The 2020 Auto Club 400 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on March 1, 2020, at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. Contested over 200 laps on the two-mile (3.2 km) D-shaped oval, it was the third race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.

2020 Auto Club 400
Race details[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
Race 3 of 36 in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series
2020 Auto Club 400 program cover featuring a tribute to Jimmie Johnson, who retired at the end of this season.
2020 Auto Club 400 program cover featuring a tribute to Jimmie Johnson, who retired at the end of this season.
Date March 1, 2020 (2020-03-01)
Location Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California
Course Permanent racing facility
2 mi (3.22 km)
Distance 200 laps, 400 mi (640 km)
Average speed 152.753 miles per hour (245.832 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Stewart-Haas Racing
Time 40.086
Most laps led
Driver Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports
Laps 110
Winner
No. 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network Fox
Announcers Mike Joy and Jeff Gordon
Nielsen Ratings 4.789 million[9]
Radio in the United States
Radio MRN
Booth Announcers Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle, and Rusty Wallace
Turn Announcers Dan Hubbard (1 & 2) and Kurt Becker (3 & 4)

Report

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Background

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Auto Club Speedway, the track where the race was held.

Auto Club Speedway (previously California Speedway) was a two-mile (3.2 km), low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in Fontana, California which hosted NASCAR racing annually from 1997 to 2023. It was also used for open wheel racing events. The racetrack was located near the former locations of Ontario Motor Speedway and Riverside International Raceway. The track was owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation and was the only track owned by ISC to have its naming rights sold. The speedway was served by the nearby Interstate 10 and Interstate 15 freeways as well as a Metrolink station located behind the backstretch.

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
  • (i) denotes driver who are ineligible for series driver points.
No. Driver Team Manufacturer
00 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet
1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet
2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford
3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
6 Ross Chastain (i) Roush Fenway Racing Ford
8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford
13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet
14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
15 Brennan Poole (R) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet
17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford
18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford
22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford
24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford
34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford
37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford
41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet
43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet
47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
51 Garrett Smithley Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet
52 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford
53 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford
66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota
77 Reed Sorenson Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota
96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota
Official entry list

Practice

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First practice

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Alex Bowman was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 40.125 seconds and a speed of 179.439 mph (288.779 km/h).[10]

Pos No. Driver Team Manufacturer Time Speed
1 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 40.125 179.439
2 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 40.517 177.703
3 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 40.539 177.607
Official first practice results

Final practice

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Alex Bowman was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 40.764 seconds and a speed of 176.626 mph (284.252 km/h).[11]

Pos No. Driver Team Manufacturer Time Speed
1 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 40.764 176.626
2 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 40.866 176.186
3 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 40.868 176.177
Official final practice results

Qualifying

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Clint Bowyer scored the pole position.

Clint Bowyer scored the pole for the race with a time of 40.086 and a speed of 179.614 mph (289.061 km/h).[12]

Qualifying results

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Pos No. Driver Team Manufacturer Time
1 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 40.086
2 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 40.093
3 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 40.143
4 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 40.233
5 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 40.250
6 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 40.280
7 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 40.284
8 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 40.304
9 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 40.341
10 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 40.351
11 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 40.367
12 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 40.428
13 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 40.485
14 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 40.487
15 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 40.491
16 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 40.503
17 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 40.516
18 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 40.519
19 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 40.583
20 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 40.587
21 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 40.610
22 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 40.698
23 38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 40.699
24 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 40.738
25 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 40.750
26 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 40.761
27 6 Ross Chastain (i) Roush Fenway Racing Ford 40.783
28 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 40.790
29 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 40.955
30 52 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 41.484
31 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 41.511
32 15 Brennan Poole (R) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 41.819
33 77 Reed Sorenson Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 41.975
34 53 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 42.375
35 00 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 42.657
36 51 Garrett Smithley Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 42.842
37 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 43.729
38 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 0.000
Official qualifying results

Race

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Alex Bowman won the race.

