2020 Super Start Batteries 400

NASCAR Cup Series raceTemplate:SHORTDESC:NASCAR Cup Series race

The **2020 Super Start Batteries 400 presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts** was a NASCAR Cup Series race that was originally scheduled to be held on May 31, 2020 and was rescheduled to July 23, 2020, at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. Contested over 267 laps, on the 1.5 mile (2.4 km) asphalt speedway, it will be the 19th race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.

## Report

### Background

Kansas Speedway is a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) tri-oval race track in Kansas City, Kansas. It was built in 2001 and hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The NTT IndyCar Series also raced there 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.

## Qualifying

Kevin Harvick was awarded the pole for the race as determined by a random draw.

## Race

### Stage 1

Kevin Harvick led Thursday's field to the green flag thanks to winning a random draw for the pole position. He was seeking his fifth win of the season and an expansion of his points lead.

Harvick had fallen out of the lead by lap 10, with Joey Logano taking over the point. Ryan Blaney and Martin Truex Jr. were following the new leader.

The first caution of the race flew for a competition caution after lap 25. Joey Logano leads at the time of the yellow flag. He enters the pits with everyone else.

The race resumed on lap 31, Joey Logano was trying to work back through the field after being sent to the rear for an uncontrolled tire during the competition caution. The Joe Gibbs Racing trio of Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. are 1-2-3 at lap 47.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was out of his car, which caught fire. He told NBCSN it was an electrical fire coming from under the dashboard. "I could see the fire, it was right beside me," he said. The car is in the garage undergoing repairs.

Kyle Busch wins the first stage at lap 80 by half a second over Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Tyler Reddick, Kevin Harvick, Aric Almirola, Alex Bowman and Erik Jones make up the rest of the top 10. This was Busch's first win of any kind this season, and the second caution flew the same lap for the conclusion of the stage.

### Stage 2

Martin Truex Jr. passed teammate Denny Hamlin for the lead and then pulls away — right before the third caution flew for a Bubba Wallace spin. We were 100 laps into the scheduled 267 laps. Brad Keselowski came out of the pits with the lead after taking just two tires.

A long green-flag run after the caution, as the race resumed on lap 105, Martin Truex Jr. is up by two seconds over Denny Hamlin. The race is official with the completion of 134 laps.

Chris Buescher broke up the monotony with a single-car spin. as caution flew for the fourth time with fewer than 20 to go in Stage 2.

Racing resumed on lap 149.

Team Penske teammates Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney finished 1-2. The remainder of the top 10: Aric Almirola, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Erik Jones, Martin Truex Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Chase Elliott, as the race went back under caution for the end of the stage at lap 160.

### Final stage

Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott restarted 1-2 after respective two-tire stops.

The fifth caution of the race flew after the cars of Matt Kenseth and Bubba Wallace collide. Major damage to the right front of Wallace's machine. Denny Hamlin leads the field to the green from the outside with Chase Elliott on the inside, The sixth caution of the race flew on the restart as Joey Logano goes sliding into the wall with a cut tire. The ensuing chain reaction heavily damages Matt DiBenedetto's car and causes damage for Jimmie Johnson and Austin Dillon.

A multi-car wreck not long after the ensuing restart brought out the red flag (which was quickly lifted). Ryan Preece's car almost lands on its roof as it slams hard into the inside wall. Preece was not injured, but he looked angry as he exited the car. It appears the incident thing started when Christopher Bell drove up into Ryan Newman's path.

Racing resumed on lap 187, Denny Hamlin led the field to the green from the outside with Ryan Blaney on the inside, Denny Hamlin easily goes to the lead with help from his teammates, Martin Truex Jr. took the lead from the Denny Hamlin.

Caution flew for the tenth time, on lap 235 when Corey LaJoie. William Byron was in the lead when it was called. He was in the lead after the pit stop.

William Byron led the field to the green on lap 240 from the outside with Alex Bowman on the inside after both took 2 tires, Denny Hamlin restarted 3rd as the first with 4 tires, William Byron holds the lead but the Alex Bowman is right there.

John Hunter Nemechek spun from 14th and gets into the outside wall with the nose bringing out the eleventh caution, on lap 242, Matt Kenseth free pass.

Alex Bowman leads the field to the green on lap 246 from the inside with William Byron on the outside, Kevin Harvick gives the Alex Bowman a huge push than goes around him on the outside for the lead with the Denny Hamlin going below him putting the Alex Bowman in 3rd

Denny Hamlin challenges on the outside of Kevin Harvick for the lead and then takes it, Brad Keselowski passed Kevin Harvick for 2nd.

Denny Hamlin holds off a charging Brad Keselowski to get the win.

#### Post race comments

"I don't know if we had the best car. We definitely a top-three car all day," Hamlin told NBCSN in Victory Lane.

"This team's hitting on all cylinders right now," he added. "We can win any given week and that's something that's really to come by."

### Stage Results

**Stage One**
*Laps:* 80

**Stage Two**
*Laps:* 80

### Final Stage Results

**Stage Three**
*Laps:* 107

### Race statistics

* Lead changes: 22 among 9 different drivers
* Cautions/Laps: 11 for 47
* Red flags: 1 for 2 minutes and 45 seconds
* Time of race: 3 hours, 17 minutes and 14 seconds
* Average speed: 121.835 miles per hour (196.074 km/h)

## Media

### Television

NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt Jr. covered the race from the booth at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Parker Kligerman and Kelli Stavast handled the pit road duties on site, and Marty Snider handled the features from the RCR shop during the race.

### Radio

MRN had the radio call for the race which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden and Jeff Striegle called the race in the booth when the field raced through the tri-oval. Dave Moody covered the race from the Sunoco spotters stand outside turn 2 when the field was racing through turns 1 and 2. Kurt Becker called the race from a platform outside turn 4. Winston Kelley and Steve Post worked pit road for the radio side.

 **Lead announcer:** Alex Hayden**Announcer:** Jeff Striegle | **Turns 1 & 2:** Dave Moody**Turns 3 & 4:** Kurt Becker | Winston KelleySteve Post

## References

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