# 2020 The Real Heroes 400

The 2020 The Real Heroes 400 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on May 17, 2020, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina, replacing Chicagoland Speedway event. Contested over 293 laps on the 1.366-mile (2.198 km) egg-shaped oval, it was the fifth race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season. It was the first Darlington event held in the spring since 2014, and the first major sporting event in the United States since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic.

## Report
### Background

The 56th edition of this race, last held in 2004, was the first of the NASCAR Cup Series season following a hiatus brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, beginning with the postponement of the Atlanta Motor Speedway race weekend on March 13, 2020, and subsequent postponement of all races through at least early-May. On April 30, 2020, NASCAR announced the resumption of races with twin races at Darlington, including a 400-mile race on May 17, 2020 and a 310-mile (500 kilometer) race the following Wednesday, May 20, 2020. All races will be held behind closed doors with only essential staff present, guidelines for social distancing and use of protective equipment by team staff, and logging to help with contact tracing efforts.
On May 14, 2020, NASCAR announced that the May 17 race would be branded as The Real Heroes 400, the naming was in support of The Real Heroes Project—a collaboration of major U.S. sports leagues to honor health care professionals working during the pandemic. As part of the initiative, the names of drivers printed above the cars' driver-side windows were replaced with the names of health care professionals (determined in collaboration with local Fox affiliates). The selected workers collectively served as Grand Marshals of the race via a video "mosaic".
Ryan Newman returned to racing, having recovered from injuries sustained after the final lap crash of the 2020 Daytona 500. Matt Kenseth made his return to the series, having been named the new driver of the Chip Ganassi Racing No. 42 Chevrolet, after the suspension and firing of Kyle Larson.

#### Entry list

* (R) denotes rookie driver.
* (i) denotes driver who are ineligible for series driver points.
| No. | 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 | Joey Gase (i) | Petty Ware Racing | Ford |
| 53 | Garrett Smithley | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet |
| 66 | Timmy Hill (i) | MBM Motorsports | Toyota |
| 77 | Reed Sorenson | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 78 | B. J. McLeod (i) | B. J. McLeod Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 88 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 95 | Christopher Bell (R) | Leavine Family Racing | Toyota |
| 96 | Daniel Suárez | Gaunt Brothers Racing | Toyota |
| Official entry list ||||
* Brennan Poole competed under Premium Motorsports banner but the team is now owned by Rick Ware (also owner of the Rick Ware Racing).

## Qualifying

Under modified operational procedures, no qualifying sessions were held for this race. The starting order was determined by a random draw, with drivers grouped into pots of positions based on segments of the owners' points standings going into the race.

### Starting Lineup

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer |
| 1 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford |
| 2 | 88 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 3 | 21 | Matt DiBenedetto | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford |
| 4 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 5 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 6 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 7 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford |
| 8 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 9 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford |
| 10 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 11 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 12 | 42 | Matt Kenseth | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet |
| 13 | 14 | Clint Bowyer | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 14 | 41 | Cole Custer (R) | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 15 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 16 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 17 | 43 | Bubba Wallace | Richard Petty Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 18 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 19 | 32 | Corey LaJoie | Go Fas Racing | Ford |
| 20 | 20 | Erik Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 21 | 6 | Ryan Newman | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford |
| 22 | 1 | Kurt Busch | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet |
| 23 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet |
| 24 | 17 | Chris Buescher | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford |
| 25 | 37 | Ryan Preece | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet |
| 26 | 53 | Garrett Smithley | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet |
| 27 | 00 | Quin Houff (R) | StarCom Racing | Chevrolet |
| 28 | 95 | Christopher Bell (R) | Leavine Family Racing | Toyota |
| 29 | 8 | Tyler Reddick (R) | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 30 | 27 | J. J. Yeley (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford |
| 31 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 32 | 51 | Joey Gase (i) | Petty Ware Racing | Ford |
| 33 | 13 | Ty Dillon | Germain Racing | Chevrolet |
| 34 | 38 | John Hunter Nemechek (R) | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 35 | 15 | Brennan Poole (R) | Premium Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 36 | 77 | Reed Sorenson | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 37 | 96 | Daniel Suárez | Gaunt Brothers Racing | Toyota |
| 38 | 66 | Timmy Hill (i) | MBM Motorsports | Toyota |
| 39 | 78 | B. J. McLeod (i) | B. J. McLeod Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 40 | 7 | Josh Bilicki (i) | Tommy Baldwin Racing | Chevrolet |
| Official starting lineup |||||

## Race
### Stage Results

Stage One Laps: 90
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 10 |
| 2 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 9 |
| 3 | 88 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 8 |
| 4 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 7 |
| 5 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford | 6 |
| 6 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 5 |
| 7 | 14 | Clint Bowyer | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 4 |
| 8 | 8 | Tyler Reddick (R) | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 3 |
| 9 | 6 | Ryan Newman | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 2 |
| 10 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 1 |
| Official stage one results ||||||
Stage Two Laps: 95
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford | 10 |
| 2 | 88 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 9 |
| 3 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 8 |
| 4 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 7 |
| 5 | 14 | Clint Bowyer | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 6 |
| 6 | 1 | Kurt Busch | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 5 |
| 7 | 37 | Ryan Preece | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 4 |
| 8 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 3 |
| 9 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 2 |
| 10 | 20 | Erik Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 1 |
| Official stage two results ||||||

