The 2020 Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 was a NASCAR Cup Series race that was held on October 25, 2020 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. Contested over 334 laps on the 1.5 mile (2.4 km) intermediate quad-oval, it was the 34th race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, the eighth race of the Playoffs, and second race of the Round of 8. Rain forced the race to be stopped after 52 laps, and the race was re-commenced on Wednesday, October 28.
Report
Background
Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas. The track measures around and is banked 24 degrees in the turns, and is of the oval design, where the front straightaway juts outward slightly. The track layout is similar to Atlanta Motor Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway (formerly Lowe's Motor Speedway). The track is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., the same company that owns Atlanta and Charlotte Motor Speedway, as well as the short-track Bristol Motor Speedway.
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 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 Chevrolet 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 49 Chad Finchum (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 51 Joey Gase (i) Petty Ware Racing Ford 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 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 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 4 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 5 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 7 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 8 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 9 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 10 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 11 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 12 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 13 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 14 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 15 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 16 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 17 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 18 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 19 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 20 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 21 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 22 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 23 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 24 38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 25 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 26 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 27 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 28 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 29 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 30 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 31 15 Brennan Poole (R) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 32 42 Matt Kenseth Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 33 27 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 34 00 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 35 77 Reed Sorenson Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 36 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 37 7 Josh Bilicki (i) Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 38 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 39 51 Joey Gase (i) Petty Ware Racing Ford 40 49 Chad Finchum (i) MBM Motorsports ToyotaOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 105
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 102 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 75 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 57 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 48 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 39 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 210 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 105
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 84 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 75 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 66 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 57 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 48 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 39 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 210 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 124
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 9 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 334 502 6 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 334 533 15 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 334 394 10 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 334 465 5 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 334 406 3 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 334 387 8 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 334 308 14 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 334 309 7 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 334 2810 2 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 334 3011 12 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 334 3212 22 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 334 2713 11 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 334 2914 16 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 334 2315 19 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 334 2216 1 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 333 2217 21 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 333 3318 29 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 333 1919 25 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 333 1820 4 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 333 2121 17 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 333 2422 24 38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 332 1523 13 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 332 1424 27 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 332 1325 28 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 331 1226 23 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 331 1127 30 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 328 1028 31 15 Brennan Poole (R) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 328 929 37 7 Josh Bilicki (i) Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 326 030 36 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 325 031 38 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 325 032 35 77 Reed Sorenson Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 321 533 34 00 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 316 434 20 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 310 335 40 49 Chad Finchum (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 310 036 26 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 279 737 39 51 Joey Gase (i) Petty Ware Racing Ford 184 038 18 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 59 139 32 42 Matt Kenseth Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 59 140 33 27 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 20 0Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 23 among 11 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 8 for 47 Red flags: 1 for 72 hours, 28 minutes and 34 seconds Time of race: 3 hours, 42 minutes and 14 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, Two–time Texas winner Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and 2000 Texas winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. called the action from the booth on Sunday. Allen, Burton and Letarte called the action from the booth on Wednesday. Dave Burns, Parker Kligerman and Kelli Stavast handled the pit road duties on Sunday, Kligerman and Marty Snider handled the pit road duties on Wednesday.
NBCSNBooth announcersPit reporters Lap-by-lap: Rick Allen (Sunday and Wednesday)Color-commentator: Jeff Burton (Sunday and Wednesday)Color-commentator: Steve Letarte (Sunday and Wednesday)Color-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Sunday) Dave Burns (Sunday)Parker Kligerman (Sunday and Wednesday)Marty Snider (Wednesday)Kelli Stavast (Sunday)
Radio PRN covered their final 2020 broadcast, which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Doug Rice & Mark Garrow covered the action for PRN when the field raced down the front straightaway. Rob Albright covered the action for PRN from a platform outside of Turns 1 & 2, & Pat Patterson covered the action from a platform outside of Turns 3 & 4 for PRN. Brad Gillie, Brett McMillan and Wendy Venturini had the call from pit lane for PRN.
PRN Booth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Doug RiceAnnouncer: Mark Garrow Turns 1 & 2: Rob AlbrightTurns 3 & 4: Pat Patterson Brad GillieBrett McMillanWendy Venturini
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Kevin Harvick 4,137 2 Denny Hamlin 4,122 (–15) 3 Brad Keselowski 4,120 (–17) 3 4 Martin Truex Jr. 4,104 (–33) 1 5 Alex Bowman 4,095 (–42) 2 6 Chase Elliott 4,095 (–42) 2 7 Joey Logano 4,094 (–43) 8 Kurt Busch 4,039 (–98) 9 Kyle Busch 2,270 (–1,867) 1 10 Ryan Blaney 2,251 (–1,986) 1 11 Austin Dillon 2,244 (–1,893) 12 William Byron 2,213 (–1,924) 1 13 Clint Bowyer 2,199 (–1,938) 1 14 Matt DiBenedetto 2,190 (–1,947) 2 15 Aric Almirola 2,181 (–1,956) 16 Cole Custer 2,169 (–1,968)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Ford 1,259 2 Toyota 1,197 (–62) 3 Chevrolet 1,152 (–107)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
References