- Harvick wins two of first three while Blaney, Byron, Custer and DiBenedetto eliminated from playoffs
- Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 at Texas Motor Speedway will be eighth of 10-race run to crown season champion
FORT WORTH, Texas (Sept. 21, 2020) – Kevin Harvick scored victories in two of the first three races of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs to strengthen his bid for a second title while four drivers were eliminated from playoff competition heading into the Round of 12.
Harvick, who on Oct. 25 will be going for his fourth consecutive victory in the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, earned victories in the playoffs opener at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway and again Sept. 19 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. Brad Keselowski punched his ticket to the Round of 12 with a Sept. 12 win at Richmond (Va.) Raceway.
The full list of drivers moving on to the Round of 12 are:
Kevin Harvick / No. 4 Stewart-Haas Ford / 3,067 points
Denny Hamlin / No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota / 3,048
Brad Keselowski / No. 2 Team Penske Ford / 3,035
Joey Logano / No. 22 Team Penske Ford / 3,022
Chase Elliott / No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet / 3,021
Martin Truex, Jr. / No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota / 3,016
Alex Bowman / No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet / 3,009
Austin Dillon / No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet / 3,005
Aric Almirola / No. 10 Stewart-Haas Ford / 3,005
Kyle Busch / No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet / 3,004
Clint Bowyer / No. 14 Stewart-Haas Ford / 3,004
Kurt Busch / No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet / 3,001
The four drivers who eliminated from the playoffs were Cole Custer (No. 41 Stewart-Haas Ford), William Byron (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet), Ryan Blaney (No. 12 Team Penske Ford) and Matt DiBenedetto (No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford).
The balance of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Schedule is:
Sept. 27 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway Round of 12
Oct. 4 – Talladega Superspeedway Round of 12
Oct. 11 – Charlotte Motor Speedway Round of 12 (elimination)
Oct. 18 – Kansas Speedway Round of 8
Oct. 25 – Texas Motor Speedway Round of 8
Nov. 1 – Martinsville Speedway Round of 8 (elimination)
Nov. 8 – Phoenix Raceway Championship 4
NASCAR race fans return to Texas Motor Speedway Oct. 25 with the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 weekend. The doubleheader Sunday begins at 11 a.m. CT with the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 400 (FS1, PRN, KFWR 95.5 The Ranch). It gives way to the NASCAR Cup Series Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 (2:30 p.m. CT on NBCSN, PRN and KFWR 95.5 The Ranch).
The Oct. 24 NASCAR Xfinity Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 (3:30 p.m. CT on NBCSN, PRN, KFWR 95.5 The Ranch) will be run as a non-spectator event.
Tickets for the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500/SpeedCash.com 400 doubleheader are available starting at $48 at . One ticket will be good for both races and kids 12 and under are just $10.
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