NASCAR Starting Lineup for Sunday's Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway
NASCAR Starting Lineup for Sunday's Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway
The NASCAR Cup Series moves to Kentucky Speedway this week for the 2020 Quaker State 400. The 1.5-mile oval is just 130 miles southeast of Indianapolis as the sport continues its trek around the Ohio Valley.
It’s just the 10th Cup race at a track that was added to the schedule in 2011. At first, drivers loved the aging asphalt that created multiple grooves and wore tires to shreds. But a recent repaving, in 2016, has upped speeds while making passing more difficult under the current handling package.
NASCAR's COVID-19 restrictions remain in place for this upcoming weekend. That means no fans along with no on-track practice or qualifying before the race. The starting lineup for Sunday was selected under the same rules the sport has been using for most races since returning in mid-May.
Positions 1-12 were drawn among teams ranked 1st through 12th in the owner standings.
Positions 13-24 were drawn among teams ranked 13th through 24th in the owner standings.
Positions 25-36 were drawn among charter teams only (guaranteed spots on the grid) ranked 25th through 36th in owner points.
Positions 37-38 were set by owner points among the four “open” teams who must race in on speed every time out.
Last year's runner-up finisher, Kyle Busch, starts from the pole position. It's the first time he's earned the top spot since the sport returned from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Only 38 teams were entered for 40 spots on the grid, meaning everyone who entered made the race. Two "open" teams, the No. 78 of BJ McLeod Motorsports and the No. 7 of Tommy Baldwin Racing, chose to skip the Kentucky event.
1. Kyle Busch
2. Joey Logano
3. Kevin Harvick
4. Aric Almirola
5. Alex Bowman
6. Brad Keselowski
7. Kurt Busch
8. Chase Elliott
9. Martin Truex Jr.
10. Matt DiBenedetto
11. Ryan Blaney
12. Denny Hamlin
13. Chris Buescher
14. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
15. Clint Bowyer
16. Erik Jones
17. Matt Kenseth
18. Bubba Wallace
19. Austin Dillon
20. Jimmie Johnson
21. William Byron
22. John Hunter Nemechek (R)
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23. Ryan Newman
24. Tyler Reddick (R)
25. Garrett Smithley (i)
26. Josh Bilicki (i)
27. Corey Lajoie
28. Quin Houff (R)
29. Cole Custer (R)
30. Michael McDowell
31. Brennan Poole (R)
32. Ryan Preece
33. Ty Dillon
34. Christopher Bell (R)
35. Joey Gase (i)
36. JJ Yeley (i)
37. Daniel Suarez
38. Timmy Hill (i)
(R) – Rookie
(i) – Ineligible to collect Cup Series points
QUALIFYING NOTES
- Kyle Busch (pole) has now started 10th or better in nine of his ten Kentucky starts.
- Joey Logano (2nd) has his second straight front row start.
- Aric Almirola (4th) is seeking his career-best sixth straight top-5 finish. It’s his second straight top-5 start at Kentucky.
- Kurt Busch (7th) is the defending race winner.
- Jimmie Johnson (20th) returns to the No. 48 after being cleared of COVID-19. Johnson tested negative on two straight tests within 24 hours, putting him back in his ride in place of Justin Allgaier.
- John Hunter Nemechek (22nd) drew the best starting spot among rookies.
- Josh Bilicki (26th) moves to the No. 77 of Spire Motorsports for the first time this season, replacing Ross Chastain. Sponsorship will come from the Austin Hatcher Foundation.
NASCAR RACE BREAKDOWN
Race: Quaker State 400
Track: Kentucky Speedway
Date: Sunday, July 12
Time: 2:44 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 2:30 p.m. ET
Radio: IMS, SIRIUS XM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 267 laps (400 miles)
Stage 1: 80 Laps
Stage 2: 80 Laps
Final Stage: 107 Laps
PRE-RACE PREVIEW
