NASCAR at Daytona results: Chase Elliott survives late push, wins 2020 road course race

Dan Bernstein

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NASCAR at Daytona results: Chase Elliott survives late push, wins 2020 road course race image

Chase Elliott strengthened his NASCAR playoff positioning with a runaway road course victory at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday in the GoBowling 235.

Elliott, who also won Stage 1 of the competition, carried a lead of 10 or more seconds for much of the final 15 laps. He didn’t let an ill-timed caution caused by Kyle Busch rob him of his advantage, holding off Denny Hamlin following a restart with three laps remaining.

Martin Truex Jr. finished third, Jimmie Johnson finished fourth and Chris Buescher finished fifth. Kaz Grala, a late replacement for Austin Dillon (COVID-19 positive test), surprisingly finished seventh in his first Cup Series start.

Sporting News tracked live race updates and lap-by-lap highlights from Sunday's NASCAR race from Daytona's road course. Follow below for complete results from the GoBowling 235.

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Top 20 finish order for NASCAR at Daytona

Pos. Driver
1 Chase Elliott
2 Denny Hamlin
3 Martin Truex Jr.
4 Jimmie Johnson
5 Chris Buescher
6 Clint Bowyer
7 Kaz Grala
8 William Byron
9 Joey Logano
10 Michael McDowell
11 Erik Jones
12 Alex Bowman
13 Brad Keselowski
14 Kurt Busch
15 Matt DiBenedetto
16 Ricky Stenhouse
17 Kevin Harvick
18 Tyler Reddick
19 Ryan Newman
20 Ty Dillon

Lead changes: 12
Leaders: 6
Cautions: 4

NASCAR at Daytona live updates, highlights from 2020 road course race

6:29 p.m.: Elliott hangs on to win. Hamlin felt he had a chance at the very end but couldn't quite make up the ground. Martin Truex Jr. sneaks past Jimmie Johnson for third.

6:27 p.m.: Hamlin up to second.

6:25 p.m.: Green flag with three laps to go. Elliott will have to work hard for this now.

6:15 p.m.: Caution. Kyle Busch.

6:12 p.m.: Behind Elliott ... or we should say WAY behind Elliott ... is Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr.

6:06 p.m.: With 10 laps left, it would take an unexpected crash or malfunction from Elliott for anyone else to win.

6:02 p.m.: Make that an 11.3 second lead for Elliott with 12 laps to go. Wow.

6:01 p.m.: This race is Elliott's to lose. Once all pitting is completed, he should have a 10ish second advantage.

5:53 p.m.: Kyle Busch is headed to the garage with a brake issue. Fits with everything that's happened to him this season.

5:45 p.m.: As the race enters its final 20 laps, things remain clean. Other than the lightning stoppage, it's been a pretty uneventful afternoon. That could change in a hurry, though.

5:40 p.m.: Elliott has a lead of almost five seconds on everyone else. Kyle Busch is second.

5:33 p.m.: Back to green with 26 laps to go (several go-arounds were completed under caution during this restart).

5:21 p.m.: Engines are indeed warm again.

5:18 p.m.: Looks like engines could fire back up in the next 5-10 minutes.

4:48 p.m.: There's a minimum stoppage rule in NASCAR whenever lightning strikes nearby, meaning we'll have to wait at least another 20 minutes.

4:48 p.m.: The stoppage allows this change to happen.

4:46 p.m.: Red flag for lightning with 29 laps left in the race. Argh.

4:36 p.m.: Harvick spins. No caution, though, as no one hits him afterward.

4:27 p.m.: Hamlin wins Stage 2. Truez Jr. is penalized for speeding on pit road and WILL NOT get stage points despite finishing the round in seventh.

4:23 p.m.: Two more laps left in Stage 2.

4:11 p.m.: Truex Jr. jumps ahead of Hamlin with eight laps remaining in Stage 2.

4:06 p.m.: Hamlin is back out in front.