Stage Results

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Stage One Laps: 60

Pos No Driver Team Manufacturer Points
1 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10
2 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 9
3 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 8
4 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 7
5 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 6
6 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 5
7 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 4
8 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 3
9 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 2
10 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 1
Official stage one results

Stage Two Laps: 60

Pos No Driver Team Manufacturer Points
1 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 10
2 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 9
3 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 8
4 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 7
5 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 6
6 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 5
7 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 4
8 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 3
9 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 2
10 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 1
Official stage two results

Final Stage Results

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Stage Three Laps: 80

Pos Grid No Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points
1 3 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 200 59
2 17 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 200 40
3 4 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 200 40
4 13 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 200 40
5 15 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 200 44
6 28 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 200 34
7 2 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 200 46
8 6 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 200 36
9 5 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 200 29
10 29 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 200 29
11 19 8 Tyler Reddick (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 200 26
12 7 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 200 29
13 12 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 200 27
14 38 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 200 29
15 21 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 200 22
16 11 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 200 21
17 27 6 Ross Chastain (i) Roush Fenway Racing Ford 200 0
18 18 41 Cole Custer (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 199 19
19 16 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 199 37
20 10 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 199 17
21 9 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 199 16
22 8 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 199 15
23 1 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 199 14
24 25 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 199 13
25 23 38 John Hunter Nemechek (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 199 12
26 24 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 199 11
27 14 43 Bubba Wallace Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 198 10
28 31 96 Daniel Suárez Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 198 9
29 26 32 Corey LaJoie Go Fas Racing Ford 197 8
30 20 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 197 7
31 30 52 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 197 0
32 32 15 Brennan Poole (R) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 195 5
33 34 53 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 193 0
34 36 51 Garrett Smithley Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 193 3
35 35 00 Quin Houff (R) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 192 2
36 33 77 Reed Sorenson Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 191 1
37 37 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 184 0
38 22 95 Christopher Bell (R) Leavine Family Racing Toyota 80 1
Official race results

Race statistics

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  • Lead changes: 16 among 8 different drivers
  • Cautions/Laps: 3 for 13
  • Red flags: 0
  • Time of race: 2 hours, 37 minutes and 7 seconds
  • Average speed: 152.753 miles per hour (245.832 km/h)

Media

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Television

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The race was the 20th race Fox Sports covered at the Auto Club Speedway. Mike Joy and three-time Auto Club winner Jeff Gordon called the race in the booth for Fox. Jamie Little, Regan Smith, Vince Welch and Matt Yocum handled the pit road duties for the television side. Larry McReynolds and Jamie McMurray provided insight from the Fox Sports studio in Charlotte.

Fox
Booth announcers Pit reporters In-race analysts
Lap-by-lap: Mike Joy
Color-commentator: Jeff Gordon
Jamie Little
Regan Smith
Vince Welch
Matt Yocum
Larry McReynolds
Jamie McMurray

Radio

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MRN had the radio call for the race, which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle and 2001 race winner Rusty Wallace called the race from the booth when the field raced their way down the front stretch. Dan Hubbard called the race from a billboard outside turn 2 when the field raced their way through turns 1 and 2 & Kyle Rickey called the race from a billboard outside turn 3 when the field raced their way through turns 3 and 4. Kim Coon, Steve Post and Dillon Welch had the pit road duties for MRN.

MRN
Booth announcers Turn announcers Pit reporters
Lead announcer: Alex Hayden
Announcer: Jeff Striegle
Announcer: Rusty Wallace
Turns 1 & 2: Dan Hubbard
Turns 3 & 4: Kyle Rickey
Kim Coon
Steve Post
Dillon Welch

Standings after the race

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References

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  1. ^ "2020 schedule". Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. January 17, 2020. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  2. ^ "Auto Club Speedway". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. January 3, 2013. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  3. ^ "Entry List". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. February 25, 2020. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  4. ^ "First Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. February 28, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  5. ^ "Final Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. February 28, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  6. ^ "Starting Lineup". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. February 29, 2020. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  7. ^ "Auto Club 400 Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. March 1, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  8. ^ "Points standings" (PDF). Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. March 1, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  9. ^ "Auto Club 400 ratings". ShowBuzzDaily. Mitch Metcalf. Archived from the original on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  10. ^ Utter, Jim (February 28, 2020). "Bowman leads first Cup practice at Fontana as Chevys dominate". Motorsport.com. Fontana, California: Motorsport Network. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  11. ^ Utter, Jim (February 28, 2020). "Alex Bowman tops final Cup practice; Kyle Busch tags wall". Motorsport.com. Fontana, California: Motorsport Network. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  12. ^ Utter, Jim (February 29, 2020). "Bowyer narrowly beats out Johnson for Fontana pole". Motorsport.com. Fontana, California: Motorsport Network. Retrieved February 29, 2020.


Previous race:
2020 Pennzoil 400
NASCAR Cup Series
2020 season
Next race:
2020 FanShield 500