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All You Need to Know About the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Race at Texas Motor Speedway

Published 10/24/2020, 11:08 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

The NASCAR Cup Series field moves to the Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, with just two races to go before the championship race at Phoenix. With Joey Logano all set to race at Phoenix, another spot will be booked at Texas. Logano’ win last Sunday threw a lot more suspense into the playoff scenario.

The Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 race will be the second race this season at the Texas Motor Speedway.

Kevin Harvick’s supremacy of late in playoff races is quite similar to his supremacy all year. However, the Kansas race showed that anything can happen at the business end of the season.

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When and where to watch the NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas?

The race starts at 3.30 pm ET. Fans can catch the race live on NBCSN and the NBC Sports App. It will also be available on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

About the track

The 1.5-mile track hosts a 334-lap race this Sunday. The first two stages will be 105 laps each, with the final stage lasting 124 laps.

The track has an asphalt surface that saw changes made in 2017. Turns 1 and 2 have 20 degrees of banking, while turns 3 and 4 have 24 degrees.

USA Today via Reuters

What will the weather be like?

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Rain is not expected to affect the race this Sunday. It will also not be as hot as the spring race in July, where the drivers ran in the scorching heat.

Are fans allowed for the race?

Yes, the authorities have allowed fan attendance up to 50 percent of the capacity and under strict adherence with the coronavirus guidelines.

What is the starting line-up for the NASCAR Cup Series race?

Kevin Harvick, looking to make it four straight playoff wins at Texas, starts on pole position. Logano, carrying all the momentum, starts with him on the front row. Brad Keselowski and Chase Elliott share the second row.

Meanwhile, Alex Bowman, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, and Kurt Busch take the next four spots in the line-up.

Kyle Busch, for whom time is running out to bag a win this season, starts in ninth place. In his final career race at Texas, Jimmie Johnson starts in 26th place.

USA Today via Reuters

Which tires will be used?

Goodyear Eagle Speedway Radials tires will be used for this race. Texas is a track that rarely wears down the tires. It is a lot smoother since it was repaved.

Drivers will use their experience of using the same tire setup from last weekend’s race at Kansas, and the September playoff race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

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What happened in the last NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Texas?

Kevin Harvick dominated the 2019 playoff race at Texas and earned his spot in the season final. The last NASCAR Cup Series race at the venue was held in July this year, won by Austin Dillon.

USA Today via Reuters

Jimmie Johnson (four) and Harvick (three) have won seven of the last eight Cup Series playoff races at the venue. Johnson has a total of seven wins in Texas.

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Can Kevin Harvick Utilize Pole Position for NASCAR Cup Race at Texas and Bag 10th Win?

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Written by:

Aayush Majumdar

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Aayush Majumdar is a NASCAR content strategist, a Tennis Writer, and a sports analyst at EssentiallySports. He is well-tenured as a tennis and NASCAR writer, with over 900 articles across both sports. After pursuing a Post Graduate program in Sports Management, Aayush explored various roles in Sports Media, including a Sports Reporting role at a leading English daily.
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