Kevin Harvick is having an amazing NASCAR season as he has won his second Playoff race. Kevin won the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race.

Last Saturday night (9/19) was an elimination race in the 2020 NASCAR Playoffs at Bristol Motor Speedway. It was the third and final race of the Round of 16, the first round in the post-season. The four drivers at the bottom of the Playoff standings after the race would be eliminated from Championship contention.

When NASCAR goes “Short Trackin’ Saturday Night” it used to mean a night full of bent metal and even more bent feelings. It appears in more recent years that the drivers have decided to be more controlled in their aggressive short track racing. There was beating and banging between cars on the track. That did lead to some on track incidents. However, the five caution periods in Saturday night’s race at Bristol was a tiny fraction of what used to happen.

There was to be a competition caution at lap 30. The first on-track incident took place at that point of the race and the resulting caution served as that competition caution. There was a caution at the end of stage one which was won by Chase Elliott. One of the remaining three cautions for on track accidents that happened took place as stage two ended with Kyle Busch scoring the win of that stage.

Kevin Harvick was a contender for the win from the start of the race. He led the race at Bristol four times for a race high 226 laps of the 500 lap race. Near the end he and Kyle Busch battled for the win. Kyle was able to pass Kevin on lap 459. Kyle held that lead for ten laps. Kevin then regained the lead and held it for the final 32 laps. The win was Kevin’s second in the 2020 NASCAR Playoffs and ninth of the 2020 NASCAR season.

Kyle Busch finished in second place and is still trying to get his first win of the 2020 season as he defends his 2019 NASCAR Cup Series Championship. Erik Jones claimed a third place finish with Tyler Reddick claiming fourth place. Aric Almirola rounded out the top five. See the complete race results for the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race here.

Following the race the four drivers that were at the bottom of the NASCAR Playoff standings were Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Cole Custer and Matt DiBenedetto. These four drivers have been eliminated from the Playoffs and the chance to win the championship. See the complete NASCAR Point Standings here.

The second round of the NASCAR Playoffs, the Round of 12, starts this Sunday, September 27th win the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

By: Buck Stevens