{"id":75092,"date":"2020-09-25T11:25:03","date_gmt":"2020-09-25T18:25:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/?p=75092"},"modified":"2020-09-25T11:27:08","modified_gmt":"2020-09-25T18:27:08","slug":"75092-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/75092-2\/","title":{"rendered":"NASCAR Bristol Race Recap"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Kevin
Credit: 368596Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
Bristol Motor Speedway had two living legends duking it out over the weekend.\u00a0 Kevin Harvick swapped the lead with Kyle Busch and held off the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion over an intense string of closing laps to win Saturday\u2019s Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.<\/div>\n
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Harvick picked up his ninth victory of the season, his second of the Round of 16 in the Playoffs and his third at Bristol. The driver of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford finished .310 seconds ahead of Busch, who remained frustrated not being able to string a win in a tough season.<\/div>\n
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Harvick won for the 58th time in his Cup career, ninth-most all-time. Busch has been stuck on 56 wins since his title-winning triumph in the last year\u2019s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.<\/div>\n
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Bristol sold tickets to a limited number fans who were socially distanced throughout the grandstand. But there were enough voices there to make a significant din, and Harvick noticed.<\/div>\n
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“Man, I just want to say thank you to all the fans,” Harvick said after taking the checkered flag. “I was so jacked up when we started this race because of you guys and Bristol Motor Speedway.”<\/div>\n
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It took all of Harvick\u2019s consummate skill to hold off Busch during the final 82-lap green-flag run. Busch is the leader among active drivers with eight wins at Bristol.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
“To beat Kyle Busch at Bristol, I kind of got myself in a little bit of a ringer there,” said Harvick, who already had secured a berth in the Round of 12 with his win at Darlington in the Playoff opener. “I hit a lapped car and got a hole in the right-front nose, but just kept fighting. We don\u2019t have anything else to lose.<\/div>\n
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“We were here to try to win a race. I know how much (crew chief) Rodney (Childers) really enjoys coming here and, hell, how can you not enjoy coming here with all this enthusiasm. Everybody is tired of being at home.”<\/div>\n
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The Night Race was the cutoff event for the Round of 16, and the four drivers who began the event below the cut line\u2014William Byron, Sunoco Rookie of the Year Cole Custer, Ryan Blaney and Matt DiBenedetto\u2014remained there and were eliminated from the Playoffs.<\/div>\n
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Busch and Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Erik Jones started in the rear of the field after multiple pre-race inspection failures, but Busch charged through the field to finish second in the first stage and won the second.<\/div>\n
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In the final run, Busch passed Harvick for the lead in traffic on Lap 459. Ten laps later, Harvick returned the favor when Busch was slowed behind the lapped car of Joey Logano. Harvick led the rest of the way, though Busch tried every racing line available to try to catch the race winner.<\/div>\n
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“I just didn\u2019t have enough there at the end,” said Busch who advanced to the Round of 12 on points, joining Richmond winner Brad Keselowski, Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Logano, Kurt Busch, Aric Almirola, Clint Bowyer, Alex Bowman, Chase Elliott and Austin Dillon. “The lapped cars were definitely a problem.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
“There was just no room for me to do what I need to do to get around him. Came up short\u2014what can I say?”<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Two drivers who didn\u2019t make the Playoffs\u2014Jones and Tyler Reddick\u2014ran third and fourth, followed by Almirola, Bowyer and Elliott. Non-Playoff drivers Chris Buescher, Ryan Preece and Michael McDowell completed the top 10.<\/div>\n
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Byron\u2019s race and Playoff run ended suddenly and unexpectedly on Lap 233. The No. 51 Ford of Joey Gase slowed on the backstretch, starting a chain-reaction wreck in which Byron\u2019s No. 24 Chevrolet slammed into the rear of Christopher Bell\u2019s No. 95 Toyota.<\/div>\n
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Unable to continue, Byron exited the race, his Playoff run finished.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
“I think the No. 51 car checked up in the middle of the straightaway,” a frustrated Byron said after exiting his car. “As fast as we were running the top, I was right behind the No. 95, and I had literally nowhere to go. You can\u2019t stop in the middle of the straightaway when everybody is so committed to the top like that.<\/div>\n
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“Just ridiculous that that\u2019s what takes us out. I thought, honestly, we had a shot to run top-five or -seven. The car was really, really good. We just needed a couple good pit stops. We were running probably ninth or 10th there. Just super disappointing\u2014I\u2019ve got to go back and watch that, because that was kind of ridiculous.”<\/div>\n
