The 2020 Consumers Energy 400 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on August 9, 2020, and was held over 500 kilometers (312 miles), shortened by 44 laps from the original distance because of modified NASCAR rules for doubleheader races, one of three Cup Series events to be run under the doubleheader format; however, the race retained the original 400-mile name. It was the 22nd race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.
During both Michigan races that season Reed Sorenson ran a special #74 Fake Steak sponsored car fielded by Spire Motorsports that was used to gather footage that was used in the 2021 Netflix sitcom The Crew. Despite being used for filming he was officially classified as being in the race and finished 31st.
This was the final time the Cup Series had a second race at Michigan, as the second race was dropped in 2021.
Report
Background
The race was held at Michigan International Speedway, a moderate-banked D-shaped speedway located in Brooklyn, Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas World Speedway, and was used as the basis of Auto Club Speedway. The track is owned by International Speedway Corporation. Michigan International Speedway is recognized as one of motorsports' premier facilities because of its wide racing surface and high banking (by open-wheel standards; the 18-degree banking is modest by stock car standards).
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 Josh Bilicki (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 J. J. Yeley (i) 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 James Davison Petty Ware Racing Ford 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 74 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
Qualifying Chris Buescher was awarded the pole for the race as determined by the top 20 from Saturday's finishing order inverted.
Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 2 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 3 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 42 Matt Kenseth Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 5 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 6 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 7 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 8 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 9 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 11 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 12 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 13 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 14 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 15 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 16 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 17 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 18 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 19 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 20 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 21 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 22 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 23 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 24 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 25 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 26 27 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 27 00 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 28 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 29 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 30 74 Reed Sorenson Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 31 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 32 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 33 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 34 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 35 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 36 38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 37 15 Brennan Poole (R) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 38 51 James Davison Petty Ware Racing Ford 39 7 Josh Bilicki (i) Tommy Baldwin Racing ChevroletOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 40
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 102 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 93 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 75 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 66 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 57 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 48 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 39 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 210 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 45
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 102 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 93 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 75 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 66 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 48 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 39 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 210 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 71
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 20 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 156 532 15 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 156 403 18 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 156 344 16 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 156 495 13 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 156 356 5 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 156 347 6 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 156 378 31 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 156 299 14 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 156 2810 11 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 156 2911 9 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 156 2612 7 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 156 3013 28 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 156 2414 2 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 156 3915 4 42 Matt Kenseth Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 156 2216 25 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 156 2117 8 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 156 3618 23 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 156 1919 32 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 156 1820 1 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 156 1721 12 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 156 1622 22 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 156 1523 36 38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 156 1424 3 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 156 1325 34 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 156 1226 24 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 156 1127 10 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 156 2028 29 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 156 929 26 27 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 154 030 37 15 Brennan Poole (R) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 153 731 30 74 Reed Sorenson Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 153 632 27 00 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 153 533 39 7 Josh Bilicki (i) Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 152 034 35 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 152 035 33 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 150 036 21 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 149 137 38 51 James Davison Petty Ware Racing Ford 147 138 17 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 95 639 19 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 95 10Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 10 among 6 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 5 for 24 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 2 hours, 9 minutes and 35 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and two-time Michigan winner, Dale Earnhardt Jr. covered the race from the booth at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast handled the pit road duties on site, and Rutledge Wood handled the features from his home during the race.
NBCSNBooth announcersPit reportersFeatures reporter Lap-by-lap: Rick AllenColor-commentator: Jeff BurtonColor-commentator: Steve LetarteColor-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Marty SniderKelli Stavast Rutledge Wood
Radio Radio coverage of the race was broadcast by Motor Racing Network (MRN) and simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden and Jeff Striegle called the race in the booth while the field is racing on the front stretch. Dave Moody called the race from a billboard outside of turn 2 when the field is racing through turns 1 and 2. Kyle Rickey called the race from a platform outside of turn 3 when the field races through turns 3 and 4. Winston Kelley and Kim Coon worked pit road for the radio side.
MRNBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Jeff Striegle Turns 1 & 2: Dave MoodyTurns 3 & 4: Kyle Rickey Winston KelleyKim Coon
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Kevin Harvick 916 2 Brad Keselowski 779 (–137) 3 Denny Hamlin 776 (–140) 4 Ryan Blaney 741 (–175) 5 Chase Elliott 721 (–195) 6 Joey Logano 717 (–199) 7 Martin Truex Jr. 716 (–200) 8 Aric Almirola 669 (–247) 1 9 Kyle Busch 651 (–265) 1 10 Kurt Busch 648 (–268) 11 Alex Bowman 585 (–331) 12 Clint Bowyer 571 (–345) 13 Matt DiBenedetto 568 (–348) 14 William Byron 537 (–379) 15 Erik Jones 511 (–405) 1 16 Jimmie Johnson 511 (–405)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Ford 828 2 Toyota 770 (–58) 3 Chevrolet 725 (–103)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings. . – Driver has clinched a position in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
References