2019 Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race
# 2019 Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race

The 2019 Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race presented by Wendy's was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held on August 17, 2019 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. Contested over 500 laps on the .533-mile (0.858 km) short track, it was the 24th race of the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.

## Report

### Background

The Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway, is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961. Despite its short length, Bristol is among the most popular tracks on the NASCAR schedule because of its distinct features, which include extraordinarily steep banking, an all concrete surface, two pit roads, and stadium-like seating. It has also been named one of the loudest NASCAR tracks.

During driver introductions, a unique tradition is held where drivers are allowed to introduce themselves with a song of their choosing.

**Entry list**

* (i) denotes driver who are ineligible for series driver points.
* (R) denotes rookie driver.

| No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer |
| - | - | - | - |
| 00 | Landon Cassill (i) | StarCom Racing | Chevrolet |
| 1 | Kurt Busch | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet |
| 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford |
| 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 6 | Ryan Newman | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford |
| 8 | Daniel Hemric (R) | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford |
| 13 | Ty Dillon | Germain Racing | Chevrolet |
| 14 | Clint Bowyer | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 15 | Ross Chastain (i) | Premium Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford |
| 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 20 | Erik Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 21 | Paul Menard | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford |
| 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford |
| 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 27 | Quin Houff | Premium Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 32 | Corey LaJoie | Go Fas Racing | Ford |
| 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 36 | Matt Tifft (R) | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 37 | Chris Buescher | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet |
| 38 | David Ragan | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 41 | Daniel Suárez | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 42 | Kyle Larson | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet |
| 43 | Bubba Wallace | Richard Petty Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 47 | Ryan Preece (R) | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet |
| 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 51 | B. J. McLeod (i) | Petty Ware Racing | Chevrolet |
| 52 | Kyle Weatherman (i)† | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet |
| 53 | Josh Bilicki (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet |
| 54 | J. J. Yeley | Rick Ware Racing | Ford |
| 77 | Reed Sorenson | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 88 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 95 | Matt DiBenedetto | Leavine Family Racing | Toyota |
| Official entry list ||||

† - Bayley Currey was entered for the No. 52 but was suspended by NASCAR on Thursday before the race due to violating the substance abuse policy. Kyle Weatherman will replace Currey in the No. 52 as a result.

## Practice

### First practice

Denny Hamlin was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 14.920 seconds and a speed of 128.606 mph (206.971 km/h).

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 14.920 | 128.606 |
| 2 | 20 | Erik Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 14.973 | 128.151 |
| 3 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 15.008 | 127.852 |
| Official first practice results |||||||

### Final practice

Matt DiBenedetto was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 14.892 seconds and a speed of 128.848 mph (207.361 km/h).

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 95 | Matt DiBenedetto | Leavine Family Racing | Toyota | 14.892 | 128.848 |
| 2 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 14.962 | 128.245 |
| 3 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 14.964 | 128.228 |
| Official final practice results |||||||

## Qualifying

Denny Hamlin scored the pole for the race with a time of 14.848 and a speed of 129.230 mph (207.976 km/h). It was the first pole for Toyota in the Cup Series in 2019.

