2020 Daytona 500

Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida that is one of six superspeedways, the others being Auto Club Speedway, Pocono Raceway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, and Talladega Superspeedway.

File:2020 Daytona 500 (pre-race)..jpg, the circuit where the 62nd annual Daytona 500 took place. The first twenty laps were raced on Sunday afternoon and the remaining laps (including the green-white-checkered finish) were completed on Monday evening.]]

Daytona International Speedway is one of three superspeedways to hold NASCAR races, the other two being Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.{{cite web|title=NASCAR Race Tracks|url=http://www.nascar.com/races/tracks/|access-date=August 13, 2010|work=NASCAR|publisher=NASCAR Media Group|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100811053515/http://www.nascar.com/races/tracks/| archive-date=August 11, 2010}} The standard track at Daytona International Speedway is a four-turn superspeedway that is {{convert|2.5|mi|km}} long.{{cite web|title=NASCAR Tracks — The Daytona International Speedway|url=http://www.speedway-guide.com/Daytona-International-Speedway.html|publisher=Speedway Guide|access-date=August 15, 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100830050250/http://www.speedway-guide.com/Daytona-International-Speedway.html| archive-date=August 30, 2010}} The track's turns are banked at 31 degrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, is banked at 18 degrees.

• (W) denotes past 500 winner.
• (R) denotes rookie driver.
• (i) denotes driver who are ineligible for series driver points.

Ty Dillon was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 44.206 seconds and a speed of {{Convert|203.592|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|last=DeGroot|first=Nick|title=Ty Dillon leads first Daytona 500 practice, topping 203mph|url=https://us.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/ty-dillon-tops-first-daytona-500-practice/4682146/|website=Motorsport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|access-date=February 8, 2020|location=Daytona Beach, Florida|date=February 8, 2020}}

Bubba Wallace was the fastest in the second practice session with a time of 45.878 seconds and a speed of {{Convert|196.172|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|last=Utter|first=Jim|title=Wallace fastest in second Daytona 500 practice; Keselowski wrecks|url=https://us.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/wallace-daytona-500-practice-keselowski/4682152/|website=Motorsport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|access-date=February 8, 2020|location=Daytona Beach, Florida|date=February 8, 2020}}

File:Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Richmond 2018 (cropped-1).jpg scored the pole position.]]

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. scored the pole for the race with a time of 46.253 seconds and a speed of {{Convert|194.582|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|last=Utter|first=Jim|title=Ricky Stenhouse Jr. rockets to first Daytona 500 pole|url=https://us.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/ricky-stenhouse-daytona-500-pole/4682441/|website=Motorsport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|access-date=February 8, 2020|location=Daytona Beach, Florida|date=February 8, 2020}}

{{See also|2020 Bluegreen Vacations Duels}}

The Bluegreen Vacations Duels are a pair of NASCAR Cup Series races held in conjunction with the Daytona 500 annually in February at Daytona International Speedway. They consist of two races 60 laps and 150 miles (240 km) in length, which serve as heat races that set the lineup for the Daytona 500. The first race sets the lineup for cars that qualified in odd-numbered positions on pole qualifying day, while the second race sets the lineup for cars that qualified in even-numbered positions. The Duels set the lineup for positions 3–38, while positions 39 and 40 are filled by the two "Open" (teams without a charter) cars that set the fastest times in qualifying, but did not lock in a spot in the Duels.

For championship purposes, each Duel is a full Championship Stage, except there is no playoff point awarded. The top ten drivers receive championship points.

William Byron was the fastest in the third practice session with a time of 43.991 seconds and a speed of {{Convert|204.587|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|last=Utter|first=Jim|title=Byron leads a parade of Chevys in Friday Daytona 500 practice|url=https://us.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/byron-friday-daytona-500-practice/4686070/|website=Motorsport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|access-date=February 14, 2020|location=Daytona Beach, Florida|date=February 14, 2020}}

Joey Logano was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 44.884 seconds and a speed of {{Convert|200.517|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|last=Utter|first=Jim|title=Joey Logano leads final Daytona 500 practice; Toyotas sit out|url=https://us.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/logano-leads-final-daytona-practice/4686378/|website=Motorsport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|access-date=February 15, 2020|location=Daytona Beach, Florida|date=February 15, 2020|archive-date=February 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215190050/https://us.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/logano-leads-final-daytona-practice/4686378/|url-status=dead}}

