2020 Unhinged 300
The 2020 Unhinged 300 was a NASCAR Xfinity Series race held on June 20, 2020 at Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. Contested over 113 laps on the 2.66-mile (4.28 km) superspeedway, it was the 11th race of the 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series season and the season's third Dash 4 Cash race. Kaulig Racing's Justin Haley picked up his first career Xfinity Series victory.[8]
| Race details[1][2][3][4][5][6] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 11 of 33 in the 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series season | |||
 | |||
| Date | June 20, 2020 | ||
| Location | Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama | ||
| Course | 2.66 mi (4.28 km) | ||
| Distance | 113 laps, 300.58 mi (483.74 km) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Kaulig Racing | ||
| Grid positions set by ballot | |||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Ross Chastain | Kaulig Racing | |
| Laps | 24 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 11 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | FS1 | ||
| Announcers | Adam Alexander, Aric Almirola, Jamie McMurray | ||
| Nielsen Ratings | 998,000[7] | ||
| Radio in the United States | |||
| Radio | MRN | ||
The race was originally scheduled to be held on April 25, but was rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[9]
Report
Background
Talladega Superspeedway, formerly known as Alabama International Motor Speedway, is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base in the small city of Lincoln. A tri-oval, the track was constructed in 1969 by the International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France family. Talladega is most known for its steep banking. The track currently hosts NASCAR's Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series. Talladega is the longest NASCAR oval with a length of 2.66-mile-long (4.28 km) tri-oval like the Daytona International Speedway, which is 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km).
Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the race was held with limited spectators, with the grandstands and infield closed. Spectators were restricted to the 44 open backstretch motorhome lots who had camping tickets for both days of the meeting.[10]
Dash 4 Cash
The 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 Unhinged 300 was the season's third Dash 4 Cash race. A. J. Allmendinger, Chase Briscoe, Ross Chastain, and Brandon Jones were eligible to win after finishing in the top 4 at the Contender Boats 250 at Homestead.
Entry list
- (R) denotes rookie driver.
- (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
Qualifying
Justin Haley was awarded the pole for the race as determined by a random draw.[11]
Starting Lineup
- . – Eligible for Dash 4 Cash prize money.
- The No. 8 and No. 16 had to start from the rear due to failing pre-race inspection.
- The No. 47 had to start from the rear due to a driver change.
- The No. 99 had to start from the rear due to an unapproved adjustment.
Race
Stage Results
Stage One
Laps: 25
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 10 |
| 2 | 21 | Anthony Alfredo | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 9 |
| 3 | 98 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 8 |
| 4 | 10 | Ross Chastain | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 7 |
| 5 | 19 | Brandon Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 6 |
| 6 | 22 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 5 |
| 7 | 20 | Harrison Burton (R) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 4 |
| 8 | 02 | Brett Moffitt (i) | Our Motorsports | Chevrolet | 0 |
| 9 | 1 | Michael Annett | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 2 |
| 10 | 07 | Gray Gaulding (i) | SS-Green Light Racing | Chevrolet | 0 |
Stage Two
Laps: 25
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 98 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 10 |
| 2 | 1 | Michael Annett | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 9 |
| 3 | 22 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 8 |
| 4 | 9 | Noah Gragson | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 7 |
| 5 | 10 | Ross Chastain | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 6 |
| 6 | 11 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 5 |
| 7 | 8 | Jeb Burton | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 4 |
| 8 | 19 | Brandon Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 3 |
| 9 | 02 | Brett Moffitt (i) | Our Motorsports | Chevrolet | 0 |
| 10 | 68 | Brandon Brown | Brandonbilt Motorsports | Chevrolet | 1 |
Final Stage Results
Laps: 63
| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Points | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 11 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 113 | 55 | Running |
| 2 | 9 | 10 | Ross Chastain | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 113 | 48 | Running |
| 3 | 8 | 8 | Jeb Burton | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 113 | 38 | Running |
| 4 | 7 | 22 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 113 | 46 | Running |
| 5 | 20 | 02 | Brett Moffitt (i) | Our Motorsports | Chevrolet | 113 | 0 | Running |
| 6 | 10 | 21 | Anthony Alfredo | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 113 | 40 | Running |
| 7 | 34 | 16 | A. J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 113 | 30 | Running |
| 8 | 21 | 07 | Gray Gaulding (i) | SS-Green Light Racing | Chevrolet | 113 | 0 | Running |
| 9 | 27 | 36 | Alex Labbé | DGM Racing | Chevrolet | 113 | 28 | Running |
