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NASCAR at Darlington 2020 Results: Denny Hamlin Wins Shortened Race
May 21, 2020
Denny Hamlin claimed the checkered flag of a shortened Toyota 500 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina—the track's second NASCAR Cup Series race in a four-day span as Kevin Harvick won The Real Heroes 400 on Sunday.
The Toyota 500, which featured 16 lead changes, started late because of a rain delay and ended 20 laps early because the rain returned:
There was even a fox sighting once the red flag came out:
The event, the first Wednesday NASCAR race "since 1984 when Richard Petty scored his 200th and final Cup win on July 4 at Daytona" (h/t NASCAR.com), was held without any fans in attendance to accommodate public health safety protocols during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic:
Sunday's Real Heroes 400 marked the first Cup Series race since the FanShield 500 on March 8.
Hamlin began the 2020 Cup Series with a win at the Daytona 500 on Feb. 17, making him the annual race's back-to-back reigning champion and making this his second 2020 Cup Series victory.
Toyota 500 Top 10
1. Denny Hamlin
2. Kyle Busch
3. Kevin Harvick
4. Brad Keselowski
5. Erik Jones
6. Joey Logano
7. Aric Almirola
8. Jimmie Johnson
9. Matt DiBenedetto
10. Martin Truex Jr.
Full results at NASCAR.com.
Ryan Preece started at pole position for the first time in his Cup Series career:
But the No. 37 car's good fortune didn't last through all 228 laps:
Clint Bowyer found himself in a similar situation. The 40-year-old won Stages 1 and 2, seemingly in position to capture his first Cup Series victory of the year:
However, Bowyer finished in 22nd place after clipping Turn 3:
The more controversial crash between Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott, who finished 38th after Busch spun him out with 28 laps to go:
Elliott flipped off Busch and will reportedly not be fined for the gesture by NASCAR, and Busch apologized after the race's conclusion:
Everybody will have just four days to regroup before the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday.