2020 Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race

The 2020 Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race presented by Wendy's was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on September 19, 2020 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. Contested over 500 laps on the .533 mi short track, it was be the 29th race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, third race of the Playoffs and final race of the Round of 16.

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.

Qualifying
Brad Keselowski was awarded the pole for the race as determined by competition-based formula.

Stage 1
Brad Keselowski and Harvick jumped to the lead at the drop of the green followed by Joey Logano. Brad led the first 18 laps until Kevin Harvick caught him in lapped traffic and drove past into the lead. NASCAR had scheduled a competition caution for after 30 laps. Trouble struck before then. Jimmie Johnson turned down into Ricky Stenhouse Jr. along the backstretch sending Stenhouse spinning into the wall. Extensive damage to the #47 retired Ricky to the garage, the first driver out of the race.

Tyler Reddick and Matt DiBenedetto sat on the front row for the restart. Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano behind them. Matty D led briefly thanks to taking just two tires on his pitstop. However, it did not take long for Keselowski to move past and resume the lead. With 100 laps on the board, the Top 5 were Keselowski, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, Kyle Busch, and Matt DiBenedetto. Kyle Busch’s run from the rear of the field was expected, given his past success at Bristol.

The battle for Stage points intensified over the final 25 laps. Chase Elliott took over the top spot and Kyle Busch made a mad dash to catch him. Chase took the Stage Win, with Kyle trapped in lapped traffic taking 2nd. Keselowski faded to 7th and Logano finished in the 9th position.

Joey Logano’s Stage finish gave him enough points to clinch a spot in the next round, regardless of his final outcome in the race. Ryan Blaney did not gain a Stage point and now must win if he is to advance to Round 2.

Stage 2
Kyle Busch and Alex Bowman led the field on the restart. Busch has said repeatedly he is concentrating on keeping his 15-year win streak alive. Still, the 9 Stage points will help him move farther away from the cut line. Fifty laps into Stage 2, Kyle Busch remained the leader. Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, and Kurt Busch trailed the #18 car.

Matt DiBenedetto needed a perfect race to stay in the playoff hunt. A loose right rear wheel brought him to pit road for a green-flag pit stop. Matt dropped three laps behind the leaders. Fresh tires allowed DiBenedetto to gain a lap back on the track.

Martin Truex Jr. had the exact same problem on his race car and had to pit for four new tires. He also went three laps down. But, when Truex returned to the track the handle on his car had gone away and he went another lap down. Unfortunately, when his car would not turn, Truex climbed the track right in front of his teammate Denny Hamlin. Contact between the two caused significant damage to Hamlin’s car wrinkling the hood while damaging the nose of the #11. Truex suffered some damage to the rear of his car, both were able to continue racing.

Joey Gase, running 18 laps down, checked up in the middle of the race track. Christopher Bell slammed on the brakes to avoid him and William Byron ran into the back of Bell. Extensive damage to the radiator and oil lines sent Byron to the garage and out of the race. The first driver to be eliminated at the end of Round 1.

The resulting yellow flag allowed Matt DiBenedetto to get another of his laps back as he stayed out during the caution period and took the wave around. With 2 laps to go in Stage 2, Ryan Newman spun and brought out the caution again. DeBenedetto was the 1st car a lap down and got the lucky dog free pass to return to the lead lap.

A big break for the Wood Brothers Racing #21 Ford Mustang as Matt DiBenedetto will need a win to advance after not scoring any Stage points heading into the final segment of the race.

Kyle Busch held on for the Stage Win, Kevin Harvick took the 2nd spot with Chase Elliott finishing in 3rd.

The Final Stage
With the Stage points earned through the evening, Chase Elliott advanced to the next round. It was Busch and Harvick back out front at the start of the Final Stage until Harvick passed for the lead on Lap 280. Running 250 laps will require at least one pit stop, whether it happens under green or the race has more caution flags will likely determine the outcome.

Brad Keselowski complained that his car had lost power steering and he began to drop back in the field. NASCAR eventually black-flagged the #2 for not maintaining the minimum competitive speed. No worries, Brad advanced with his win last week at Richmond.

Alex Bowman and Kurt Busch both came to pit road complaining of a vibration. They joined Martin Truex Jr. 3 laps down to the leaders. The track position was more critical for Busch as he dropped onto the bubble based on where everyone was running at the time.

As the leaders lapped slower cars, Kyle Busch made a couple of runs at Kevin Harvick without success. Green flag pit stops for the leaders began with Logano hitting pit road with 130 laps to go.

Harvick was one of the last to pit, as he headed for pit road with 94 laps to go. Austin Dillon checked up as Harvick was slowing and collided with James Davison. Quick action by Harvick’s spotter had him staying on the track trapping a number of cars laps down.

The Finish
When everything settled out there were only 6 cars left on the lead lap. On the restart, with 73 laps to go, it was Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch out front. Erik Jones, Clint Bowyer, Tyler Reddick, and Aric Almirola competing for the win.

With 50 laps to go, the running order was the same for the leaders. Kyle Busch began to put pressure on Harvick as they worked through lapped traffic. With 40 to go, Kyle Busch drove to the lead as Harvick got trapped behind a slower car.

Only 31 to go and Kyle Busch had a difficult time lapping Kevin Harvick resumed the lead after getting to the low side of Busch. The next car in line was Busch’s teammate Denny Hamlin. Denny Hamlin pulled over and let the leaders pass.

With 20 to go, Harvick was pushing hard to stay out front. His car seemed to be getting looser with every lap as Kyle Busch closed to a car length. Kyle Busch got to Kevin Harvick’s door with 5 to go, but Harvick quickly pulled away exiting the corner. Looking for the opportunity to pull off the bump and run, Busch was never able to get to Kevin Harvick who won for the 9th time this season. Twice in this round of playoffs. Kyle Busch will have to wait another week to try and extend his annual win streak to 16 years and he does advance to the Round of 12.

Playoff Standings
Cole Custer, William Byron, Ryan Blaney, and Matt DiBenedetto were the four drivers eliminated from the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs at the end of Round 1. Points now reset with playoff points earned in Round 1 being added to the season’s totals. With a 67 point advantage to start Round 2, Kevin Harvick almost has a free pass into the Round of 8.

Five Ford Mustangs remain in the hunt for the Cup Championship. Aric Almirola and Clint Bowyer start Round 2 below the cut line, joined by the Busch brothers.

Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 125

Stage Two Laps: 125

Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 250

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: 95.911 mph

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 Fan Zane and Victory Lane during the race.

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.

Standings after the race

 * Drivers' Championship standings


 * Manufacturers' Championship standings


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