The 2020 EchoPark 250 was a NASCAR Xfinity Series race held on June 6, 2020, at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia. Contested over 163 laps on the 1.54-mile (2.48 km) asphalt quad-oval intermediate speedway, it was the eighth race of the 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series season and the season's first Dash 4 Cash race. Kaulig Racing part-time driver A. J. Allmendinger won his first ever race on a NASCAR oval.[8]
| Race details[1][2][3][4][5][6] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 8 of 33 in the 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series season | |||
 | |||
| Date | June 6, 2020 | ||
| Location | Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia | ||
| Course | 1.54 mi (2.48 km) | ||
| Distance | 163 laps, 251 mi (403 km) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | JR Motorsports | ||
| Grid positions set by ballot | |||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | |
| Laps | 68 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 16 | A. J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | Fox[7] | ||
| Announcers | Adam Alexander, Clint Bowyer, and Jamie McMurray | ||
| Radio in the United States | |||
| Radio | PRN | ||
| Booth Announcers | Doug Rice and Mark Garrow | ||
| Turn Announcers | Rob Albright (1 & 2) and Pat Patterson (3 & 4) | ||
The race was originally scheduled to be held on March 14, but was rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[9]
Report
editBackground
edit
Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta International Raceway) is a track in Hampton, Georgia, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. It is a 1.54-mile (2.48 km) quad-oval track with a seating capacity of 111,000. It opened in 1960 as a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track. In 1997, to standardize the track with Speedway Motorsports' other two 1.5-mile (2.4 km) ovals, the entire track was almost completely rebuilt. The frontstretch and backstretch were swapped, and the configuration of the track was changed from oval to quad-oval. The project made the track one of the fastest on the NASCAR circuit.
The race was held without fans in attendance due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.[10]
Dash 4 Cash
editThe Dash 4 Cash is a series of four races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, preceded by a qualifying race. The top four points-eligible drivers in the previous race are eligible to win a $100,000 bonus on top of their race winnings if they win the race. Cup Series regulars are not permitted to compete in the races.
The EchoPark 250 was the season's first Dash 4 Cash race. Noah Gragson, Chase Briscoe, Brandon Jones, and rookie Harrison Burton were eligible to win after finishing in the top 4 at the Cheddar's 300 at Bristol.
Entry list
edit- (R) denotes rookie driver.
- (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
Qualifying
editNoah Gragson was awarded the pole for the race as determined by a random draw.[11]
Starting Lineup
edit- . – Eligible for Dash 4 Cash prize money.
- The No. 44 of Tommy Joe Martins had to start from the rear due to unapproved adjustments.
- The No. 61 of Timmy Hill had to start from the rear on pace laps due to pitting before the green flag.
Race
editRace results
editStage Results
editStage One
Laps: 40
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 10 |
| 2 | 10 | Ross Chastain | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 9 |
| 3 | 11 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 8 |
| 4 | 7 | Justin Allgaier | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 7 |
| 5 | 8 | Daniel Hemric | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 6 |
| 6 | 9 | Noah Gragson | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 5 |
| 7 | 18 | Riley Herbst (R) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 4 |
| 8 | 98 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 3 |
| 9 | 16 | A. J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 2 |
| 10 | 20 | Harrison Burton (R) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 1 |
Stage Two
Laps: 40
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 10 |
| 2 | 98 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 9 |
