2020 Season Finale 500

NASCAR Cup Series raceTemplate:SHORTDESC:NASCAR Cup Series race

The **2020 Season Finale 500** was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on November 8, 2020 at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona. Contested over 312 laps on the one mile (1.6 km) oval, it was the 36th and final race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.

The Season Finale 500 was the final start for seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson, 2012 Cup runner-up Clint Bowyer, and 2003 Winston Cup champion Matt Kenseth as full-time Cup Series drivers.

## Report

### Background

**Phoenix Raceway** – also known as **PIR** – is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. It is named after the nearby metropolitan area of Phoenix. The motorsport track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the IndyCar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series. The raceway is currently owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation.

The raceway was originally constructed with a 2.5 mi (4.0 km) road course that ran both inside and outside of the main tri-oval. In 1991 the track was reconfigured with the current 1.51 mi (2.43 km) interior layout. PIR has an estimated grandstand seating capacity of around 67,000. Lights were installed around the track in 2004 following the addition of a second annual NASCAR race weekend.

Phoenix Raceway is home to two annual NASCAR race weekends, one of 13 facilities on the NASCAR schedule to host more than one race weekend a year. The track is both the first and last stop in the western United States, as well as the fourth and the last track on the schedule.

This was the first time the championship race was held in Phoenix.

#### Championship drivers

Joey Logano was the first of the four drivers to clinch a spot in the Championship 4, winning the first race of the Round of 8 at Kansas.

Chase Elliott clinched the second spot in the Championship 4, winning the final race of the Round of 8 at Martinsville.

Brad Keselowski clinched the third spot in the Championship 4 based on points.

Denny Hamlin clinched the final spot in the Championship 4 based on points.

#### Entry list

* **(R)** denotes rookie driver.
* **(i)** denotes driver who are ineligible for series driver points.

## Qualifying

Chase Elliott was awarded the pole for the race as determined by competition-based formula. However he was sent to the rear of the field as a result of failing pre-race inspection multiple times.

## Race

### The Start

Joey Logano jumped to the lead on the drop of the green flag. He led every lap until the competition caution flag waved on Lap 31. Chase Elliott began to immediately carve his way through the field and was up to 10th when the scheduled service brought the cars to pit road.

Logano resumed the lead after being the first to exit the pits. He was followed by Denny Hamlin, Alex Bowman, Kyle Busch, and Clint Bowyer.

On Lap 46, Elliott passed Alex Bowman to take over the 3rd spot, and three laps later Brad Keselowski took over 4th from Bowman lining up the Championship 4 at the front of the field. Content to run out front, the line-up remained the same till the green and white checkered flag ended the Stage at Lap 75.

### Stage 2

Remarkably, the leaders returned to the track in the same order they entered pit road for the Stage ending caution. Restarts are always dicey at Phoenix as cars can go five to six wide down into the dogleg. It will be interesting to see if any of the leaders mix it up this early in the race.

On the restart, everyone falls into place. Brad Keselowski drops to 6th not wanting to get mixed up in an incident with another car. Chase Elliott tried to pass Hamlin, they raced side-by-side for several laps until the #11 car prevailed. Once he put Elliott behind him, Denny Hamlin began to pressure Logano. Joey complained of a wheel vibration, his crew told him to try and hold on until they were in their pit window for Stage 2.

The lead shrank as Logano slowed slightly to take care of his car. Hamlin tried to pass the leader and he was unsuccessful. This allowed Chase Elliott to close and pass Hamlin for 2nd. On lap 120, Chase Elliott drove to the front, Hamlin also passed Logano who was noticeably slower.

Brad Keselowski was the first to pit under green on Lap 128. He took on enough fuel to be able to finish the Stage. However, pitting early put Brad a lap down, he must hope the caution does not come out before pit stops cycle through.

Logano pitted on Lap 138, Elliott and Hamlin pitted a lap later. When pit stops were complete, among the Championship 4, Keselowski was ahead, Elliott, Hamlin, and Logano all ran nose to tail.

The yellow flag came out on Lap 160 when James Davison hit the wall in Turn 2. This allowed everyone to pit for fresh tires and fuel with 23 laps to go in Stage 2. Kurt Busch was first off pit road, taking only two tires on his stop. He and Elliott paced the field to the restart.

Chase Elliott passed quickly for the lead while Logano, Keselowski, and Hamlin raced three-wide behind Kurt Busch. Brad Keselowski came out ahead in that battle, moved past Busch, and took the lead from Elliott on Lap 173. Logano and Hamlin returned to 3rd and 4th respectively.

With seven laps to go in the Stage, Elliott was back out front. Brad Keselowski continued to fight for the position and hounded Elliott over the closing laps, edging his Penske Ford Mustang out front on the final lap of Stage 2.

### The Final Stage

Racing to Lap 312 and the checkered flag the race restarted on Lap 201. Chase Elliott and Joey Logano on the front row with Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski falling in behind as the field strung out after taking the green. Keselowski moved into 3rd and the Top 4 seemed content to ride to the next pit stop.

With 54 laps to go, Logano and Hamlin pitted. Elliott and Keselowski came in on the next lap. The move worked for Logano as he came out as the leader 1.5 seconds ahead of Chase Elliott. Hamlin was over four seconds back and Keselowski almost five seconds off the lead.

It’s looking like it will be a two-car race to the finish as the leaders work through lapped traffic. With 43 laps to go, Elliott is on Joey Logano’s bumper. He gets the 22 car loose with a couple of taps and Elliott takes the lead. Once in front, Elliott began to pull away.

If the race stays green, Chase and his dad Bill Elliott will become the 3rd Father-Son combination to win a NASCAR Cup Series Championship. Joining Lee and Richard Petty, along with Ned and Dale Jarrett.

With 11 laps to go, Chase Elliott led by over 3 seconds. Brad Keselowski had closed on Joey Logano and passed for the 2nd position.

Never in doubt, Chase Elliott cruised to his first NASCAR Cup Series Championship by a comfortable margin. Brad Keselowski finished 2nd, Joey Logano 3rd, and Denny Hamlin in the 4th spot.

### Stage Results

**Stage One**
*Laps:* 75

**Stage Two**
*Laps:* 115

### Final Stage Results

**Stage Three**
*Laps:* 122

### Race statistics

* Lead changes: 19 among 9 different drivers
* Cautions/Laps: 4 for 27
* Red flags: 0
* Time of race: 2 hours, 47 minutes and 0 seconds
* Average speed: 112.096 miles per hour (180.401 km/h)

## Media

### Television

NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, two–time Phoenix winner Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and three-time Phoenix winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. called the action from the booth. Dave Burns, Parker Kligerman, Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast handled the pit road duties, and Rutledge Wood handled the features from his home during the race.

### Radio

MRN covered the radio call for the race, which was simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle and Rusty Wallace called the action from the broadcast booth when the field raced down the front straightaway. Dave Moody called the action from turns 1 & 2 and Mike Bagley called the action from turns 3 & 4. Winston Kelley and Steve Post covered the action for MRN from pit lane.

 **Lead announcer:** Alex Hayden**Announcer:** Jeff Striegle**Announcer:** Rusty Wallace | **Turns 1 & 2:** Dave Moody**Turns 3 & 4:** Mike Bagley | Winston KelleySteve Post

## References

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7. ↑ https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2020/11/08/chase-elliott-to-start-from-rear-after-no-9-fails-pre-race-inspection-twice/