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Blaney and DiBenedetto, who needed to win the race to advance to the Round of 12, finished 13th and 19th, respectively. Custer was eliminated after a 23rd-place run.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
NASCAR Cup Series Race – 60th Annual Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race<\/b><\/div>\n
Bristol Motor Speedway<\/b><\/div>\n
Bristol, Tennessee<\/b><\/div>\n
Saturday, September 19, 2020<\/b><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 1. (4)\u00a0 Kevin Harvick (P), Ford, 500.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 2. (9)\u00a0 Kyle Busch (P), Toyota, 500.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 3. (20)\u00a0 Erik Jones, Toyota, 500.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 4. (17)\u00a0 Tyler Reddick #, Chevrolet, 500.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 5. (10)\u00a0 Aric Almirola (P), Ford, 500.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 6. (11)\u00a0 Clint Bowyer (P), Ford, 500.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 7. (6)\u00a0 Chase Elliott (P), Chevrolet, 499.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 8. (23)\u00a0 Chris Buescher, Ford, 499.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 9. (22)\u00a0 Ryan Preece, Chevrolet, 499.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 10. (26)\u00a0 Michael McDowell, Ford, 498.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 11. (2)\u00a0 Joey Logano (P), Ford, 498.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 12. (5)\u00a0 Austin Dillon (P), Chevrolet, 498.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 13. (14)\u00a0 Ryan Blaney (P), Ford, 498.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 14. (19)\u00a0 Matt Kenseth, Chevrolet, 498.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 15. (13)\u00a0 Kurt Busch (P), Chevrolet, 498.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 16. (8)\u00a0 Alex Bowman (P), Chevrolet, 498.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 17. (24)\u00a0 Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 498.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 18. (28)\u00a0 Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 497.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 19. (16)\u00a0 Matt DiBenedetto (P), Ford, 497.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 20. (31)\u00a0 John Hunter Nemechek #, Ford, 497.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 21. (7)\u00a0 Denny Hamlin (P), Toyota, 497.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 22. (27)\u00a0 Bubba Wallace, Chevrolet, 497.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 23. (12)\u00a0 Cole Custer # (P), Ford, 497.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 24. (3)\u00a0 Martin Truex Jr. (P), Toyota, 496.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 25. (25)\u00a0 Ryan Newman, Ford, 496.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 26. (29)\u00a0 Daniel Suarez, Toyota, 495.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 27. (37)\u00a0 Gray Gaulding(i), Ford, 488.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 28. (18)\u00a0 Christopher Bell #, Toyota, 487.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 29. (33)\u00a0 Quin Houff #, Chevrolet, 483.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 30. (32)\u00a0 JJ Yeley(i), Chevrolet, 479.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 31. (36)\u00a0 Joey Gase(i), Ford, 463.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 32. (40)\u00a0 Garrett Smithley(i), Chevrolet, 436.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a033. (30)\u00a0 Corey LaJoie, Ford, Steering, 419.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 34. (1)\u00a0 Brad Keselowski (P), Ford, 412.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 35. (35)\u00a0 James Davison, Chevrolet, Accident, 401.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 36. (34)\u00a0 Reed Sorenson, Chevrolet, Electrical, 317.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 37. (38)\u00a0 Timmy Hill(i), Toyota, Steering, 313.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 38. (15)\u00a0 William Byron (P), Chevrolet, Accident, 232.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 39. (39)\u00a0 Josh Bilicki(i), Chevrolet, Fuel Pump, 53.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 40. (21)\u00a0 Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, Accident, 28.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kevin Harvick swapped the lead with Kyle Busch and held off the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion over an intense string of closing laps to win Saturday\u2019s Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":75093,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3424,3470,5029,22],"tags":[7828,4695,161,1528,682,127,41],"class_list":["post-75092","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nascar","category-news","category-racing","category-event-coverage","tag-bristol","tag-busch","tag-event-coverage-2","tag-kevin-harvick","tag-kyle-busch","tag-nascar","tag-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/ncs_bms_trophy_09.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p42YSK-jxa","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75092","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=75092"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75092\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":75095,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75092\/revisions\/75095"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/75093"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=75092"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=75092"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=75092"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}