (–62) 3 Chevrolet 939 (–105)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
References