3:52 p.m.: Chase Elliott wins Stage 1.

3:49 p.m.: Truex Jr. pits before the end of the stage, taking him out of the running for the Stage 1 win.

3:44 p.m.: Martin Truex Jr., who has been mostly quiet this year, is battling for the lead.

3:39 p.m.: Hamlin continues to set the pace for the field in Stage 1.

3:31 p.m.: After careful deliberation, Kyle Busch decides to pit to check out that tire. A frustrating start for him.

3:27 p.m.: Kyle Busch thinks he might have a flat tire. Hamlin passes him to take an early lead.

3:21 p.m.: Green flag. Here's to a fun, rain-free Sunday afternoon road race at Daytona.

3:13 p.m.: Engines fired!

3:01 p.m.: Pre-race activities are taking place currently, and they're on track to fire up engines somewhat soon.

NASCAR race start time today

The green flag for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at the Daytona road course will wave shortly after 3 p.m. ET, assuming there are no rain delays as there have been so often since NASCAR returned to live racing in May.

The good news is that, in the event weather impacts Sunday's race, NASCAR has sufficient lighting for the road course portion of the track to complement Daytona's oval lighting. This means NASCAR could push the race late into the evening, if need be.

With the addition of the road course element rather than a 2.5-mile oval, Daytona this weekend is a 3.57-mile circuit. Sunday's Cup Series race is scheduled for 65 laps and 231 miles with stage lengths of 15 laps, 15 laps and 35 laps.

NASCAR starting lineup at Daytona road course

Here is the starting lineup for Sunday's NASCAR race at Daytona:

Pos. Driver Car No. Team
1 Kevin Harvick 4 Stewart-Haas Racing
2 Denny Hamlin 11 Joe Gibbs Racing
3 Martin Truex Jr. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing
4 Kyle Busch 18 Joe Gibbs Racing
5 Joey Logano 22 Team Penske
6 Aric Almirola 10 Stewart-Haas Racing
7 Chase Elliott 9 Hendrick Motorsports
8 Kurt Busch 1 Chip Ganassi Racing
9 Matt DiBenedetto 21 Wood Brothers Racing
10 Kaz Grala* 3 Richard Childress Racing
11 Jimmie Johnson 48 Hendrick Motorsports
12 Clint Bowyer 14 Stewart-Haas Racing
13 William Byron 24 Hendrick Motorsports
14 Ryan Newman 6 Roush Fenway Racing
15 Christopher Bell 95 Leavine Family Racing
16 Matt Kenseth 42 Chip Ganassi Racing
17 Brad Keselowski 2 Team Penske
18 Tyler Reddick 8 Richard Childress Racing
19 Bubba Wallace 43 Richard Petty Motorsports
20 Erik Jones 20 Joe Gibbs Racing
21 Chris Buescher 17 Roush Fenway Racing
22 Ryan Preece 37 JTG Daugherty Racing
23 Ty Dillon 13 Germain Racing
24 Ryan Blaney 12 Team Penske
25 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing
26 Cole Custer 41 Stewart-Haas Racing
27 Alex Bowman 88 Hendrick Motorsports
28 John Hunter Nemechek 38 Front Row Motorsports
29 Corey LaJoie 32 Go FAS Racing
30 Michael McDowell 34 Front Row Motorsports
31 Daniel Suarez 96 Gaunt Brothers Racing
32 JJ Yeley 27 Rick Ware Racing
33 Brennan Poole 15 Premium Motorsports
34 Reed Sorenson 77 Spire Motorsports
35 Quin Houff 00 StarCom Racing
36 Timmy Hill 66 Motorsports Business Management
37 Gray Gaulding 53 Rick Ware Racing
38 Joey Gase 51 Petty Ware Racing
39 Brendan Gaughan 62 Beard Motorsports

* Grala replaced Austin Dillon, who self-reported a positive COVID-19 test.

Dan Bernstein