### Qualifying results

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 14.848 |
| 2 | 42 | Kyle Larson | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 14.874 |
| 3 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 14.875 |
| 4 | 1 | Kurt Busch | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 14.896 |
| 5 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 14.901 |
| 6 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 14.923 |
| 7 | 95 | Matt DiBenedetto | Leavine Family Racing | Toyota | 14.937 |
| 8 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 14.940 |
| 9 | 20 | Erik Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 14.945 |
| 10 | 88 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 14.963 |
| 11 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 14.976 |
| 12 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 14.981 |
| 13 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford | 14.997 |
| 14 | 6 | Ryan Newman | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 15.002 |
| 15 | 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 15.028 |
| 16 | 38 | David Ragan | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 15.053 |
| 17 | 8 | Daniel Hemric (R) | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 15.084 |
| 18 | 41 | Daniel Suárez | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 15.088 |
| 19 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 15.116 |
| 20 | 14 | Clint Bowyer | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 15.129 |
| 21 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15.166 |
| 22 | 43 | Bubba Wallace | Richard Petty Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15.188 |
| 23 | 47 | Ryan Preece (R) | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 15.192 |
| 24 | 13 | Ty Dillon | Germain Racing | Chevrolet | 15.225 |
| 25 | 21 | Paul Menard | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 15.243 |
| 26 | 32 | Corey LaJoie | Go Fas Racing | Ford | 15.273 |
| 27 | 36 | Matt Tifft (R) | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 15.275 |
| 28 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 15.311 |
| 29 | 37 | Chris Buescher | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 15.314 |
| 30 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15.331 |
| 31 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 15.340 |
| 32 | 00 | Landon Cassill (i) | StarCom Racing | Chevrolet | 15.366 |
| 33 | 51 | B. J. McLeod (i) | Petty Ware Racing | Chevrolet | 15.468 |
| 34 | 27 | Quin Houff | Premium Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15.579 |
| 35 | 53 | Josh Bilicki (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet | 15.631 |
| 36 | 54 | J. J. Yeley | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 15.732 |
| 37 | 77 | Reed Sorenson | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15.733 |
| 38 | 52 | Kyle Weatherman (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet | 15.786 |
| 39 | 15 | Ross Chastain (i) | Premium Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15.840 |
| Official qualifying results ||||||

## Race

### Stage results

Stage One Laps: 125

| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 42 | Kyle Larson | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 10 |
| 2 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 9 |
| 3 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 8 |
| 4 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 7 |
| 5 | 95 | Matt DiBenedetto | Leavine Family Racing | Toyota | 6 |
| 6 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 5 |
| 7 | 20 | Erik Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 4 |
| 8 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford | 3 |
| 9 | 1 | Kurt Busch | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 2 |
| 10 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 1 |
| Official stage one results ||||||

Stage Two Laps: 125

| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 1 | Kurt Busch | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 10 |
| 2 | 41 | Daniel Suárez | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 9 |
| 3 | 6 | Ryan Newman | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 8 |
| 4 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 7 |
| 5 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 6 |
| 6 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 5 |
| 7 | 20 | Erik Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 4 |
| 8 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford | 3 |
| 9 | 8 | Daniel Hemric (R) | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 2 |
| 10 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 1 |
| Official stage two results ||||||

### Final stage results

Stage Three Laps: 250

| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Points |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 1 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 500 | 40 |
| 2 | 7 | 95 | Matt DiBenedetto | Leavine Family Racing | Toyota | 500 | 41 |
| 3 | 13 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford | 500 | 40 |
| 4 | 31 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 500 | 40 |
| 5 | 6 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 500 | 46 |
| 6 | 2 | 42 | Kyle Larson | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 500 | 41 |
| 7 | 20 | 14 | Clint Bowyer | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 500 | 30 |
| 8 | 18 | 41 | Daniel Suárez | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 499 | 38 |
| 9 | 4 | 1 | Kurt Busch | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 499 | 40 |
| 10 | 12 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 499 | 32 |
| 11 | 14 | 6 | Ryan Newman | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 499 | 34 |
| 12 | 17 | 8 | Daniel Hemric (R) | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 499 | 27 |
| 13 | 3 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 498 | 33 |
| 14 | 22 | 43 | Bubba Wallace | Richard Petty Motorsports | Chevrolet | 498 | 23 |
| 15 | 10 | 88 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 497 | 22 |
| 16 | 11 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 497 | 21 |
| 17 | 29 | 37 | Chris Buescher | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 497 | 20 |
| 18 | 23 | 47 | Ryan Preece (R) | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 497 | 19 |
| 19 | 30 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 496 | 18 |
| 20 | 24 | 13 | Ty Dillon | Germain Racing | Chevrolet | 496 | 17 |
| 21 | 21 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 496 | 22 |
| 22 | 9 | 20 | Erik Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 495 | 23 |
| 23 | 25 | 21 | Paul Menard | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 495 | 14 |
| 24 | 26 | 32 | Corey LaJoie | Go Fas Racing | Ford | 494 | 13 |
| 25 | 32 | 00 | Landon Cassill (i) | StarCom Racing | Chevrolet | 490 | 0 |
| 26 | 39 | 15 | Ross Chastain (i) | Premium Motorsports | Chevrolet | 490 | 0 |
| 27 | 27 | 36 | Matt Tifft (R) | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 487 | 10 |
| 28 | 36 | 54 | J. J. Yeley | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 485 | 9 |
| 29 | 5 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 482 | 9 |
| 30 | 34 | 27 | Quin Houff | Premium Motorsports | Chevrolet | 478 | 7 |
| 31 | 38 | 52 | Kyle Weatherman (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet | 474 | 0 |
| 32 | 33 | 51 | B. J. McLeod (i) | Petty Ware Racing | Chevrolet | 410 | 0 |
| 33 | 15 | 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 391 | 4 |
| 34 | 19 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 387 | 3 |
| 35 | 35 | 53 | Josh Bilicki (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet | 373 | 0 |
| 36 | 16 | 38 | David Ragan | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 371 | 1 |
| 37 | 28 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 368 | 1 |
| 38 | 37 | 77 | Reed Sorenson | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 269 | 1 |
| 39 | 8 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 244 | 8 |
| Official race results ||||||||

