The 2020 Hollywood Casino 400 is a NASCAR Cup Series race that was held on October 18, 2020 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. Contested over 267 laps on the intermediate speedway, it was the 33rd race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, the seventh race of the Playoffs, and first race of the Round of 8.
Report
Background
Kansas Speedway is a tri-oval race track in Kansas City, Kansas. It was built in 2001 and it currently hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The Verizon IndyCar Series also raced at here until 2011. The speedway is owned and operated by the International Speedway Corporation.
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 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 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 49 Chad Finchum (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 51 Joey Gase (i) Petty Ware Racing Ford 53 James Davison 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
Qualifying Chase Elliott was awarded the pole for the race as determined by competition-based formula.
Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 2 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 3 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 4 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 5 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 6 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 7 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 8 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 9 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 10 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 11 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 13 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 14 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 15 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 16 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 17 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 18 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 19 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 20 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 22 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 23 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 24 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 25 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 26 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 27 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 28 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 29 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 30 42 Matt Kenseth Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 31 00 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 32 38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 33 53 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Ford 34 27 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 35 15 Brennan Poole (R) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 36 77 Reed Sorenson Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 37 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 38 51 Joey Gase (i) Petty Ware Racing Ford 39 7 Josh Bilicki (i) Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 40 49 Chad Finchum (i) MBM Motorsports ToyotaOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 80
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 102 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 93 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 75 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 66 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 57 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 48 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 39 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 210 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 80
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 93 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 84 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 75 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 57 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 48 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 39 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 210 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 1Official stage two results
Final Stage results
Stage Three Laps: 107
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 2 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 267 422 4 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 267 483 6 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 464 8 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 267 475 20 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 336 1 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 477 9 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 267 458 10 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 299 5 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 3410 22 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 267 2711 17 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 267 2612 18 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 267 2913 16 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 267 2414 13 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 267 2315 7 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 4016 23 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 267 2117 32 38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 267 2018 24 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 267 1919 26 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 267 1820 11 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 2321 21 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 267 1622 28 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 267 1523 29 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 267 1424 25 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 266 1325 15 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 266 1226 12 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 266 1227 27 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 265 1028 35 15 Brennan Poole (R) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 263 929 19 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 262 830 34 27 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 261 031 14 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 261 632 33 53 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Ford 258 533 31 00 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 258 434 37 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 256 035 39 7 Josh Bilicki (i) Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 254 036 36 77 Reed Sorenson Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 250 137 38 51 Joey Gase (i) Petty Ware Racing Ford 228 038 3 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 197 339 40 49 Chad Finchum (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 154 040 30 42 Matt Kenseth Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 144 1Official race results
The closing laps were met with disdain from some in the journalism and fan ranks, who suggested that the NA18D aerodynamics package used for the race prevented the best driver from winning the race.
Race statistics Lead changes: 17 among 11 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 6 for 31 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 2 hours, 53 minutes and 43 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt Jr. called the action from the booth, the first time since the March Phoenix round that commentators have been on site other than Charlotte. Dave Burns, Parker Kligerman and Marty Snider handled the pit road duties, Rutledge Wood and Super Bowl XLVII champion Bernard Pollard handled the features from their homes during the race.
NBCBooth announcersPit reportersFeatures reporters Lap-by-lap: Rick AllenColor-commentator: Jeff BurtonColor-commentator: Steve LetarteColor-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dave BurnsParker KligermanMarty Snider Rutledge WoodBernard Pollard
Radio MRN had the radio call for the race, which was simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden and Jeff Striegle called the race for MRN when the field raced thru the front straightaway. Dave Moody called the race for MRN from Turns 1 & 2, and Mike Bagley called the race for MRN from turns 3 & 4. Winston Kelley and Steve Post covered the action for MRN from pit lane.
MRN Booth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Jeff Striegle Turns 1 & 2: Dave MoodyTurns 3 & 4: Mike Bagley Winston KelleySteve Post
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Kevin Harvick 4,115 2 Denny Hamlin 4,094 (–21) 3 Brad Keselowski 4,082 (–33) 4 Chase Elliott 4,074 (–41) 5 Joey Logano 4,064 (–51) 1 6 Alex Bowman 4,055 (–60) 1 7 Martin Truex Jr. 4,051 (–64) 8 Kurt Busch 4,009 (–106) 9 Kyle Busch 2,220 (–1,895) 10 Austin Dillon 2,212 (–1,903) 11 Ryan Blaney 2,205 (–1,910) 12 William Byron 2,184 (–1,931) 1 13 Aric Almirola 2,167 (–1,948) 1 14 Clint Bowyer 2,166 (–1,949) 15 Matt DiBenedetto 2,160 (–1,955) 16 Cole Custer 2,146 (–1,969)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Ford 1,226 2 Toyota 1,157 (–69) 3 Chevrolet 1,120 (–106)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
References