The 2020 Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on September 19, 2020 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. Contested over 500 laps on the short track, it was the 29th race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, third race of the Playoffs and final race of the Round of 16.
Report
Background
The Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway, is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961. Despite its short length, Bristol is among the most popular tracks on the NASCAR schedule because of its distinct features, which include extraordinarily steep banking, an all concrete surface, two pit roads, and stadium-like seating. It has also been named one of the loudest NASCAR tracks.
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 Josh Bilicki (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 J. J. Yeley (i) 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 Gray Gaulding (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 78 Garrett Smithley (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 Brad Keselowski was awarded the pole for the race as determined by competition-based formula.
Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 2 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 3 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 4 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 5 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 6 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 7 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 8 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 9 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 10 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 11 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 12 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 13 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 14 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 15 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 16 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 17 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 18 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 19 42 Matt Kenseth Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 20 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 22 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 23 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 24 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 25 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 26 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 27 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 28 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 29 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 30 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 31 38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 32 15 J. J. Yeley (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 33 00 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 34 77 Reed Sorenson Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 35 53 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 36 51 Joey Gase (i) Petty Ware Racing Ford 37 27 Gray Gaulding (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 38 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 39 7 Josh Bilicki (i) Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 40 78 Garrett Smithley (i) B. J. McLeod Motorsports ChevroletOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 125
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 102 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 84 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 75 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 66 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 57 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 48 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 210 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 125
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 93 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 84 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 75 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 66 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 57 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 48 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 39 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 210 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 250
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 4 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 500 572 9 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 500 543 20 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 500 364 17 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 500 335 10 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 500 366 11 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 500 347 6 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 499 488 23 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 499 299 22 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 499 2810 26 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 498 2711 2 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 498 3512 5 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 498 2613 14 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 498 2414 19 42 Matt Kenseth Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 498 2315 13 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 498 3316 8 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 498 3317 24 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 498 2018 28 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 497 1919 16 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 497 1820 31 38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 497 1721 7 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 497 1622 27 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 497 1623 12 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 497 1424 3 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 496 1325 25 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 496 1226 29 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 495 1127 37 27 Gray Gaulding (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 488 028 18 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 487 1529 33 00 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 483 830 32 15 J. J. Yeley (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 479 031 36 51 Joey Gase (i) Petty Ware Racing Ford 463 032 40 78 Garrett Smithley (i) B. J. McLeod Motorsports Chevrolet 436 033 30 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 419 434 1 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 412 735 35 53 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 401 236 34 77 Reed Sorenson Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 317 137 38 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 313 038 15 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 232 439 39 7 Josh Bilicki (i) Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 53 040 21 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 28 1Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 14 among 8 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 5 for 50 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 2 hours, 46 minutes and 43 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, 2008 Food City 500 winner Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt Jr. covered the race from the booth at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Dave Burns, Marty Snider and Dillon Welch handled the pit road duties on site, and Rutledge Wood handled the features from the Busch Fan Zone at the racetrack during the race.
NBCSNBooth announcersPit reportersFeatures reporter Lap-by-lap: Rick AllenColor-commentator: Jeff BurtonColor-commentator: Steve LetarteColor-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dave BurnsMarty SniderDillon Welch Rutledge Wood
Radio PRN had the radio call for the race, which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Doug Rice and Mark Garrow called the race from the booth when the field races down the frontstretch. Rob Albright called the race when the field races down the backstretch. Brad Gillie, Brett McMillan and Wendy Venturini handled the duties on pit lane.
PRNBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Doug RiceAnnouncer: Mark Garrow Backstretch: Rob Albright Brad GillieBrett McMillanWendy Venturini
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Kevin Harvick 3,067 2 Denny Hamlin 3,048 (–19) 3 Brad Keselowski 3,035 (–32) 4 Joey Logano 3,022 (–45) 2 5 Chase Elliott 3,021 (–46) 1 6 Martin Truex Jr. 3,016 (–51) 1 7 Alex Bowman 3,009 (–58) 2 8 Austin Dillon 3,005 (–62) 1 9 Aric Almirola 3,005 (–62) 1 10 Kyle Busch 3,004 (–63) 1 11 Clint Bowyer 3,004 (–63) 1 12 Kurt Busch 3,001 (–66) 1 13 Cole Custer 2,067 (–1,000) 1 14 William Byron 2,062 (–1,005) 1 15 Ryan Blaney 2,058 (–1,009) 1 16 Matt DiBenedetto 2,054 (–1,013)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Ford 1,084 2 Toyota 1,017 (–67) 3 Chevrolet 972 (–112)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
References