2019 AAA Texas 500

The 2019 AAA Texas 500 was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held on November 3, 2019, 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 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, eighth race of the Playoffs, and second race of the Round of 8.

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 1.5 mi 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 Speedways, as well as the short-track Bristol Motor Speedway.

Entry list

 * (i) denotes driver who are ineligible for series driver points.
 * (R) denotes rookie driver.

First practice
Clint Bowyer was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 28.620 seconds and a speed of 188.679 mph.

Final practice
Aric Almirola was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 28.638 seconds and a speed of 188.561 mph.

Qualifying
Kevin Harvick scored the pole for the race with a time of 28.465 and a speed of 189.707 mph.

Stage 1
Jones led the first lap as he raced side-by-side with Harvick until Kevin took control the next time around. Just 8 laps in, Chase Elliott(9) got loose in Turn 2. He could not catch the car in the traction compound and slammed the wall. Elliott started the race in 8th place, 44 points below the cut line. Significant damage to Elliott’s car is going to put him in a must-win next week at Phoenix.

Corey LaJoie(32) damaged the right rear of his car when he got up high and slid through the traction compound in Turn 4. The caution flag waved on Lap 42 and most of the leaders took the opportunity to pit for fresh tires and fuel.

When the race restarted, Clint Bowyer(14), Jones, Martin Truex Jr(19), Harvick, and Ryan Preece(47) were the top 5. Unfortunately, the green flag did not stay out for long as both Brad Keselowski(2) and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.(17) got loose in the traction compound on Turn 4 on Lap 53. Stenhouse slammed into the back of Keselowski destroying both race cars.

On Lap 71, Corey LaJoie wrecked again, this time in Turn 3. The caution allowed some teams to pit and vie for track position at the end of the Stage. The race restarted with nine laps to go and Bowyer still in the lead. This time Harvick and Kyle Busch(18) were battling for 2nd.

Denny Hamlin(11), another of the playoff contenders, spun off Turn 4 on Lap 80, just five laps from the green and white checkered flag. He slid through the grass on the tri-oval tearing up the front splitter and undercarriage of his car.

Hamlin’s crew worked to repair the car, while track crews worked to get the race back to green for the end of the Stage. On the restart with one lap to go in the Stage Harvick jumped to the lead and took the win with the 10 bonus points, Bowyer finished in 2nd.

The timing of the green flag proved beneficial to Hamlin. He was able to get back on the track prior to the restart and catch the end of the field when the green flag waved. Hamlin exceeded the minimum speed necessary to come off the damaged vehicle clock. That was important because it allowed his crew to call Denny back to pit road several times during the Stage ending caution to work on the car.

Stage 2
Jimmie Johnson(48) and Alex Bowman(88) led the field back to the green flag to start Stage 2. They swapped the lead until Johnson pulled out front and set the pace. Aric Almirola(10), Jones and Daniel Suarez(41) made up the top 5.

After six cautions in Stage 1, things settled down in Stage 2 and green flag pit stops started 55 laps in. After pit stops cycled through, Almirola was the leader over Jones and Johnson. Aric held on for the Stage win with Michigan’s own Erik Jones moving up to 2nd.

The Final Stage
Suarez took the lead at the beginning of the Final Stage followed by William Byron(24), Johnson, Jones, and Kurt Busch(1). On Lap 186, Johnson spun in the middle of Turns 1 & 2, not due to the traction compound, he just lost it. The #48 car tapped the wall damaging the right rear and ultimately putting Johnson out of the race.

During the caution, several drivers opted to pit as teams began developing strategies for the end of the race. Harvick was penalized on his stop for equipment over the wall, a tire was resting in the pit stall in case they needed to make a change, that is not legal and Harvick was sent to the rear of the field.

On the restart, David Ragan(38) and Garrett Smithley(52) got together in Turn 2, bringing out the caution again.

As he was at the rear of the field already, Harvick pitted again to take on four tires and fill his gas tank.

Back to green, Suarez led briefly until Almirola passed him for the top spot. Almirola led for 39 laps until pitting from the lead. During green flag pit stops, Bubba Wallace had a tire go down and spun on the apron. The caution caught a number of cars a lap down, as pit stop finish out under caution it will scramble the field for the restart.

When the race restarted, Almirola was back out front. He had to fight off a challenge from Suarez but lurking in 3rd was Harvick. Having overcome the penalty earlier in the race Harvick passed Suarez and set his sites on the leader. With 79 laps to go Harvick was back out front. Almirola held onto 2nd, he was followed by Kyle Busch, Suarez, and Logano.

The Finish
Harvick led after all pit stops were complete. But, his lead was cut in half by Almirola in 2nd. Harvick likely gave up that time being careful entering and exiting pit road. Because once back on the track, he again began to pull away.

Holding on to the lead, Harvick booked his ticket to Homestead with the victory. Ford Performance finished 1,2, 3, 4 with Almirola in 2nd, Suarez 3rd, and Logano 4th.

Playoff Implications
Chase Elliott will have to win to advance to Homestead at 78 below the cut line there is no way he can qualify on points. Hamlin’s troubles dropped him below the cut line, he sits 20 points below Logano who is on the bubble. Kyle Busch is only two points ahead of Logano, both could be in danger is someone below the cut lines posts a win at Phoenix.

Hamlin, Blaney, and Larson would need a big day and probably a little help to make up a 20-23 point deficit. But, no one is going to feel safe until the checkered flag drops at Phoenix and the in-car radio says “you’re on to Homestead!”

Stage results
Stage One Laps: 85

Stage Two Laps: 85

Final stage results
Stage Three Laps: 164

Race statistics

 * Lead changes: 26 among 11 different drivers
 * Cautions/Laps: 11 for 56
 * Red flags: 0
 * Time of race: 3 hours, 44 minutes and 44 seconds
 * Average speed: 133.759 mph

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. had the call in the booth for the race. Dave Burns, Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast reported from pit lane during the race.

Radio
PRN covered their final 2019 broadcast, which was simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Doug Rice & Mark Garrow covered the action for PRN when the field raced down the front straightaway. Doug Turnbull 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, Wendy Venturini and Heather Debeaux had the call from pit lane for PRN.

Standings after the race

 * Manufacturers' Championship standings
 * Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.