The 2020 Coca-Cola 600, the 61st running of the event, was a NASCAR Cup Series race held at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, which started on May 24 and concluded in the early hours of May 25, 2020.
The seventh race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, the Coca-Cola 600 was scheduled to be held over 400 laps of the asphalt speedway, but following a late-race spin by William Byron, a caution period took the race into an overtime finish. Brad Keselowski took the victory after 405 laps had been completed; the completed was the longest race distance in NASCAR history.
Report
Background
The race was held at Charlotte Motor Speedway, located in Concord, North Carolina. The speedway complex includes a quad-oval track that was utilized for the race, as well as a dragstrip and a dirt track. The speedway was built in 1959 by Bruton Smith and is considered the home track for NASCAR with many race teams based in the Charlotte metropolitan area. The track is owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI) with Marcus G. Smith serving as track president.
All four stages were scheduled to consist of 100 laps.
The race was held behind closed doors to an extent, with no spectators admitted in the grandstands. However, owners of the condominiums overlooking turn 1 of the track were able to watch the race from their residences (restricted to up to five per residence for social distancing requirements), for a maximum of 260 fans. As one of the first major events to allow limited spectators, tickets to the event, available exclusively to ownership of the units, started at $7,802 for two nights in a unit, as offered on short-term vacation rental sites.
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 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 7 J. J. Yeley (i) Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 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 27 Gray Gaulding Rick Ware Racing Ford 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 Matt Kenseth 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 Joey Gase (i) Petty Ware Racing Ford 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 77 Ross Chastain (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 78 B. J. McLeod (i) B. J. McLeod Motorsports Ford 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing ToyotaOfficial entry list
Qualifying
Kurt Busch scored the pole for the race with a time of 29.790 and a speed of .
Qualifying results Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 11 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 29.790 248 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.799 39 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.834 442 Matt Kenseth Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 29.847 58 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 29.850 63 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 29.877 722 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 29.925 819 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 29.946 92 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 29.953 1024 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.956 1118 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 30.019 1288 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 30.020 1311 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 30.027 1420 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 30.033 1595 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 30.042 1613 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 30.059 1747 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 30.071 186 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 30.072 1917 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 30.081 2014 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 30.095 2177 Ross Chastain (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 30.150 224 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 30.156 2343 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 30.172 2432 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 30.183 2538 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 30.254 2612 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 30.313 2734 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 30.324 2841 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 30.334 2937 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 30.352 3000 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 30.848 3127 Gray Gaulding Rick Ware Racing Ford 31.160 3266 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 31.234 3321 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 31.452 347 J. J. Yeley (i) Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 31.480 3515 Brennan Poole (R) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 31.502 3678 B. J. McLeod (i) B. J. McLeod Motorsports Ford 31.590 3796 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 31.858 3853 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 31.971 3951 Joey Gase (i) Petty Ware Racing Ford 33.538 4010 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 0.000Official qualifying results
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 100
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 102 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 84 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 75 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 66 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 48 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 210 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 100
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 102 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 75 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 48 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 39 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 210 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 1Official stage two results
Stage Three Laps: 100
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 102 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 93 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 84 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 75 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 66 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 48 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 39 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 210 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 1Official stage three results
Final Stage Results
Stage Four Laps: 100
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 9 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 405 442 3 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 405 493 26 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 405 444 11 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 405 525 22 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 405 336 8 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 405 567 1 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 405 328 5 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 405 379 15 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 405 2810 19 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 405 2711 14 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 405 3612 28 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 405 2513 7 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 405 4414 6 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 405 3315 40 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 405 2216 25 38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 405 2117 33 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 405 2018 27 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 405 1919 12 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 405 4720 10 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 404 2921 21 77 Ross Chastain (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 403 022 29 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 403 1523 24 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 403 1424 17 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 402 1325 16 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 401 1226 4 42 Matt Kenseth Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 401 1127 18 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 400 1128 37 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 399 929 13 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 398 830 35 15 Brennan Poole (R) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 398 731 31 27 Gray Gaulding Rick Ware Racing Ford 397 632 36 78 B. J. McLeod (i) B. J. McLeod Motorsports Ford 393 033 38 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 391 034 32 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 390 035 30 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 390 236 39 51 Joey Gase (i) Petty Ware Racing Ford 385 037 34 7 J. J. Yeley (i) Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 251 038 23 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 164 139 20 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 96 1DSQ 2 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 405 1Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 20 among 11 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 8 for 52 Red flags: 1 for 1 hour, 8 minutes and 35 seconds Time of race: 4 hours, 29 minutes and 55 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television Fox Sports televised the race in the United States for the 20th consecutive year. Mike Joy and three-time Coca-Cola 600 winner, Jeff Gordon covered the race from the Steve Byrnes Studio in Charlotte. Jamie Little and Regan Smith handled the pit road duties. Larry McReynolds provided insight from the Fox Sports studio in Charlotte.
FoxBooth announcersPit reportersIn-race analyst Lap-by-lap: Mike JoyColor-commentator: Jeff Gordon Jamie LittleRegan Smith Larry McReynolds
Radio Radio coverage of the race was broadcast by the Performance Racing Network (PRN), and was simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Doug Rice and Mark Garrow called the race in the booth when the field raced through the quad-oval. Rob Albright called the race from a billboard in turn 2 when the field was racing through turns 1 and 2 and halfway down the backstretch. Pat Patterson called the race from a billboard outside of turn 3 when the field raced through the other half of the backstretch and through turns 3 and 4. Brad Gillie, Brett McMillan and Wendy Venturini were the pit reporters during the broadcast.
PRN RadioBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Doug RiceAnnouncer: Mark Garrow Turns 1 & 2: Rob AlbrightTurns 3 & 4: Pat Patterson Brad GillieBrett McMillanWendy Venturini
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Kevin Harvick 291 2 Joey Logano 268 (–23) 3 Alex Bowman 266 (–25) 1 4 Chase Elliott 241 (–50) 1 5 Brad Keselowski 235 (–56) 2 6 Martin Truex Jr. 235 (–56) 4 7 Ryan Blaney 212 (–79) 4 8 Denny Hamlin 209 (–82) 4 9 Kyle Busch 209 (–82) 3 10 Aric Almirola 208 (–83) 2 11 Matt DiBenedetto 190 (–101) 2 12 Kurt Busch 182 (–108) 2 13 Erik Jones 182 (–109) 4 14 Clint Bowyer 171 (–120) 3 15 Jimmie Johnson 162 (–129) 1 16 Tyler Reddick 162 (–129)Official driver's standings