### Final Stage Results

Stage Three Laps: 108
| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Points |
| 1 | 6 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 293 | 54 |
| 2 | 2 | 88 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 293 | 52 |
| 3 | 22 | 1 | Kurt Busch | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 293 | 39 |
| 4 | 11 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 293 | 34 |
| 5 | 10 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 293 | 43 |
| 6 | 15 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 293 | 39 |
| 7 | 29 | 8 | Tyler Reddick (R) | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 293 | 33 |
| 8 | 20 | 20 | Erik Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 293 | 30 |
| 9 | 34 | 38 | John Hunter Nemechek (R) | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 293 | 28 |
| 10 | 12 | 42 | Matt Kenseth | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 293 | 27 |
| 11 | 16 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 293 | 26 |
| 12 | 5 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 293 | 30 |
| 13 | 1 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford | 293 | 40 |
| 14 | 3 | 21 | Matt DiBenedetto | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 293 | 23 |
| 15 | 21 | 6 | Ryan Newman | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 293 | 24 |
| 16 | 7 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 293 | 21 |
| 17 | 13 | 14 | Clint Bowyer | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 293 | 30 |
| 18 | 9 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 293 | 22 |
| 19 | 33 | 13 | Ty Dillon | Germain Racing | Chevrolet | 293 | 18 |
| 20 | 25 | 37 | Ryan Preece | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 293 | 21 |
| 21 | 17 | 43 | Bubba Wallace | Richard Petty Motorsports | Chevrolet | 293 | 16 |
| 22 | 14 | 41 | Cole Custer (R) | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 293 | 15 |
| 23 | 31 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 293 | 14 |
| 24 | 28 | 95 | Christopher Bell (R) | Leavine Family Racing | Toyota | 293 | 13 |
| 25 | 37 | 96 | Daniel Suárez | Gaunt Brothers Racing | Toyota | 292 | 12 |
| 26 | 4 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 292 | 11 |
| 27 | 35 | 15 | Brennan Poole (R) | Premium Motorsports | Chevrolet | 292 | 10 |
| 28 | 30 | 27 | J. J. Yeley (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 291 | 0 |
| 29 | 36 | 77 | Reed Sorenson | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 291 | 8 |
| 30 | 32 | 51 | Joey Gase (i) | Petty Ware Racing | Ford | 289 | 0 |
| 31 | 19 | 32 | Corey LaJoie | Go Fas Racing | Ford | 289 | 6 |
| 32 | 24 | 17 | Chris Buescher | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 287 | 5 |
| 33 | 38 | 66 | Timmy Hill (i) | MBM Motorsports | Toyota | 286 | 0 |
| 34 | 40 | 7 | Josh Bilicki (i) | Tommy Baldwin Racing | Chevrolet | 286 | 0 |
| 35 | 18 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 279 | 12 |
| 36 | 27 | 00 | Quin Houff (R) | StarCom Racing | Chevrolet | 137 | 1 |
| 37 | 26 | 53 | Garrett Smithley | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet | 127 | 1 |
| 38 | 8 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 89 | 1 |
| 39 | 39 | 78 | B. J. McLeod (i) | B. J. McLeod Motorsports | Chevrolet | 13 | 0 |
| 40 | 23 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 0 | 1 |
| Official race results ||||||||

### Race statistics

* Lead changes: 10 among 6 different drivers
* Cautions/Laps: 10 for 57
* Red flags: 0
* Time of race: 3 hours, 27 minutes and 21 seconds
* Average speed: 115.815 miles per hour (186.386 km/h)

## Media
### Television

The Real Heroes 400 was carried by Fox in the United States. Mike Joy and seven-time Darlington winner Jeff Gordon called the race from the Fox Sports Studio in Charlotte. Regan Smith handled pit road duties. Larry McReynolds provided insight from the Fox Sports studio in Charlotte.
Fox :
| Booth announcers | Pit reporter | In-race analyst |
| Lap-by-lap: Mike Joy Color-commentator: Jeff Gordon | Regan Smith | Larry McReynolds |

### Radio

The Motor Racing Network (MRN) called the race for radio, which was simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden and Dave Moody called the action for MRN when the field raced down the front stretch. Dillon Welch called the race from a Billboard outside of turn 1 when the field raced through turns 1 and 2, and Steve Post called the race atop of the Darlington Raceway Club outside of turn 3 when the field raced through turns 3 and 4. Kim Coon and Hannah Newhouse called the action on pit road for MRN.
MRN :
| Booth announcers | Turn announcers | Pit reporters |
| Lead announcer: Alex Hayden Announcer: Dave Moody | Turns 1 & 2: Dillon Welch Turns 3 & 4: Steve Post | Kim Coon Hannah Newhouse |

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| | 1 | Kevin Harvick | 218 |
| 2 | 2 | Alex Bowman | 190 (−28) |
| 1 | 3 | Joey Logano | 185 (−33) |
| 1 | 4 | Chase Elliott | 178 (−40) |
| 5 | 5 | Brad Keselowski | 158 (−60) |
| 5 | 6 | Denny Hamlin | 154 (−64) |
| 1 | 7 | Aric Almirola | 151 (−67) |
| 2 | 8 | Ryan Blaney | 144 (−74) |
| | 9 | Matt DiBenedetto | 141 (−77) |
| 4 | 10 | Clint Bowyer | 135 (−83) |
| 4 | 11 | Martin Truex Jr. | 135 (−83) |
| 7 | 12 | Jimmie Johnson | 132 (−86) |
| 3 | 13 | Kurt Busch | 129 (−89) |
| 2 | 14 | Kyle Busch | 122 (−96) |
| 8 | 15 | Kyle Larson | 121 (−97) |
| 2 | 16 | Chris Buescher | 107 (−111) |
| Official driver's standings ||||
| Pos | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1 | Ford | 187 |
| 2 | Chevrolet | 172 (−15) |
| 3 | Toyota | 163 (−24) |