NASCAR implemented midweek races and doubleheaders, and it scratched practice/qualifyingGETTY IMAGES
NASCAR officials "had to revise the 2020 Cup Series schedule 85 times due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic," and despite that, the sport "overcame a nine-week, eight-race postponement only to finish out the season as originally planned," according to Terrin Waack of NASCAR.com. The 10-race playoff slate finishes Sunday at Phoenix Raceway, remaining "untouched during NASCAR's schedule revisions, which was a priority for the sanctioning body." NASCAR implemented midweek races and doubleheaders "to make up for lost time." It also scratched practice and qualifying "in order to limit at-track exposure to one day." Driver Chase Elliott said of the season, "It takes a lot of pieces away from the puzzle, right?" Driver Denny Hamlin said, "It's different, but we've adapted all year. It won't hurt us to adapt for one more week." The Season Finale 500 at Phoenix Raceway airs Sunday on NBC at 3:00pm ET. The Championship 4 are Elliott, Hamlin, Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski (NASCAR.com, 11/5).
HOW WE GOT HERE: FS1’s Kaitlyn Vincie said, “It’s pretty remarkable after everything that’s transpired in 2020 we are at this point.” FS1’s Michael Waltrip said of the drivers: “Just think what they pulled off. We had to take a pause and then we figured out how to come back racing, one of the first major sports back on TV. ... It’s just been a lot of fun to see these teams and how they’ve had to adapt to the new schedule.” FS1’s Bobby Labonte said he “never would have thought we would have gotten to Phoenix after the first four races of the year” (“NASCAR Race Hub,” FS1, 11/5).
FAREWELL TO A LEGEND: Jimmie Johnson’s longtime partners are rolling out tributes ahead of the driver's final full-time NASCAR Cup Series race this weekend, including Chevrolet running a full-page ad in USA Today. The Chevy ad is a micrography collage of Johnson comprised of 120 tributes from fans and industry members, including fellow Hendrick Motorsports drivers Alex Bowman and William Byron, plus Chevy VP/U.S. Performance & Motorsports Jim Campbell. Johnson only drove a Chevy during his seven-championship run in NASCAR that has spanned two decades. Elsewhere, Hendrick ran a tribute video on its social and digital channels narrated by Jeff Gordon that reflected on Johnson's career and 83 Cup Series wins. For NASCAR’s part, it will honor Johnson before Sunday’s finale: The last trophy he won in Phoenix is being displayed in the midway this weekend, while Johnson will lead the field in a special pre-race parade lap. Phoenix Raceway also has put a Jimmie Johnson logo on the apron just past the start-finish line (Adam Stern, THE DAILY).