The race was meant to start at 2:30 PM Eastern. But after U. S. President Donald Trump did a couple pace laps in the Motorcade, rain began to fall. Cars were brought down pit road as a result of the rain before the race began and the red flag was shown. The race was red flagged for just over an hour before it was lifted and the race began. Pole sitter Ricky Stenhouse Jr. led the first lap of the race. Cars soon quickly began to form a single file line on the high lane where they would be for most of the race until lap 20. On lap 20, the first caution flew for rain once again. This time, the rain continued throughout the day and into the evening. The race would be delayed to the following day for a 4 PM start time. The next day, the track was dried and the cars got back out on track. Cars pitted for fresh tires and fuel. Brad Keselowski was the new leader and he led the field to the restart on lap 26. On lap 29, Aric Almirola took the lead. Keselowski would take it back on lap 31. On lap 39, Ryan Newman took the lead. Almirola would take the lead the next lap where he and Newman were side by side for two laps before Almirola got infront of Newman. On lap 44, Chase Elliott took the lead. On lap 59, the second caution flew and the first for incident when William Byron got turned by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. down the backstretch and ended up hitting the inside wall head on affectively ending his day. The race would restart on lap 64 with 2 laps to go in the stage. Chase Elliott would hold off the pack and win stage 1. Denny Hamlin was the new leader and he would lead the field to the restart for stage 2 on lap 72. Soon, most of the pack would once again run single file on the top line. On lap 90, the fourth caution would fly when rookie Quin Houff went to go up infront of Aric Almirola down the backstretch but would get turned across Almirola's nose and hit the outside wall while also collecting B. J. McLeod. Both Houff and McLeod would retire from the race. Denny Hamlin won the race off of pit road and he led the field to the restart on lap 96. The race would stay green for the rest of the stage and Hamlin would hold off the pack and win stage 2.

Denny Hamlin won the race off of pit road with Chase Elliott in 2nd but Elliott was penalized for carrying equipment out of his pit box as his gas can got stuck and came off out of his box where Martin Truex Jr. hit it and this sent Elliott to the back. Hamlin led the field to the restart on lap 136. On the restart, Ryan Blaney took the lead. On lap 137, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. took the lead. Blaney would take it back the next lap. Stenhouse attempted to take the lead on lap 140 but failed to get infront of Blaney. On lap 141, Kyle Busch took the lead. This was Busch's 16th attempt to win the Daytona 500. On lap 149, Brad Keselowski took the lead. With 45 laps to go, Kyle Busch attempted to take the lead but couldn't get infront of Keselowski. Blaney attempted with 43 to go but couldn't get infront of Keselowski. With 37 to go, Joey Logano took the lead. With 35 to go, Aric Almirola attempted to take the lead but couldn't get infront of Logano. With 31 to go, drivers began to make green flag pitstops. Logano pitted and handed the lead to Jimmie Johnson, whose in his final full-time season. With 28 to go, Alex Bowman took the lead from his Hendrick Motorsports teammate. At the same time, Ricky Stenhouse spun off of turn 4 after he slowed to pit but got reared by Erik Jones. Stenhouse's hood would come loose during the spin but no caution threw as he was out of harms way. Bowman pitted with 26 to go and after everything cycled through, Kyle Busch was the new leader. With 20 to go, Brad Keselowski took the lead. Unfourtunetly for Kyle Busch, his chances of winning were over as his engine began to expire as smoke began to pour out of the exhaust which slowed him down but continued for a few more laps. With 17 to go, Ryan Newman took the lead. At the same time, the first big wreck would occur down the backstretch and bringing out the 6th caution of the race. It started when Aric Almirola got a big push from Joey Logano and went to bump Brad Keselowski. Almirola hit Keselowski too hard and ended up turning Keselowski infront of the pack and causing a chain reaction wreck that took out 19 cars. The cars involved were Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Bubba Wallace, Aric Almirola, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney, Austin Dillon, Justin Haley, Alex Bowman, Ross Chastain, David Ragan, John Hunter Nemechek, Tyler Reddick, Chris Buescher, Matt DiBenedetto, Brendan Gaughan, Joey Logano, and Ty Dillon. Only Keselowski, Johnson, Busch, and Truex would retire from the race as the red flag flew for the wreck that lasted for just over 10 minutes. Kyle Busch retired after the red flag was lifted. The race restarted with 10 laps to go. With 8 to go, the 7th caution flew when Reed Sorenson and Timmy Hill crashed off of turn 2. The race would restart with 4 laps to go. With 3 laps to go, Denny Hamlin took the lead from Ryan Newman. With 2 to go, the 8th caution flew for the 2nd big wreck in turn 1. Ross Chastain got a monster run and slingshotted past Newman and attempted to pass Ryan Preece but Preece went to block Chastain and made contact with Chastain causing Chastain to go sideways. Chastain's car overcorrected and hit the outside wall head on right infront of the pack and took out more cars with him. The wreck collected a total of 9 cars. The cars involved were Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, Chase Elliott, Ryan Preece, Tyler Reddick, Ty Dillon, Aric Almirola, Christopher Bell, and Michael McDowell. Dillon, Preece, Reddick, Logano, and Chastain all retired from the race as the red flag was shown once again for the wreck that lasted for 10 minutes. The wreck also set up overtime. But on the restart, the 9th and final caution would fly when Justin Haley got loose on the restart and ended up hitting both Clint Bowyer and Michael McDowell sending them spinning setting up a second attempt of overtime.

File:Ryan newman accident (49561467756).jpg crashed on the final lap as Denny Hamlin (#11) and Ryan Blaney (#12) raced to the finish line]]

Hamlin took the lead on the restart with a big push by Ryan Blaney that sent him far ahead from the pack. Hamlin was able to hold off an attempt from Ryan Newman to keep his lead as they took the white flag. On the last lap, Chase Elliott got turned by Justin Haley coming out of the tri-oval but no caution was flown. Down the backstretch, Newman took the lead with a push from Blaney and Blaney got to second. Blaney still had a chance to win as he got a run on Newman through 3 and 4 with Hamlin pushing him. Coming to the checkered off of turn 4, Blaney peaked to Newman's outside but Newman blocked. Blaney tried to slingshot to the inside but Newman blocked also. Blaney went to push Newman to the line and it looked like Newman was gonna hold off and make a surprising win. But Blaney hooked Newman in the right rear causing Newman to spin. Newman spun and hit the outside wall with the left front

and driver's side at nearly full speed which sent his car to blowover upside down. Newman skidded on his roof upside down before he was hit in the driver's window by Corey LaJoie which sent Newman's car about 15 feet into the air and barrel rolling through the air before it landed on its roof just before crossing the finish line. His car skidding on its roof past the finish line before it stopped at the exit of pit road on its roof. For the finish, the contact with Newman was able to slow down Blaney's momentum and Hamlin beat Blaney to the line by 0.014 seconds, the second closest finish in Daytona 500 history.

File:Denny hamlin (48010188356) (cropped).jpg won the race.]]

LaJoie's front end was completely destroyed and caught on fire but LaJoie walked out with no injuries. But Newman was unconscious as he was failing to respond to the crew's questions if he was okay. Rescue crews were there quickly to assist Newman. It took nearly 15 minutes for crews to extract Newman from his car as they had to turn his car back right side up and cut the roof off to further assist him. He was rushed to Halifax Medical Center to be further treated. Meanwhile in the immediate post-race, Hamlin and his crew, unaware of the severity of Newman's crash, began celebrating his win and was subsequently booed heavily by the crowd upon exiting his car, both on the infield grass and again in victory lane. Joe Gibbs issued an apology for the team's celebration, with Hamlin saying he was first aware of the accident's severity when NASCAR canceled the recent tradition of interviewing the winner on the front-stretch prior to the car being driven to victory lane.{{Cite web|url=https://racer.com/2020/02/17/gibbs-apologizes-for-post-race-celebration/|title=Gibbs apologizes for post-race celebration|date=18 February 2020}} This was Hamlin's third Daytona 500 victory and his second in a row becoming the first to go back-to-back since Sterling Marlin did it in 1994 and 1995. Newman had suffered serious but non life-threatening injuries as he had suffered a brain bruise and was released two days later.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/racing/2020/02/23/ryan-newman-daytona-500-crash-head-injury-wreck|title= Ryan Newman Did Not Break Bones in Daytona 500 Crash, Suffered Head Injury|last=Chavez|first=Chris|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=February 23, 2020|access-date=February 23, 2020}} He missed the next three races where he was replaced by Ross Chastain and was able to return in NASCAR's first race since the COVID-19 Pandemic began. Ryan Blaney, Chris Buescher, David Ragan, and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top 5 while Clint Bowyer, Brendan Gaughan, Corey LaJoie, Ryan Newman, and Kyle Larson rounded out the top 10.

Stage One

Laps: 65

Stage Two

Laps: 65

Stage Three

Laps: 70

File:2020 Daytona 500 photo finish.png (11) beat Blaney by 0.014 seconds, the second closest Daytona 500 in history.]]

• Lead changes: 23 among 13 different drivers
• Cautions/Laps: 9 for 39
• Red flags: 3 (1 for weather, 2 for accidents)
• Time of race: 3 hours, 42 minutes and 10 seconds
• Margin of Victory: 0.014 seconds
• Average speed: {{convert|141.11|mph|km/h}}

{{See also|NASCAR on television and radio#Beyond the United States}}

Since 2001—with the exception of 2002, 2004 and 2006—the Daytona 500 has been carried by Fox in the United States. The booth crew consists of longtime NASCAR lap-by-lap announcer Mike Joy and three–time Daytona 500 champion Jeff Gordon. Pit road is manned by Jamie Little, Regan Smith, Vince Welch, and Matt Yocum. 1992 and 1998 Daytona 500 winning crew chief Larry McReynolds and 2010 Daytona 500 winning driver Jamie McMurray provided insight from the Fox Sports studio in Charlotte.

The race was broadcast on radio by the Motor Racing Network—who has covered the Daytona 500 since 1970—and simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. The booth crew consists of Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle, and 1989 Cup Series champion Rusty Wallace. Longtime turn announcer Dave Moody is the lead turn announcer, calling the race from atop the Sunoco tower outside the exit of turn 2 when the field races through turns 1 and 2. Mike Bagley works the backstretch for the race from a spotter's stand on the inside of the track & Kyle Rickey calls the race when the field races through turns 3 and 4 from the Sunoco tower outside the exit of turn 4. On pit road, MRN is manned by lead pit reporter and NASCAR Hall of Fame Executive Director Winston Kelley. He will be joined on pit road by Steve Post, Kim Coon, and Dillon Welch.

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;Drivers' Championship standings

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;Manufacturers' Championship standings

• Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.

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Category:2020 NASCAR Cup Series

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