| 3 | 10 | Ross Chastain | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 8 |
| 4 | 8 | Daniel Hemric | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 7 |
| 5 | 16 | A. J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 6 |
| 6 | 9 | Noah Gragson | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 5 |
| 7 | 11 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 4 |
| 8 | 7 | Justin Allgaier | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 3 |
| 9 | 1 | Michael Annett | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 2 |
| 10 | 20 | Harrison Burton (R) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 1 |
Final Stage Results
editLaps: 83
| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Points | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 | 16 | A. J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 163 | 48 | Running |
| 2 | 1 | 9 | Noah Gragson | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 163 | 45 | Running |
| 3 | 4 | 11 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 163 | 46 | Running |
| 4 | 2 | 8 | Daniel Hemric | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 163 | 46 | Running |
| 5 | 5 | 20 | Harrison Burton (R) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 163 | 34 | Running |
| 6 | 3 | 7 | Justin Allgaier | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 163 | 41 | Running |
| 7 | 11 | 10 | Ross Chastain | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 163 | 47 | Running |
| 8 | 12 | 19 | Brandon Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 163 | 29 | Running |
| 9 | 9 | 98 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 163 | 40 | Running |
| 10 | 24 | 21 | Anthony Alfredo | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 163 | 27 | Running |
| 11 | 21 | 1 | Michael Annett | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 163 | 28 | Running |
| 12 | 10 | 68 | Brandon Brown | Brandonbilt Motorsports | Chevrolet | 163 | 25 | Running |
| 13 | 20 | 51 | Jeremy Clements | Jeremy Clements Racing | Chevrolet | 163 | 24 | Running |
| 14 | 13 | 02 | Brett Moffitt (i) | Our Motorsports | Chevrolet | 163 | 0 | Running |
| 15 | 34 | 15 | Colby Howard | JD Motorsports | Chevrolet | 163 | 22 | Running |
| 16 | 8 | 22 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 163 | 41 | Running |
| 17 | 6 | 18 | Riley Herbst (R) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 163 | 24 | Running |
| 18 | 31 | 74 | Bayley Currey (i) | Mike Harmon Racing | Chevrolet | 163 | 0 | Running |
| 19 | 32 | 36 | Ronnie Bassett Jr. | DGM Racing | Chevrolet | 162 | 18 | Running |
| 20 | 14 | 4 | Jesse Little (R) | JD Motorsports | Chevrolet | 162 | 17 | Running |
| 21 | 16 | 0 | Jeffrey Earnhardt | JD Motorsports | Chevrolet | 162 | 16 | Running |
| 22 | 33 | 44 | Tommy Joe Martins | Martins Motorsports | Chevrolet | 162 | 15 | Running |
| 23 | 25 | 99 | Mason Massey | B. J. McLeod Motorsports | Toyota | 162 | 14 | Running |
| 24 | 22 | 07 | Garrett Smithley | SS-Green Light Racing | Chevrolet | 162 | 13 | Running |
| 25 | 17 | 6 | B. J. McLeod | JD Motorsports | Chevrolet | 162 | 12 | Running |
| 26 | 27 | 08 | Joe Graf Jr. (R) | SS-Green Light Racing | Chevrolet | 162 | 11 | Running |
| 27 | 15 | 90 | Alex Labbé | DGM Racing | Chevrolet | 162 | 10 | Running |
| 28 | 23 | 92 | Josh Williams | DGM Racing | Chevrolet | 162 | 9 | Running |
| 29 | 35 | 93 | Myatt Snider | RSS Racing | Chevrolet | 161 | 8 | Running |
| 30 | 26 | 5 | Matt Mills | B. J. McLeod Motorsports | Chevrolet | 161 | 7 | Running |
| 31 | 19 | 78 | Vinnie Miller | B. J. McLeod Motorsports | Chevrolet | 156 | 6 | Running |
| 32 | 28 | 47 | Joe Nemechek (i) | Mike Harmon Racing | Chevrolet | 129 | 0 | Suspension |
| 33 | 29 | 61 | Timmy Hill (i) | Hattori Racing | Toyota | 87 | 0 | Alternator |
| 34 | 18 | 13 | Chad Finchum | MBM Motorsports | Toyota | 50 | 3 | Suspension |
| 35 | 7 | 39 | Ryan Sieg | RSS Racing | Chevrolet | 47 | 2 | Engine |
| 36 | 37 | 66 | Stephen Leicht | MBM Motorsports | Toyota | 8 | 1 | Clutch |
| 37 | 36 | 52 | Kody Vanderwal (R) | Means Racing | Chevrolet | 3 | 1 | Engine |
| Official race results | ||||||||
- . – Won the Dash 4 Cash prize money and subsequently qualified for the Dash 4 Cash prize money in the next race.
