NASCAR: Bristol results, standings – Kevin Harvick wins
By Asher Fair
Kevin Harvick held off Kyle Busch to win the final race of the round of 16 of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
It was BUSCH finishing ahead of Busch in the third and final race of the opening round of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs Bristol Motor Speedway, the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race.
Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch exchanged the lead twice in a late battle, but it was the #4 Ford that crossed the finish line by 0.310 seconds ahead of the #18 Toyota, netting Harvick his series-high and career-high ninth win of the season. Busch remains winless since winning the 2019 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Harvick, who started in fourth place, led a race-high 226 laps of this 500-lap race around the four-turn, 0.533-mile (0.858-kilometer) high-banked oval in Bristol, Tennessee, while Busch ranked second in the category with 159 laps led.
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Harvick also won the opening race of the round of 16 at Darlington Raceway two weeks ago to secure his spot in the round of 12. The only other winner of the round of 16 was Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski, who won last Saturday night at Richmond Raceway.
Non-playoff drivers Erik Jones of Joe Gibbs Racing and rookie Tyler Reddick of Richard Childress Racing finished in third and fourth place behind the wheels of their #20 Toyota and #8 Chevrolet, respectively.
Only six drivers finished on the lead lap as a result of when the final caution flag flew. Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Aric Almirola and Clint Bowyer were the final two among that group, as they finished in fifth and sixth place behind the wheels of the #10 Ford and #14 Ford, respectively.
Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott led the pack of driver who failed to finish on the lead lap. He had been running in second place behind Harvick before pitting just before the caution flag flew and mired him two laps down, which turned into one lap down after he took the wave-around.
The remainder of the top 10 had exceptional runs. Roush Fenway Racing’s Chris Buescher finished in eighth place behind the wheel of the #17 Ford finished in eighth place ahead of JTG Daugherty Racing’s Ryan Preece in a season-high ninth behind the wheel of the #37 Chevrolet and Front Row Motorsports’ Michael McDowell behind the wheel of the #34 Ford in 10th.
The race featured 14 lead changes among eight drivers, and 33 of the 40 drivers who competed in it finished it.
Stewart-Haas Racing rookie Cole Custer, Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron, Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney and Wood Brothers Racing’s Matt DiBenedetto were eliminated from playoff contention with disappointing finishes of 23rd, 38th, 13th and 19th place, respectively. to conclude the round of 16.
Here are the full race results of the 2020 Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Race Results
1st – Kevin Harvick
2nd – Kyle Busch
3rd – Erik Jones
4th – Tyler Reddick
5th – Aric Almirola
6th – Clint Bowyer
7th – Chase Elliott
8th – Chris Buescher
9th – Ryan Preece
10th – Michael McDowell
11th – Joey Logano
12th – Austin Dillon
13th – Ryan Blaney
14th – Matt Kenseth
15th – Kurt Busch
16th – Alex Bowman
17th – Jimmie Johnson
18th – Ty Dillon
19th – Matt DiBenedetto
20th – John Hunter Nemechek
21st – Denny Hamlin
22nd – Bubba Wallace
23rd – Cole Custer
24th – Martin Truex Jr.
25th – Ryan Newman
26th – Daniel Suarez
27th – Gray Gaulding
28th – Christopher Bell
29th – Quin Houff
30th – J.J. Yeley
31st – Joey Gase
32nd – Garrett Smithley
33rd – Corey LaJoie
34th – Brad Keselowski
35th – James Davison
36th – Reed Sorenson
37th – Timmy Hill
38th – William Byron
39th – Josh Bilicki
40th – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Here are the updated playoff standings following Harvick’s win.
Rank – Driver: Points (Behind), (Wins/Playoff Points), (+/- cut line)
1st – Kevin Harvick: 3067 (0), (9 WINS/67 PP), (+62)
2nd – Denny Hamlin: 3048 (-19), (6 WINS/48 PP), (+43)
3rd – Brad Keselowski: 3035 (-32), (4 WINS/35 PP), (+30)
4th – Joey Logano: 3022 (-45), (2 WINS/22 PP), (+17)
5th – Chase Elliott: 3021 (-46), (2 WINS/21 PP), (+16)
6th – Martin Truex Jr.: 3016 (-51), (1 WIN/16 PP), (+11)
7th – Alex Bowman: 3009 (-58), (1 WIN/9 PP), (+4)
8th – Austin Dillon: 3005 (-62), (1 WIN/5 PP), (+0)
————ROUND OF 8 CUT LINE————
8th – Aric Almirola: 3005 (-62), (0 WINS/5 PP), (0)
10th – Kyle Busch: 3004 (-63), (0 WINS/4 PP), (-1)
10th – Clint Bowyer: 3004 (-63), (0 WINS/4 PP), (-1)
12th – Kurt Busch: 3001 (-66), (0 WINS/1 PP), (-4)
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The next race on the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the opening race of the three-race round of 12 of the playoffs. This race, the South Point 400, is set to be broadcast live from Las Vegas Motor Speedway on NBC Sports Network beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 27.