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NASCAR Cup Series

Chase Takes the Checkers at Charlotte

Chase Elliott finds redemption by securing his first NASCAR Cup Series win of the season at Charlotte Motor Speedway. 

CHARLOTTE – May 28, 2020 – ANTHONY HOLBROOK

The 7th NASCAR Cup Series abbreviated Race revisited Concord, North Carolina, Thursday, May 28th for the Alsco Uniforms 500 hosted by the Charlotte Motor Speedway.   

The race composed of 500 kilometers (312 miles), and was originally scheduled for Wednesday night, but heavy rain from Tropical Depression Bertha forced the race to be postponed to a Thursday start.  

Practice and Qualifying for the Alsco Uniforms 500 was also eliminated for safety awareness. Continuing cooperation with CVC, no spectators will be allowed until restriction lifted.

Hendrick Driver No. 24 – William Byron started on the Pole after an inversion of the top 20 finishers from Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600.  Winner of the Coca-Cola 600 No. 2 – Brad Keselowski was rewarded with a 20th spot on the starting grid.

Alsco Uniforms Stage 1 Recap:
William Byron controlled 11 laps in the opening Stage before a lap 20 mandated caution pit stop.  Miscommunication on pit row resulted a collision with race leader William Byron and Go Fas Racing No. 32 Driver – Corey LaJoie.  Byron chances of contention faded as the No. 12 Ford Mustang revisited his teams pit box for repair under the green flag.

Inclement weather would red-flagged for 74 minutes with just 30 laps complete due to lightning and rain from an approaching storm front.

Joey Logano – Pilot of the Team Penske No. 22 Ford led 33 of the 55 laps in the opening stage of the Alsco Uniforms 500 to bag his 2nd Stage win of the 2020 season.  No. 12 Teammate – Ryan Blaney landed second place points followed by Woods Brother’s No. 21 – Matt DiBenedetto in third.   No. 4 Stuart – Haas Racing Driver – Kevin Harvick  and Lone Chevy Driver of the 88 Hendrick Camaro –  Alex Bowman was credited as the top-running Chevrolet of Stage 1 finished 5th.

Alsco Uniforms 500 Stage 1 Results:

  1. Joey Logano
  2. Ryan Blaney
  3. Matt DiBenedetto
  4. Kevin Harvick
  5. Alex Bowman
  6. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
  7. Austin Dillon
  8. Kurt Busch
  9. Chase Elliott
  10. Chris Buescher

Alsco Uniforms 500 Stage 2 Recap:
Alex Bowman’s No. 88 Chevrolet led 41 laps in the stage 2 resulting in his 4th Stage win of the season, leading all drivers in Stage wins in the 2020 Cup season.

Penske Driver No. 12 –  Ryan Blaney and Teammate Joey Logano finish 2nd and 3rd respectfully.  Hendrick’s most Popular Driver No. 9 – Chase Elliott and Cup Champion Kevin Harvick rounded out the top five.

Gibbs Racing Driver – No. 18 Kyle Bush sliced a tire during an aggressive restart requiring an unscheduled green flag pit stop. Fender repair results a 2 lap deficit and 38th position in the field.

Alsco Uniforms 500 Stage 2 Results:

  1. Alex Bowman
  2. Ryan Blaney
  3. Joey Logano
  4. Chase Elliott
  5. Kevin Harvick
  6. Kurt Busch
  7. Austin Dillon
  8. John Hunter Nemechek
  9. Christopher Bell
  10. Bubba Wallace

Alsco Uniforms 500 Final Stage recap:
Stuart-Haas Racing Driver – Kevin Harvick’s Mustang appeared to be the car to beat until Chase Elliott drives passes an ill handing No. 4 Ford on Lap 181.

Elliott would keep the field in check and cruise to checkers.  No. 11 Gibbs Racing Driver – Denny Hamlin suffering an early pit penalty only to battle back for a second place finish 2.208 seconds behind the victor.

Alsco Uniforms 500 Results

1. Chase Elliott
2. Denny Hamlin
3. Ryan Blaney
4. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
5. Kurt Busch
6. Joey Logano
7. Brad Keselowski
8. Austin Dillon
9. Martin Truex Jr
10. Kevin Harvick
11. Jimmie Johnson
12. William Byron
13. John Hunter Nemechek
14. Tyler Reddick
15. Matt DiBenedetto
16. Clint Bowyer
17. Ryan Newman
18. Cole Custer
19. Corey LaJoie
20. Aric Almirola
21. Christopher Bell
22. Chris Buescher
23. Matt Kenseth
24. Ryan Preece
25. Michael McDowell
26. Erik Jones
27. Ty Dillon
28. Daniel Suarez
29. Kyle Busch
30. Gray Gaulding
31. Alex Bowman
32. Quin Houff
33. Timmy Hill
34. JJ Yeley
35. BJ McLeod
36. Josh Bilicki
37. Bubba Wallace
38. Brennan Poole
39. Joey Gase
40. Garrett Smithley

Time of Race:
2 Hrs, 29 Mins, 23 Secs.

Average Speed:
125.315 mph

Margin of Victory:
2.208 sec

Lead Changes:
7 for 37 laps; Laps: 2-9 (#51, 53 Incident Turn 3 [None]); 22-24 (Competition Caution [None]); 31-34 (#42 Spin Turn 4 [Red Flag: 1:14:02] [None]); 57-62 (Stage 1 Conclusion [66]); 74-78 (#15, 00 Incident Turn 2 [42]); 117-122 (Stage 2 Conclusion [27]); 145-149 (#66 Incident Turn 4 [42]).

Caution Flags:
15 among 8 drivers; W. Byron 0; M. DiBenedetto 1-9; W. Byron 10; M. DiBenedetto 11; W. Byron 12-21; J. Logano 22-23; M. McDowell 24; J. Logano 25-57; R. Blaney 58; J. Logano 59-65; K. Harvick 66-74; A. Bowman 75-125; K. Harvick 126-145; R. Blaney 146; K. Harvick 147-180; C. Elliott 181-208.

Cautions
7 for 37 laps; Laps: 2-9 (#51, 53 Incident Turn 3 [None]); 22-24 (Competition Caution [None]); 31-34 (#42 Spin Turn 4 [Red Flag: 1:14:02] [None]); 57-62 (Stage 1 Conclusion [66]); 74-78 (#15, 00 Incident Turn 2 [42]); 117-122 (Stage 2 Conclusion [27]); 145-149 (#66 Incident Turn 4 [42]).

Lead Changes:
15 among 8 drivers; W. Byron 0; M. DiBenedetto 1-9; W. Byron 10; M. DiBenedetto 11; W. Byron 12-21; J. Logano 22-23; M. McDowell 24; J. Logano 25-57; R. Blaney 58; J. Logano 59-65; K. Harvick 66-74; A. Bowman 75-125; K. Harvick 126-145; R. Blaney 146; K. Harvick 147-180; C. Elliott 181-208.

The NASCAR Cup Series sets their site to the high banks of Bristol Motor Speedway as Food City presents the Supermarket Heroes 500, on Sunday, May 31 at 3:30 p.m. ET.   Fox Sports 1 / Sirus NASCAR Radio

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