For the first time since NASCAR's return from the COVID-19 shutdown, fans got to see some short-track racing, at Bristol Motor Speedway. Brad Keselowski came away with the win in the Supermarket Heroes 500 on Sunday.
It looked as if the race would come down to Chase Elliott and Joey Logano in the final five laps, but with three laps to go, Elliott lost control on the inside, spinning toward the outside and collecting Logano. That opened up room for Keselowski to grab the win.
It was a tough finish for Elliott, who won the race's first two stages and had the lead on the final restart. Clint Bowyer went from fifth on the final restart to second, while Jimmie Johnson finished third.
There were 17 cautions in the race. That may not be a record, but it's certainly a lot for Bristol.
Sporting News tracked live race updates and lap-by-lap highlights from Sunday's NASCAR race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Follow along below for complete results from the Supermarket Heroes 500.
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NASCAR at Bristol results, highlights from Supermarket Heroes 500
Position | Driver |
---|---|
1 | Brad Keselowski |
2 | Clint Bowyer |
3 | Jimmie Johnson |
4 | Kyle Busch |
5 | Erik Jones |
6 | Austin Dillon |
7 | Kurt Busch |
8 | Willie Byron |
9 | Christopher Bell |
10 | Bubba Wallace |
11 | Kevin Harvick |
12 | Ryan Preece |
13 | John Hunter Nemechek |
14 | Michael McDowell |
15 | Ryan Newman |
16 | Matt Kenseth |
17 | Denny Hamlin |
18 | Daniel Suarez |
19 | Timmy Hill |
20 | Martin Truex Jr. |
21 | Joey Logano |
22 | Chase Elliott |
23 | Chris Buescher |
24 | Brennan Poole |
25 | J.J. Yeley |
26 | Garrett Smithley |
27 | Quin Houff |
28 | B.J. McLeod |
29 | Aric Almirola |
30 | Gray Gaulding |
31 | Matt DiBenedetto |
32 | Corey LaJoie |
33 | Joey Gase |
34 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. |
35 | Cole Custer |
36 | Tyler Reddick |
37 | Alex Bowman |
38 | Bayley Currey |
39 | Ty Dillon |
40 | Ryan Blaney |
(All times Eastern)
7:25 p.m. — Brad Keselowski wins it. Elliott and Logano took each other out with just a couple laps left. Clint Bowyer finishes second, Jimmie Johnson finishes third. What a finish.
WHAT. A. FINISH! Retweet to congratulate Brad @Keselowski on his Bristol win. pic.twitter.com/mMIazXj5qE
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 31, 2020
7:24 p.m. — Green flag is back out with five laps to go. Chase Elliott in front, Joey Logano in second, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson in the top five.
7:20 p.m. — Well, might have spoken too soon. Denny Hamlin gets too high and Joey Logano and Chase Elliott burst on by. Hamlin gets bumped by Logano and spins out. That's the 17th caution of the day with 10 laps to go.
A crazy sequence of events at @BMSupdates ! @dennyhamlin goes from leading to spinning in a matter of moments. pic.twitter.com/DXUpJagx15
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 31, 2020
7:19 p.m. — Denny Hamlin has been able to hold the lead off the restart. He's got about half a second on Joey Logano, with Chase Elliott still lurking around in third with 13 laps to go.
7:10 p.m. — Another big wreck as several cars get caught up, 16th caution of the day with 35 laps to go. Martin Truex Jr., Aric Almirola and Michael McDowell all involved.
7:04 p.m. — Caution is out for Gray Gaulding as he hits the wall, making it 15 on the day. Hamlin just barely held the lead at the time of the caution with Elliot in the middle of a move to pass with 40 laps to go.
7:02 p.m. — Denny Hamlin won the race off pit road and has stayed out in front off the restart. Chase Elliott is right behind him, Jimmie Johnson in third with 50 laps to go.
6:54 p.m. — Caution out for Kevin Harvick. That's 14 on the day with 67 laps to go.
6:50 p.m. — Kyle Busch is able to retake the lead thanks to a couple of screens from some lapped cars. He leads with 80 laps to go, Jimmie Johnson in second, Denny Hamlin down to third.
6:45 p.m. — We're through 400 of the 500 laps. Denny Hamlin has the lead, Kyle Busch in second, Jimmie Johnson up to third, Chase Elliott in fourth, all within one second of each other.
6:31 p.m. — Another caution. Drink. That's 13 on the day as Ryan Newman spins out with 145 laps to go.
Ryan Newman goes around, but keeps it off the wall. pic.twitter.com/Et57psHkM6
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 31, 2020
6:27 p.m. — We're through 350 of the 500 laps and Kyle Busch still leads.
6:15 p.m. — A 12th caution flag now as Austin Dillon gets into the wall. After 330 laps, Kyle Busch leads.
6:01 p.m. — Caution flag is out for the 11th time today after 270 laps. Denny Hamlin leads, Kyle Busch in second, Austin Dillon in third.
5:50 p.m. — Chase Elliott wins Stage 2 and is in line for the hat trick if he can close out the race with a win.
5:47 p.m. — Green flag is back out with seven laps to go in Stage 2: Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Joey Logano make up the top five.
5:43 p.m. — Ninth caution of the day now for Ryan Preece as he hits the wall with 11 laps to go in Stage 2.
5:42 p.m. — We're finally back under green with 15 laps to go in Stage 2, Chase Elliott leads.