| 10 | 5 | 9 | Noah Gragson | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 113 | 34 | Running |
| 11 | 15 | 68 | Brandon Brown | Brandonbilt Motorsports | Chevrolet | 113 | 27 | Running |
| 12 | 2 | 1 | Michael Annett | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 113 | 36 | Running |
| 13 | 18 | 4 | Jesse Little (R) | JD Motorsports | Chevrolet | 113 | 24 | Running |
| 14 | 13 | 0 | Jeffrey Earnhardt | JD Motorsports | Chevrolet | 113 | 23 | Running |
| 15 | 32 | 44 | Tommy Joe Martins | Martins Motorsports | Chevrolet | 113 | 22 | Running |
| 16 | 6 | 19 | Brandon Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 113 | 30 | Running |
| 17 | 17 | 90 | Caesar Bacarella | DGM Racing | Chevrolet | 113 | 20 | Running |
| 18 | 4 | 98 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 113 | 37 | Running |
| 19 | 14 | 15 | Robby Lyons | JD Motorsports | Chevrolet | 113 | 18 | Running |
| 20 | 35 | 99 | Mason Massey | B. J. McLeod Motorsports | Toyota | 113 | 17 | Running |
| 21 | 28 | 78 | Vinnie Miller | B. J. McLeod Motorsports | Chevrolet | 113 | 16 | Running |
| 22 | 30 | 13 | Chad Finchum | MBM Motorsports | Toyota | 113 | 15 | Running |
| 23 | 16 | 6 | B. J. McLeod | JD Motorsports | Chevrolet | 113 | 14 | Running |
| 24 | 19 | 51 | Jeremy Clements | Jeremy Clements Racing | Chevrolet | 112 | 13 | Running |
| 25 | 25 | 74 | Mike Harmon | Mike Harmon Racing | Chevrolet | 112 | 12 | Running |
| 26 | 33 | 61 | Timmy Hill (i) | Hattori Racing | Toyota | 106 | 0 | Accident |
| 27 | 31 | 93 | Myatt Snider (R) | RSS Racing | Chevrolet | 105 | 10 | Accident |
| 28 | 12 | 7 | Justin Allgaier | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 105 | 9 | Accident |
| 29 | 36 | 38 | Jeff Green | RSS Racing | Chevrolet | 105 | 8 | Accident |
| 30 | 3 | 39 | Ryan Sieg | RSS Racing | Chevrolet | 101 | 7 | Running |
| 31 | 26 | 52 | Kody Vanderwal (R) | Means Racing | Chevrolet | 95 | 6 | Accident |
| 32 | 11 | 20 | Harrison Burton (R) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 95 | 9 | Accident |
| 33 | 24 | 92 | Josh Williams | DGM Racing | Chevrolet | 95 | 4 | Accident |
| 34 | 23 | 08 | Joe Graf Jr. (R) | SS-Green Light Racing | Chevrolet | 95 | 3 | Accident |
| 35 | 39 | 26 | Colin Garrett | Sam Hunt Racing | Toyota | 95 | 2 | Accident |
| 36 | 29 | 47 | Tim Viens (i) | Mike Harmon Racing | Chevrolet | 90 | 0 | Accident |
| 37 | 22 | 18 | Riley Herbst (R) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 76 | 1 | Accident |
| 38 | 37 | 5 | Matt Mills | B. J. McLeod Motorsports | Toyota | 65 | 1 | Overheating |
| 39 | 38 | 66 | John Jackson | MBM Motorsports | Toyota | 30 | 1 | Overheating |
| 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
- Lead changes: 22 among 12 different drivers
- Cautions/Laps: 6 for 22
- Red flags: 2
- Time of race: 2 hours, 15 minutes, 52 seconds
- Average speed: 136.249 mph (219.272 km/h)
Media
Television
The Unhinged 300 was carried by FS1 in the United States. Adam Alexander, Stewart-Haas Racing driver Aric Almirola, and Jamie McMurray called the race from the Fox Sports Studio in Charlotte, with Jamie Little and Vince Welch covering pit road.
| FS1 | |
|---|---|
| Booth announcers | Pit reporter |
| Lap-by-lap: Adam Alexander
Color-commentator: Aric Almirola Color-commentator: Jamie McMurray |
Jamie Little
Vince Welch |
Radio
The Motor Racing Network (MRN) called the race for radio, which was simulcast on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Standings after the race
- Drivers' Championship standings
| Pos | Driver | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
1 | Noah Gragson | 469 |
|
2 | Chase Briscoe | 454 (-15) |
 1 |
3 | Austin Cindric | 426 (-43) |
| 1 |
4 | Ross Chastain | 422 (-47) |
 2 |
5 | Harrison Burton (R) | 399 (-70) |
| 1 |
6 | Justin Haley | 385 (-84) |
| 1 |
7 | Brandon Jones | 375 (-94) |
|
8 | Justin Allgaier | 337 (-132) |
| 1 |
9 | Michael Annett | 296 (-173) |
| 1 |
10 | Ryan Sieg | 273 (-196) |
|
11 | Riley Herbst (R) | 257 (-212) |
| 1 |
12 | Brandon Brown | 250 (-219) |
| 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
- "2020 NASCAR XFINITY Series Schedule". Jayski's NASCAR Silly Season Site. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
- "Talladega Superspeedway". RacingCircuits.info. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
- "Entry List" (PDF). Jayski.com. June 18, 2020. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- "Starting Lineup" (PDF). Jayski.com. June 18, 2020. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- "Unhinged 300 Results" (PDF). Jayski.com. June 20, 2020. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- "Driver points" (PDF). Jayski.com. June 20, 2020. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- "June 20, 2020 Cable Ratings". ShowBuzz Daily. Archived from the original on 2020-06-25. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
- "Justin Haley wins at Talladega for first Xfinity victory - NBC Sports". NASCAR Talk | NBC Sports. 2020-06-21. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
- "Talladega Superspeedway April 24-26 Race Weekend Postponed; To Be Rescheduled At A Later Date". www.talladegasuperspeedway.com. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
- "Talladega Superspeedway to Host Limited Number of Fans for the GEICO 500 NASCAR Cup Series Race on Sunday, June 21". www.talladegasuperspeedway.com. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
- Staff, SPEED SPORT (2020-06-18). "Justin Haley Named Talladega Xfinity Polesitter". SPEED SPORT. Retrieved 2020-09-18.