- . – Qualified for Dash 4 Cash prize money in the next race.
Race statistics
edit- Lead changes: 10 among 7 different drivers
- Cautions/Laps: 6 for 28
- Red flags: 0
- Time of race: 2 hours, 2 minutes, 37 seconds
- Average speed: 122.832 mph (197.679 km/h)
Media
editTelevision
editThe EchoPark 250 was carried by Fox in the United States.[7] Adam Alexander, Stewart-Haas Racing driver Clint Bowyer, and Jamie McMurray called the race from the Fox Sports Studio in Charlotte, with Jamie Little covering pit road.
| Fox | |
|---|---|
| Booth announcers | Pit reporter |
| Lap-by-lap: Adam Alexander
Color-commentator: Clint Bowyer Color-commentator: Jamie McMurray |
Jamie Little |
Radio
editThe Performance Racing Network (PRN) called the race for radio, which was simulcast on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Doug Rice and Mark Garrow anchored the action from the booth. Rob Albright called the race from turns 1 & 2 and Pat Patterson called the action through turns 3 & 4. Brad Gillie, Brett McMillan, and Doug Turnbull provided reports from pit road.
| PRN Radio | ||
|---|---|---|
| Booth announcers | Turn announcers | Pit reporters |
| Lead announcer: Doug Rice
Announcer: Mark Garrow |
Turns 1 & 2: Rob Albright
Turns 3 & 4: Pat Patterson |
Brad Gillie
Brett McMillan Doug Turnbull |
Standings after the race
edit- Drivers' Championship standings
| Pos | Driver | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 | Chase Briscoe | 340 |
|
|
2 | Noah Gragson | 336 (-4) |
|
|
3 | Harrison Burton (R) | 308 (-32) |
|
|
4 | Justin Allgaier | 297 (-43) |
|
|
5 | Ross Chastain | 295 (-45) |
|
|
6 | Austin Cindric | 285 (-55) |
 1
|
7 | Justin Haley | 267 (-73) |
 1
|
8 | Brandon Jones | 258 (-82) |
| 2
|
9 | Daniel Hemric | 222 (-118) |
| 1
|
10 | Ryan Sieg | 217 (-123) |
| 1
|
11 | Riley Herbst (R) | 201 (-139) |
|
|
12 | Brandon Brown | 199 (-141) |
| Official driver's standings | |||
- Note: Only the first 12 positions are included for the driver standings.
- . – Driver has clinched a position in the NASCAR playoffs.
References
edit- ^ "2020 NASCAR XFINITY Series Schedule". Jayski's NASCAR Silly Season Site. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
- ^ "Atlanta Motor Speedway". RacingCircuits.info. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
- ^ "Entry List" (PDF). Jayski.com. June 6, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ "Starting Lineup" (PDF). Jayski.com. June 4, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ "EchoPark 250 Results" (PDF). Jayski.com. June 6, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ "Driver points" (PDF). Jayski.com. June 6, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ a b @NASCAR_Xfinity (June 6, 2020). "Who will win the #EchoPark 250?" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "AJ Allmendinger roars back for Xfinity win at Atlanta - NBC Sports". NASCAR Talk | NBC Sports. 2020-06-06. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
- ^ "NASCAR weekend scheduled at Atlanta postponed-- NBC Sports". NASCAR Talk | NBC Sports. 2020-03-13. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
- ^ "N.C. Gov. Says NASCAR Can Hold Race in May Without Fans". Sports Illustrated. Associated Press. Retrieved 2020-09-13.
- ^ "Noah Gragson Is Pole Sitter for Xfinity Series Race at Atlanta". Frontstretch. 2020-06-04. Retrieved 2020-09-16.