5:25 p.m. — Biiiiig wreck on Lap 230. . Looks like Jimmie Johnson caused Ricky Stenhouse to spin out, taking out several other drivers. Red flag is out. Kurt Busch, Tyler Reddick, Matt DiBenedetto, Ryan Preece, Cole Custer all got caught up in the carnage.
. @StenhouseJr slides across the track after contact from @JimmieJohnson and collects multiple contenders in this crash at @BMSupdates . pic.twitter.com/SUDEmfpQrP
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 31, 2020
5:24 p.m. — Chase Elliott and Joey Logano make contact as they battle for the lead, but Elliott is able to hold on, 24 laps to go in Stage 2.
5:19 p.m. — That restart was even shorter. Seventh caution of the day is out now as Bayley Currey stalls out.
5:14 p.m. — Chase Elliott has reclaimed the led off the restart with 40 laps to go in Stage 2, Brad Keselowski in second and Joey Logano in third. And now there's a sixth caution out for Joey Gase.
5:07 p.m. — Fifth caution of the day is out as Ryan Blaney loses control on the outside and Ty Dillon can't avoid him. With 50 laps remaining in Stage 2, Brad Keselowski lead, Aric Almirola in second and Chase Elliott in third.
Big trouble! Ryan Blaney goes around and Ty Dillon slams into him. pic.twitter.com/8TNXyO8m3l
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 31, 2020
4:58 p.m. — Brad Keselowski has retaken the lead. We're 50 laps into Stage 2, it's him, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, Arica Almirola and Joey Logano leading the pack.
4:49 p.m. — Ryan Blaney wins the race off pit road and takes the lead on the restart .
4:40 p.m. — Chase Elliot, winner of Thursday's race in Charlotte, wins Stage 1 in Bristol.
. @chaseelliott gets around @Blaney to take over the lead as Stage 1 winds down. #FoodCitySupermarketHeroes500 pic.twitter.com/RYTxzGpLzG
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 31, 2020
4:34 p.m. — Ryan Blaney took the lead from Keselowski, but now Chase Elliott is out in front with 20 laps remaining in Stage 1.
4:27 p.m. — Kyle Busch forced to go to the rear off the restart after speeding on pit road. Matt DiBenedetto didn't pit and had the early lead on the restart, but Brad Keselowski takes it back. Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliot, Aric Almirola and Joey Logano round out the top five after 75 laps, 50 laps remaining in Stage 1.
4:19 p.m. — Second competition caution is out after 60 laps: Brad Keselowski has led every lap so far.
4:13 p.m. — After 40 laps, Keselowski still leads with Aric Almirola, Joey Logano, Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney right behind him.
4:03 p.m. — First of two competition yellows is out after 20 laps: Brad Keselowski still leads, Martin TruexJr. in second, Ryan Blaney, Aric Almirola and Joey Logano round out the top five.
3:57 p.m. — Caution out Ryan Newman on Lap No. 8 after he spins out. No one hit him, looks like he wasn't able to get any grip on the inside of the track.
3:45 p.m. — Engines are started and we're finally about to get underway.
What time does the NASCAR race start today?
- Start time: 3:30 p.m. ET
- TV channel: FS1
- Live stream: Fox Sports Go | fuboTV (7-day free trial)
The 3:30 p.m. ET start time for Sunday's race at Bristol is the second such start time on NASCAR's modified Cup Series schedule for 2020, as the series' return to racing at Darlington a couple weeks ago featured a late afternoon green flag. The race at Homestead on June 14 also is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. ET.
The other two day races on NASCAR's confirmed short-term schedule (Atlanta and Talladega) will start at 3 p.m. ET. The mid-week night race at Martinsville scheduled for June 10 will start at 7 p.m. ET.
NASCAR starting lineup at Bristol
The same protocol that set the lineup for Sunday's Bristol race will be used to set the lineup for the upcoming Cup Series races at Atlanta (June 7), Martinsville (June 10), Homestead-Miami (June 14) and Talladega (June 21). All of those races also will run without prior practice sessions with the exception of Talladega, which will have an hour-long practice session the day before the race.
As for Sunday's race at Bristol, the draw for the starting lineup took place Friday. Below are the results.
Pos. | Driver |
1 | Brad Keselowski |
2 | Aric Almirola |
3 | Joey Logano |
4 | Ryan Blaney |
5 | Martin Truex Jr. |
6 | Chase Elliott |
7 | Kyle Busch |
8 | Kevin Harvick |
9 | Matt DiBenedetto |
10 | Denny Hamlin |
11 | Alex Bowman |
12 | Kurt Busch |
13 | William Byron |
14 | Matt Kenseth |
15 | Erik Jones |
16 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. |
17 | Ryan Newman |
18 | John Hunter Nemechek |
19 | Chris Buescher |
20 | Austin Dillon |
21 | Tyler Reddick |
22 | Cole Custer |
23 | Clint Bowyer |
24 | Jimmie Johnson |
25 | Michael McDowell |
26 | Bayley Currey |
27 | Joey Gase |
28 | Quin Houff |
29 | Ty Dillon |
30 | Gray Gaulding |
31 | Garrett Smithley |
32 | Corey LaJoie |
33 | Ryan Preece |
34 | Brennan Poole |
35 | Christopher Bell |
36 | Bubba Wallace |
37 | Daniel Suarez |
38 | Timmy Hill |
39 | BJ McLeod |
40 | JJ Yeley |