### Race statistics

* Lead changes: 23 among 10 different drivers
* Cautions/Laps: 8 for 61
* Red flags: 0
* Time of race: 2 hours, 49 minutes and 9 seconds
* Average speed: 94.531 miles per hour (152.133 km/h)

## Media

### Television

NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, 2008 Food City 500 winner Jeff Burton, and Steve Letarte called the race in the booth for the race. Dave Burns, Parker Kligerman, Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast reported from pit lane during the race.

NBC Sports relieved Dale Earnhardt Jr. of duties for this race after an incident at Elizabethton Municipal Airport where a bounced landing led to the Earnhardts' private plane crashing. He, his wife Amy, daughter Isla, and dog Gus were not severely injured, but he was kept out as a precaution.

NBCSN :

| Booth announcers | Pit reporters |
| - | - |
| Lap-by-lap: Rick Allen Color-commentator: Jeff Burton Color-commentator: Steve Letarte | Dave Burns Parker Kligerman Marty Snider Kelli Stavast |

### Radio

The Performance Racing Network had the radio call for the race, which was simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Doug Rice and Mark Garrow called the race from the broadcast booth when the field raced down the front straightaway. Rob Albright called the race when the field raced down the backstretch. Brad Gillie, Brett McMillan, Jim Noble and Wendy Venturini handled the action on pit road for PRN.

PRN :

| Booth announcers | Turn announcers | Pit reporters |
| - | - | - |
| Lead announcer: Doug Rice Announcer: Mark Garrow | Backstretch: Rob Albright | Brad Gillie Brett McMillan Jim Noble Wendy Venturini |

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| - | - | - | - |
| | 1 | Kyle Busch | 932 |
| | 2 | Joey Logano | 893 (–39) |
| 1 | 3 | Denny Hamlin | 855 (–77) |
| 1 | 4 | Martin Truex Jr. | 838 (–94) |
| 2 | 5 | Kevin Harvick | 830 (–102) |
| | 6 | Brad Keselowski | 794 (–138) |
| | 7 | Chase Elliott | 757 (–175) |
| | 8 | Kurt Busch | 741 (–191) |
| | 9 | Ryan Blaney | 686 (–246) |
| | 10 | Alex Bowman | 675 (–257) |
| 2 | 11 | Kyle Larson | 665 (–267) |
| | 12 | William Byron | 664 (–268) |
| 2 | 13 | Aric Almirola | 654 (–278) |
| | 14 | Erik Jones | 646 (–286) |
| | 15 | Ryan Newman | 603 (–329) |
| 1 | 16 | Daniel Suárez | 591 (–341) |
| Official driver's standings ||||
| Pos | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1 | Toyota | 877 |
| 2 | Ford | 850 (–27) |
| 3 | Chevrolet | 814 (–63) |
