The 2020 Unhinged 300 (named as such due to a title sponsorship for the 2020 film of the
same name
''Same Name'' is an American reality television series in which an average person swaps lives with a celebrity of the same first and last name. It premiered on July 24, 2011 on CBS. The series received low ratings, and CBS pulled it after four-ep ...
) was a
NASCAR Xfinity Series
The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) is a stock car racing series organized by NASCAR. It is promoted as NASCAR's second-tier circuit to the organization's top level NASCAR Cup Series, Cup Series. NXS events are frequently held as a Undercard, support ...
race held on June 20, 2020 at
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway (Alabama International Motor Speedway from 1969 to 1989) is a tri-oval superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. Built in 1969, the track has hosted a variety of racing events, primarily races sanctioned by NASCAR. The track is ...
in
Lincoln, Alabama
Lincoln is a city in Talladega County, Alabama, United States. It was incorporated in 1911. At the 2020 census, the population was 6,845. It was named for Major General Benjamin Lincoln, who served in the American army during the Revolutionar ...
. Contested over 113 laps on the superspeedway, it was the 11th race of the
2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series
Rookie of the Year title.
file:Ross Chastain Kaulig Racing 2020.jpg"> List of NASCAR Manufacturers' champions#Xfinity Series">Manufacturer's championship with 10 wins and 1190 points.
The 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series was the 39th season of t ...
season and the season's third
Dash 4 Cash
The Dash 4 Cash is a bonus program for race winners for designated races in a NASCAR Xfinity Series season. Since its inception in 2009, the program has undergone many changes, most notably the addition of heat races in 2016 for qualification for ...
race.
Kaulig Racing
Kaulig Racing is an American professional stock car racing team that competes in the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series. The team is owned by Matt Kaulig, an owner of team sponsor LeafFilter. Kaulig Racing fields three Cup Series Chevrol ...
's
Justin Haley picked up his first career Xfinity Series victory.
The race was originally scheduled to be held on April 25, but was rescheduled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
.
Report
Background

Talladega Superspeedway, formerly known as Alabama International Motor Speedway, is a motorsports complex located north of
Talladega, Alabama
Talladega (, also ) is the county seat of Talladega County, Alabama, United States. It was incorporated in 1835. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 15,861. Talladega is approximately east of one of the state's la ...
. It is located on the former
Anniston Air Force Base
Anniston Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force airfield located approximately 10 miles north-northeast of Talladega, Alabama. It was active from 1942 to 1945 and 1949 to 1952. It is currently the site of the Talladega Superspeedway ...
in the small city of Lincoln. A tri-oval, the track was constructed in 1969 by the
International Speedway Corporation
International Speedway Corporation (ISC) was a corporation whose primary business was the ownership and management of motorsports race tracks. ISC was founded by NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. in 1953 for the construction of Daytona International ...
, a business controlled by the
France family. Talladega is most known for its steep banking. The track currently hosts
NASCAR's Cup Series,
Xfinity Series
The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) is a stock car racing series organized by NASCAR. It is promoted as NASCAR's second-tier circuit to the organization's top level Cup Series. NXS events are frequently held as a support race on the day prior to a ...
and
Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series. Talladega is the longest NASCAR oval with a length of 2.66-mile-long (4.28 km) tri-oval like the
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, Daytona Beach, Florida, United States, about north of Orlando, Florida, Orlando. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race ...
, which is 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km).
Because of the ongoing
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, the race was held with limited spectators, with the grandstands and infield closed. Spectators were restricted to the 44 open backstretch motorhome lots who had camping tickets for both days of the meeting.
Dash 4 Cash
The
Dash 4 Cash
The Dash 4 Cash is a bonus program for race winners for designated races in a NASCAR Xfinity Series season. Since its inception in 2009, the program has undergone many changes, most notably the addition of heat races in 2016 for qualification for ...
is a series of four races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, preceded by a qualifying race. The top four points-eligible drivers in the previous race are eligible to win a $100,000 bonus on top of their race winnings if they win the race. Cup Series regulars are not permitted to compete in the races.
