Kevin Harvick holds off Kyle Busch for intense Bristol victory: In a battle of two of stock car racing’s titans, Kevin Harvick swapped the lead with Kyle Busch and held off the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion over an intense string of closing laps to win Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Harvick picked up his ninth victory of the season, his second of the Round of 16 in the Playoffs and his third at Bristol. The driver of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford finished .310 seconds ahead of Busch, who remained frustrated in a winless season.[Read More](9-18-2020)
Paint Schemes
#4-Kevin Harvick won the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The win is his 9th win of the year, 3rd at Bristol, and 58th career win.
#18-Busch finished 2nd followed by #20-Jones, #8-Reddick, #10-Almirola, #14-Bowyer, #9-Elliott, #17-Buescher, #37-Preece, and #34 McDowell.
Harvick lead 226 of the 500 laps but had to pass #18-Busch for the lead with 31 laps remaining to secure the win.
Pole sitter #2-Keselowski finished 34th after losing power steering on the car and having to go behind the wall for repairs for an extended time.
Stage 1 was won by #9-Elliott. Stage 2 was won by #18-Busch.
The race was the final one in the NASCAR Playoffs Round of 16.
Advancing to the Round of 12: #4-Harvick, #22-Logano, #11-Hamlin, #9-Elliott, #18-Busch, #3-Dillon, #2-Keselowski, #88-Bowman, #19-Truex, Jr., #10-Almirola, #1-Busch, and #14-Bowyer.
Eliminated from the playoffs: #41-Custer, #24-Byron, #12-Blaney and #21-DiBenedetto.
There were 14 lead changes among 8 drivers and 5 cautions for 50 yellow flag laps.
The average speed of the race was: 95.911mph.
See race details at: Race Results, Drivers Points Standings after reset, Drivers Points Standings before reset, Owners Points Standings after reset, Owners Points Standings before reset, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report.
Where the 2020 Cup Series Playoff drivers finished at Bristol:
#4-Kevin Harvick, 1st
#18-Kyle Busch, 2nd
#10-Aric Almirola, 5th
#14-Clint Bowyer, 6th
#9-Chase Elliott, 7th
#22-Joey Logano, 11th
#3-Austin Dillon, 12th
#12-Ryan Blaney, 13th
#1-Kurt Busch, 15th
#88-Alex Bowman, 16th
#21-Matt DiBenedetto, 19th
#11-Denny Hamlin, 21st
#41-Cole Custer, 23rd
#19-Martin Truex, Jr., 24th
#2-Brad Keselowski, 34th
#24-William Byron, 38th
Race Fast Facts – Bristol:
Kevin Harvick (P) won the 60th Annual Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race, his 58th victory in 711 NASCAR Cup Series races.
This is his single season career-best ninth victory and 24th top-10 finish in 2020.
This is his third victory and 20th top-10 finish in 40 races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Kyle Busch (P) (second) posted his 19th top-10 finish in 31 races at Bristol Motor Speedway. It is his 16th top-10 finish in 2020.
Erik Jones (third) posted his fourth top-10 finish in eight races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Tyler Reddick (fourth) was the highest finishing rookie.
This is Ford’s 39th victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway.
(NASCAR)(9-19-2020)
Cup Series Playoff Standings after Bristol (race 29):
(after points reset)
| Pos |
Driver |
Points
|
Ahead of 9th
|
| 1) |
#4-Kevin Harvick (9 wins) |
3067
|
62
|
| 2) |
#11-Denny Hamlin (6 wins) |
3048
|
43
|
| 3) |
#2-Brad Keselowski (4 wins) |
3035
|
30
|
| 4) |
#22-Joey Logano (2 wins) |
3022
|
17
|
| 5) |
#9-Chase Elliott (2 wins) |
3021
|
16
|
| 6) |
#19-Martin Truex, Jr. (1 win) |
3016
|
11
|
| 7) |
#88-Alex Bowman (1 win) |
3009
|
4
|
| 8) |
#3-Austin Dillon (1 win) |
3005
|
0
|
| Bottom 4 eliminated after Charlotte (race 32) |
Behind 8th
|
| 9) |
#10-Aric Almirola |
3005
|
0
|
| 10) |
#18-Kyle Busch |
3004
|
1
|
| 11) |
#14-Clint Bowyer |
3004
|
1
|
| 12) |
#1-Kurt Busch |
3001
|
4
|
| See the Drivers Points Standings and Owners Points Standings. |
Cup Series Playoff Standings after Bristol (race 29):
(before points reset)
| Pos |
Driver |
Points
|
Ahead of 13th
|
| 1) |
#4-Kevin Harvick (9 wins) |
2200
|
138
|
| 2) |
#22-Joey Logano (2 wins) |
2144
|
82
|
| 3) |
#11-Denny Hamlin (6 wins) |
2138
|
76
|
| 4) |
#9-Chase Elliott (2 wins) |
2134
|
72
|
| 5) |
#18-Kyle Busch |
2130
|
68
|
| 6) |
#3-Austin Dillon (1 win) |
2120
|
58
|
| 7) |
#2-Brad Keselowski (4 wins) |
2119
|
57
|
| 8) |
#88-Alex Bowman (1 win) |
2118
|
56
|
| 9) |
#10-Aric Almirola |
2101
|
39
|
| 10) |
#1-Kurt Busch |
2098
|
36
|
| 11) |
#14-Clint Bowyer |
2095
|
33
|
| 12) |
#41-Cole Custer (1 win) |
2067
|
5
|
| Eliminated from Playoffs |
Behind 12th
|
| 13) |
#24-William Byron (1 win) |
2062
|
-5
|
| 14) |
#41-Cole Custer (1 win) |
2058
|
-9
|
| 15) |
#21-Matt DiBenedetto |
2054
|
-13
|
| 16) |
#12-Ryan Blaney |
2019
|
-48
|
| See the Drivers Points Standings and Owners Points Standings. |
Cars to the rear: #15-Yeley (driver change), #11-Hamlin (failed pre-race inspection twice), #18-Busch (failed pre-race inspection twice), #20-Jones (failed pre-race inspection twice), #32-LaJoie (unapproved adjustments), #43-Wallace (unapproved adjustments)
Pit Stall Selections: The selections of pit stalls for the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway have been made. Selections were made based on the starting lineup process.
Pole sitter #2-Keselowski chose pit stall 1.
2nd place starter #22-Logano took the 18th stall.
See all pit choices on the Pit Stall chart.(9-16-2020)
#2-Brad Keselowski will start from the pole for the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
#22-Logano will start second, followed by #19-Truex, Jr., #4-Harvick, #3-Dillon, #9-Elliott, #11-Hamlin, #88-Bowman, #18-Busch, and #10-Almirola.
UPDATE: J.J. Yeley will replace Brennan Poole in the #15.
The lineup was set by the new qualifying procedure, based on race finish, points position, and fastest race lap.
See the complete Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race Starting Lineup.(9-16-2020)
Crew Rosters
Goodyear Tire Notes
The Entry List for the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway is posted, 40 teams/drivers [for 40 spots] are listed.
Some of the drivers entered include: #7-Bilicki, #27-Yeley, #51-Davison, #53-Gase, #77-Sorenson.
UPDATE: Gray Gaulding will be in the #27, Gase in the #51 and Davison in the #52.
UPDATE 2: J.J. Yeley replaces Brennan Poole in the #15.
See the full entry list on the Entry List (pdf).
Rules package: Teams will run the 750 hp package without aero ducts.
Fans: Bristol will allow 30,000 fans for the Cup race and a smaller number for XFINITY.
