The 2020 Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on February 23, 2020, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas. Contested over 267 laps on the asphalt intermediate speedway, it was the second race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season. It was the first NASCAR Cup Series race run without Ryan Newman and David Ragan in the field since Loudon, 2001 and Homestead, 2006 respectively. Joey Logano was the race winner.
Report
Background
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada outside the Las Vegas city limits and about 15 miles northeast of the Las Vegas Strip, is a complex of multiple tracks for motorsports racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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 Ross Chastain (i) Roush Fenway Racing Ford 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 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 Kyle Larson 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 51 Garrett Smithley Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 52 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 53 Joey Gase (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
Practice
First practice Aric Almirola was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 30.226 seconds and a speed of .
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 30.226 178.654 2 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 30.272 178.383 3 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 30.325 178.071Official first practice results
Final practice Jimmie Johnson was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 30.095 seconds and a speed of .
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 30.095 179.432 2 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 30.122 179.271 3 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 30.139 179.170Official final practice results
Qualifying Qualifying for Saturday was cancelled due to rain and Kyle Busch was awarded the pole as a result.
Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 2 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 3 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 4 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 5 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 6 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 7 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 8 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 9 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 10 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 11 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 12 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 13 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 14 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 15 6 Ross Chastain (i) Roush Fenway Racing Ford 16 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 17 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 18 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 19 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 20 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 21 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 22 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 23 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 24 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 25 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 26 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 27 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 28 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 29 38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 30 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 31 53 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 32 00 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 33 15 Brennan Poole (R) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 34 51 Garrett Smithley Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 35 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 36 77 Reed Sorenson Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 37 52 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 38 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports ToyotaOfficial starting lineup
Polesitter Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, and Christopher Bell all started at the back after failing inspection.
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 80
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 102 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 84 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 75 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 66 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 57 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 48 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 210 6 Ross Chastain (i) Roush Fenway Racing Ford 0Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 80
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 102 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 93 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 75 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 66 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 57 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 48 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 39 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 210 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 107
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 5 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 267 522 19 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 267 353 26 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 267 344 21 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 267 335 18 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 386 27 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 267 317 8 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 267 308 3 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 267 429 6 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 267 3510 24 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 267 2711 7 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 267 4212 9 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 267 2513 12 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 2914 23 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 267 2315 1 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 2316 30 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 267 2117 4 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 2018 25 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 267 1919 17 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 267 1820 2 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 3421 14 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 267 1622 11 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 2723 16 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 1424 29 38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 267 1325 13 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 266 1226 10 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 266 3127 15 6 Ross Chastain (i) Roush Fenway Racing Ford 265 028 37 52 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 264 029 33 15 Brennan Poole (R) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 264 830 35 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 263 731 31 53 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 258 032 32 00 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 258 533 22 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 257 434 36 77 Reed Sorenson Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 253 335 34 51 Garrett Smithley Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 252 236 28 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 245 137 20 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 222 138 38 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 175 0Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 25 among 7 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 9 for 37 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 2 hours, 58 minutes and 11 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television Fox Sports covered their 20th race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Mike Joy and 2001 race winner Jeff Gordon called from the booth for the race. Jamie Little, Regan Smith, Vince Welch and Matt Yocum handled the pit road duties for the television side. Larry McReynolds and Jamie McMurray provided insight from the Fox Sports studio in Charlotte.
FoxBooth announcersPit reportersIn-race analysts Lap-by-lap: Mike JoyColor-commentator: Jeff Gordon Jamie LittleRegan SmithVince WelchMatt Yocum Larry McReynoldsJamie McMurray
Radio PRN covered the radio call for the race which was simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Doug Rice and Mark Garrow called the race in the booth when the field raced through the tri-oval. Rob Albright called the race from a billboard in turn 2 when the field raced through turns 1 and 2. Pat Patterson called the race from a billboard outside of turn 3 when the field raced through turns 3 and 4. Brad Gillie, Brett McMillan, Wendy Venturini and Heather DeBeaux worked pit road for the radio side.
PRN Booth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Doug RiceAnnouncer: Mark Garrow Turns 1 & 2: Rob AlbrightTurns 3 & 4: Pat Patterson Brad GillieBrett McMillanWendy VenturiniHeather DeBeaux
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 1 Ryan Blaney 85 11 2 Joey Logano 82 (–3) 3 Kevin Harvick 81 (–4) 2 4 Kyle Larson 70 (–15) 4 5 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 66 (–19) 1 6 Chase Elliott 65 (–20) 5 7 Austin Dillon 63 (–22) 4 8 Chris Buescher 61 (–24) 8 9 Denny Hamlin 60 (–25) 7 10 Matt DiBenedetto 60 (–25) 10 11 Jimmie Johnson 60 (–25) 3 12 Bubba Wallace 59 (–26) 2 13 Clint Bowyer 56 (–29) 6 14 Alex Bowman 51 (–34) 1 15 Corey LaJoie 50 (–35) 8 16 Martin Truex Jr. 50 (–35)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 1 Ford 75 1 2 Chevrolet 64 (–11) 2 3 Toyota 62 (–13)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
References