2020 Nascar Playoffs
This is Chase Elliott’s fourth consecutive victory on a road course in the NASCAR Cup Series – Watkins Glen and Charlotte ROVAL in 2019 and the Daytona Road Course and Charlotte ROVAL in 2020. (NASCAR) Cup Series Playoff Standings after Charlotte (race 32): (4 races remaining in the season, points reset for Round of 8). At both elimination races, the bottom two drivers in the playoffs standings are eliminated from contention; However, on January 21, 2020, NASCAR announced that the playoff field for the truck series would expand from eight drivers to ten drivers with the bottom two being eliminated after the round of 10 and the bottom four eliminated after the round of 8.
NASCAR announced the final installment of its 2020 schedule changes through the playoffs and end of the season, and the good news for the Cup Series (and its fans) is that all 10 playoff races will go on as originally scheduled.
The 26-race regular season closes with the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on August 29, and the 10-race, 16-driver playoffs begin with the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on September 6.
And still, as NASCAR noted in July, it’s continuing with shortened weekends to limit the amount of time teams are at the tracks because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so there will not be practices or qualifying sessions for the remainder of the season, including for NASCAR’s first-ever Daytona road course race August 16.
Changes to the second-tier XFINITY Series include Bristol Motor Speedway being the regular-season closer on September 18, and the playoffs beginning at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on September 26. Also, Talladega Superspeedway will be part of the first playoff round.
In the third-tier Truck Series, the regular season will end at Richmond Raceway on September 10, making up for the postponed race originally scheduled for April. Bristol will kick off the Truck Series playoffs on September 17.
Now, whether or not fans will be allowed at the tracks are different situations. As we’ve seen throughout NASCAR’s comeback following the 10-week hiatus this spring because of the coronavirus outbreak, some tracks have been able to host fans, while others have not.
Announcing the last schedule installment, NASCAR said:
Nascar 2020 Playoffs Standings
NASCAR’s modified event procedures and protocols were designed in accordance with public health officials, medical experts and local, state and federal officials. NASCAR will determine if fans are allowed entrance to NASCAR events on a market-by-market basis, in accordance with local and state guidelines.
Here’s a look at the schedule for the rest of the season.
NASCAR Cup Series
Saturday, August 8: Michigan International Speedway
Sunday, August 9: Michigan International Speedway
Sunday, August 16: Daytona International Speedway road course
Saturday, August 22: Dover International Speedway
Sunday, August 23: Dover International Speedway
Saturday, August 29: Daytona International Speedway (regular-season finale)
Playoffs Round of 16
Sunday, September 6: Darlington Raceway
Saturday, September 12: Richmond Raceway
Saturday, September 19: Bristol Motor Speedway
Playoffs Round of 12
Sunday, September 27: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Sunday, October 4: Talladega Superspeedway
Sunday, October 11: Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval
Playoffs Round of 8
Sunday, October 18: Kansas Speedway
Sunday, October 25: Texas Motor Speedway
Sunday, November 1: Martinsville Speedway
Championship
Sunday, November 8: Phoenix Raceway
NASCAR XFINITY Series
Saturday, August 8: Road America
Saturday, August 15: Daytona International Speedway road course
Saturday, August 22: Dover International Speedway
Sunday, August 23: Dover International Speedway
Friday, August 28: Daytona International Speedway
Saturday, September 5: Darlington Raceway
Friday, September 11: Richmond Raceway
Saturday, September 12: Richmond Raceway
Friday, September 18: Bristol Motor Speedway
Playoffs Round of 12
2020 Nascar Playoff Standings
Saturday, September 26: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Saturday, October 3: Talladega Superspeedway
Saturday, October 10: Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval
Playoffs Round of 8
Saturday, October 17: Kansas Speedway
Saturday, October 24: Texas Motor Speedway
Saturday, October 31: Martinsville Speedway
Championship
Saturday, November 7: Phoenix Raceway
NASCAR Truck Series
Friday, August 7: Michigan International Speedway
Sunday, August 16: Daytona International Speedway road course
Friday, August 21: Dover International Speedway
Sunday, August 30: World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway
Sunday, September 6: Darlington Raceway
Thursday, September 10: Richmond Raceway
Playoffs Round of 10
Thursday, September 17: Bristol Motor Speedway
Friday, September 25: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Saturday, October 3: Talladega Superspeedway
Friday, October 16: Kansas Speedway
Sunday, October 25: Texas Motor Speedway
Friday, October 30: Martinsville Speedway
Championship
Friday, November 6: Phoenix Raceway