2020 FanShield 500

File:Phoenix International Raceway, November 2011.jpg

Phoenix Raceway, is a {{convert|1.022|mi|km|abbr=on}}, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. 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 race would be Kyle Larson's last race with Chip Ganassi Racing before the team axed him for using the racial slur "nigger" during the eventual season's hiatus.

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

Ryan Newman made a return to the race track as a visitor for the first time after his crash at the Daytona 500, where he was injured, three weeks earlier.{{cite web|url=https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/ryan-newman-alive-daytona-crash/4724308/|title=Ryan Newman visits Phoenix: "It's great to be alive"|publisher=Motorsport.com|date=6 March 2020|accessdate=7 March 2020|last=Utter|first=Jim}}

William Byron was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 26.747 seconds and a speed of {{Convert|134.595|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|last=Utter|first=Jim|title=Hendrick teammates Byron and Elliott lead first Cup practice|url=https://us.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/hendrick-teammates-led-phoenix-practice/4724389/|website=Motorsport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|accessdate=March 6, 2020|location=Avondale, Arizona|date=March 6, 2020}}

Chase Elliott was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 26.823 seconds and a speed of {{Convert|134.213|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|last=Utter|first=Jim|title=Chase Elliott tops Kyle Busch in final Cup practice|url=https://us.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/chase-elliott-final-cup-practice/4724618/|website=Motorsport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|accessdate=March 6, 2020|location=Avondale, Arizona|date=March 6, 2020}}

File:Chase Elliott Driver Introductions Sonoma 2018.jpg scored the pole position.]]

Chase Elliott scored the pole for the race with a time of 26.065 and a speed of {{Convert|138.116|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|last=Utter|first=Jim|title=Chase Elliott tops Kevin Harvick for Cup pole at Phoenix|url=https://us.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/chase-elliott-phoenix-cup-pole/4727412/|website=Motorsport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|accessdate=March 7, 2020|location=Avondale, Arizona|date=March 7, 2020}}

File:Joey Logano Driver Introductions Sonoma 2019.jpg won the race.]]

Before the race, for the O'Reilly Pre-Race Party, the Arizonian band Harry Luge Band would play a concert in the InField two hours before the race. Wrestler Anthony Robles would try and break the Guinness record for most pull ups with an 80 pound bag, which he succeeded. Country music star Blake Shelton and Pitbull would perform Get Ready and introduce drivers. Skylar Astin, star from "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist", would sing the national anthem. Four F-35s from Luke Air Force Base would perform the fly over at the end of the national anthem. Hudson Derbyshire, son of the CEO of FanShield, Bryan (who accompanied him, along with his mom) would give out the starting command.{{Cite web|title=FanShield 500: 'Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist' Star Skylar Astin to Perform National Anthem Ahead of NASCAR Race|url=https://popculture.com/sports/news/fanshield-500-skylar-astin-sing-national-anthem/|access-date=2021-07-01|website=Sports|language=en}}

The start of the race showed pole sitter Chase Elliott pull out to the lead with Kevin Harvick following behind. Kyle Larson, in what would be his last race with Chip Ganassi Racing passed Harvick on lap 2. While the leaders were pulling away from each other, there were lots of battles for position in the midfield, including Martin Truex Jr. fighting his way up to the front after having to start at the rear. The traction compound poured on the track, PJ1, was a big factor throughout the race as it provided different grooves to run on. With around 40 laps to go in the stage, Denny Hamlin and Matt DiBenedetto were fighting for position. Also, Harvick had caught up to Elliott, and was battling him for the lead, and would keep fighting until lap 57, when Ricky Stenhouse Jr., trying to pass the lapped car of Joey Gase hit Gase's left quarter panel and spun into the wall, damaging the back end of his car.

During pit stops, all the lead lap cars decided to pit. Stenhouse was the leader coming off of pit road, but took no tires. Harvick would finally be able to grab the lead off of Elliott, with his crew having a faster time. Elliott would come up 2nd, then Hamlin in 3rd, DiBenedetto in fourth, and Logano rounding out the top 5.

File:2020 FanShield 500 wreck.jpg, Denny Hamlin, and Brad Keselowski. Blaney would retire due to damage sustained from the crash.]]

During the lap 64 restart, Harvick would pull out to the lead; however, this would be short lived, as while Hamlin was battling for position, Hamlin's car got loose and went up the racetrack, collecting the nearby cars of Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney and sending all three into the outside wall. Keselowski would not suffer much damage, contrary to his teammate, Blaney who had to retire from the race. Hamlin would also be plagued with damage.

With a 4 lap dash to the end of the stage, Harvick and Elliott would duke it out, with Logano following closely behind. However, Harvick would pull out the lead and win the stage. Meanwhile, Erik Jones would win the final stage points in a tough battle with Clint Bowyer.

Stage One

Laps: 75

Stage Two

Laps: 115

Stage Three

Laps: 122

• Lead changes: 20 among 7 different drivers
• Cautions/Laps: 12 for 73
• Red flags: 0
• Time of race: 3 hours, 20 minutes and 50 seconds
• Average speed: {{convert|94.407|mph|km/h}}

Fox Sports covered their 16th race at the Phoenix Raceway. Mike Joy and two-time Phoenix winner Jeff Gordon called the race from the broadcast booth, the last time Fox would have commentators in the booth at the track for the season, and the last for either of NASCAR's television partners until the Charlotte road course race. Jamie Little, Regan Smith, Vince Welch and Matt Yocum handled the pit road duties. Larry McReynolds and Jamie McMurray provided insight from the Fox Sports studio in Charlotte.

MRN covered the radio action for the race which was also simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle, and 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion Rusty Wallace called the race when the field raced past the start/finish line. Kurt Becker called the action from turns 1 & 2 and Dan Hubbard called the action from turns 3 & 4. Pit lane was manned by Kim Coon, Steve Post, 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 in sports in Arizona

Category:2020 NASCAR Cup Series

Category:March 2020 sports events in the United States

Category:NASCAR races at Phoenix Raceway