Approximately 30,000 fans, the largest in-person allowed attendance for a NASCAR race since the return to racing after a coronavirus-induced break, watched two-time reigning NASCAR Cup Series Most Popular Driver Chase Elliott win the NASCAR All-Star Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Wednesday night.
“Just a special night, a special event,” Elliott said. ”Any race is hard to win, but this is a special race to win, something that locks you in the All‑Star Race for life. That’s extremely special to join dad [NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott]. Winning this race means a lot to me, as well. Just a big thanks to our partners, UniFirst, NAPA, Hooter’s, Kelley Blue Book, Mountain Dew, Chevrolet, all our partners that make this go around. They stood by us through some not‑so‑spectacular years. We’ve had a rough couple weeks. We ruined Mr. (car owner Rick) Hendrick’s birthday on Sunday by running pathetic. It was really nice to slightly make up for that tonight.”
The 2020 edition of the exhibition event was held at a track other that Charlotte Motor Speedway for only the second time since implementation of the All-Star Race in the mid-1980s. The other time the race ran outside CMS, Bill Elliott won at the Elliott family’s home track of Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Kyle Busch took second on the final restart following a lap-125 caution that marked the end of the third stage to take runner-up honors Wednesday night.
“It just wasn’t quite wide enough,” Busch said. “If it had been a little bit wider and you could carry a little more speed with it, I might have had a chance. I tried to run up there early in the last stage to make it go a little earlier than I probably should have. I went back down because I knew I wasn’t going to catch him (Elliott) or pass him there, and I had to do something different. I just tried and I think we inched up a little closer on him, but that was about it. The M&Ms Camry, we’re trying hard and we’re running okay. It seemed like we were mired in 10th most of tonight and, then, the last couple adjustments really helped us. Adam [Stevens, crew chief] did a great job helping the car and making it better. I got a good restart. I think I went from 12th all the way up to fifth so that was a huge bonus for us getting that track position. Overall, just have to keep fighting. I think that four or five second places this year, what do you do? We just have to keep going. Have to thank M&Ms for supporting us. Interstate Batteries, Snickers, Toyota and Rowdy Energy – we’ll go fight next week.”
Kevin Harvick finished third, Brad Keselowski was fourth and Denny Hamlin fifth.
Elliott and Ryan Blaney combined to lead all but eight laps of the 140-lap race, with Blaney leading a race-high 72 laps before finishing six. Elliott led 60.
After official pole sitter Martin Truex Jr. dropped to the back for the initial green flag because of an issue getting through inspection, Blaney took the race lead on lap three. The first 55-lap stage of the race included a caution for an incident involving Kurt Busch and Keselowski as they raced for fourth position on lap eighth. Blaney was up front after the restart and was the stage-one winner on lap 55.
Elliott won the remaining stages of the four-stage race. Harvick led early in the second stage after he and Elliott were first and second off pit road between the first two stages. Elliott took the lead from Harvick, though, on a restart following a caution for a Ryan Newman spin on lap 57. Elliott remained up front to win the second stage at lap 90.
Blaney was back up front to start the third stage after staying while while everyone else pitted. Elliott passed him for the lead on lap 110 and ran up front the remainder of the race.
Other top-10 finishers included Joey Logano in seventh, Bowman in eighth, Aric Almirola in ninth and Truex in 10th.
Almirola was among the four drivers who advanced from the preliminary 85-lap NASCAR Open. He advanced by winning the opening stage on lap 35. He led the entire stage that included a caution on lap 18 when contact between pole sitter Michael McDowell and Darrell Wallace Jr. resulted in a Wallace wreck. McDowell’s contact looked intentional and retaliatory after Wallace previously made contact to pass him for position.
“Oh, just disrespect,” Wallace said. “When you get hooked into the wall – my hair looks terrible. Sorry, Mom. When you get hooked the right-rear into the wall – I don’t even need to see a replay. Look at that. Yeah, wow. People say one of the nicest guys in the garage. Can’t wait for the God-fearing text he’s going to send me about preaching and praising respect. What a joke he is.”
William Byron and Matt DiBenedetto also advanced to the All-Star Race by winning stages in the Open. Byron won the second 35-lap stage, assuming the lead when Almirola dropped out of the Open after winning the first stage and advancing to the main event. DiBenedetto was up front after Byron dropped out of the Open with his stage win, and DiBenedetto led the final 15-lap sprint to the finish.
Clint Bowyer advanced to the All-Star Race through the online fan vote. The four drivers who advanced from the Open to the All-Star Race and Wallace were the top-five vote getters in the online poll about a week before voting closed, with Wallace leading the way. It is unknown if the top-five remained the same until voting closed Tuesday.
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