The Unhinged 300 was the season's third Dash 4 Cash race.
A. J. Allmendinger
Anthony James Allmendinger (born December 16, 1981), nicknamed "the Dinger,” is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 16 Chevrolet ZL1 for Kaulig Racing.
Allmendinger ...
,
Chase Briscoe
Chase David Wayne Briscoe (born December 15, 1994) is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 19 Toyota Camry, Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing. He also ...
,
Ross Chastain
Ross Lee Chastain (born December 4, 1992) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro (sixth generation)#ZL1, Chevrolet ZL1 for Trackhouse Racing, part-tim ...
, and
Brandon Jones were eligible to win after finishing in the top 4 at the
Contender Boats 250
Contender may refer to:
Boats
* Contender (dinghy), type of sailing dinghy
* Columbia 24 Contender, an American sailboat design
Books
* ''The Contender'' (Lipsyte novel), a 1967 novel by Robert Lipsyte
* ''The Contenders'', a 2008 guide to the ...
at
Homestead
Homestead may refer to:
*Homestead (building), a farmhouse and its adjacent outbuildings; by extension, it can mean any small cluster of houses
* Nguni homestead, a cluster of houses inhabited by a single extended family, typically with a kraal ...
.
Entry list
* (R) denotes rookie driver.
* (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
Qualifying
Justin Haley was awarded the pole for the race as determined by a random draw.
Starting Lineup
*
. – Eligible for Dash 4 Cash prize money.
* The No. 8 and No. 16 had to start from the rear due to failing pre-race inspection.
* The No. 47 had to start from the rear due to a driver change.
* The No. 99 had to start from the rear due to an unapproved adjustment.
Race
Race results
Stage Results
Stage One
''Laps:'' 25
Stage Two
''Laps:'' 25
Final Stage Results
''Laps:'' 63
*
. – Won the Dash 4 Cash prize money and subsequently qualified for the Dash 4 Cash prize money in the next race.
*
. – Qualified for Dash 4 Cash prize money in the next race.
Race statistics
* Lead changes: 22 among 12 different drivers
* Cautions/Laps: 6 for 22
* Red flags: 2
* Time of race: 2 hours, 15 minutes, 52 seconds
* Average speed:
Media
Television
The Unhinged 300 was carried by
FS1 in the United States.
Adam Alexander,
Stewart-Haas Racing driver
Aric Almirola
Aric Michael Almirola (born March 14, 1984) is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 19 Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing. Almirola previously compete ...
, and
Jamie McMurray
James Christopher McMurray (born June 3, 1976), nicknamed "Jamie Mac", is an American former professional stock car racing driver and currently an analyst for ''Fox NASCAR'' and CW. He raced in the NASCAR Cup Series on a full-time basis from 2003 ...
called the race from the Fox Sports Studio in Charlotte, with
Jamie Little
Jamie Little (born April 9, 1978) is an American pit reporter and play by play announcer for NASCAR coverage on Fox. Little is a former pit reporter for ESPN/ABC coverage of the Indy Racing League, although she returned to her pit reporting du ...
and Vince Welch covering pit road.
Radio
The
Motor Racing Network
Motor Racing Network (MRN) is an American radio network that syndicates broadcasts of auto racing events, particularly NASCAR. MRN was founded in 1970 by NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. and broadcaster Ken Squier, and is a wholly owned subsidiary ...
(MRN) called the race for radio, which was simulcast on
SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Standings after the race
; Drivers' Championship standings
*
Note: Only the first 12 positions are included for the driver standings.
*
. – Driver has clinched a position in the NASCAR playoffs.
References
{{NASCAR on Fox
2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series
Unhinged 300
2020 in sports in Alabama
NASCAR races at Talladega Superspeedway
Unhinged 300