2020 Genesys 300
# 2020 Genesys 300

The 2020 Genesys 300 was an IndyCar Series event that was held on June 6, 2020 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. It was the opening event of the 2020 IndyCar Series, due to race cancellations and postponements tied to the COVID-19 pandemic.

## Background

On May 7, 2020, it was announced that the season would commence with a condensed, one-day event format at Texas Motor Speedway. Although intended to be run without spectators, Sonic Automotive (which owns the circuit under their Speedway Motorsports subsidiary) followed protocol in use at their NASCAR weekend at Charlotte by allowing owners and tenants of the Turn 2 Lone Star Towers office and condominium complex to have tickets and parking passes to watch the event from their units. Drivers and crew members were subject to social distancing and health screening protocols, and use of face coverings was mandated. Practice, qualifying and the race took place on the same day, requiring it to be shortened from 248 laps or around 600 kilometres (370 miles), to 200 laps (300 miles).

As the pandemic prevented Firestone from manufacturing new tire compounds for the race, existing compounds were used instead. The right-hand tires had originally been manufactured for tests at the track in 2019, simulating the effects of the new aeroscreen introduced to all vehicles for the 2020 season. The left-hand tires were originally manufactured for the 2019 Indianapolis 500. Due to these tire variances, Firestone and IndyCar required that these tires be replaced after 35 laps of use, with each car provided with nine sets of tires to use across the day.

### Entry list

In May 2020, DragonSpeed revealed that it planned to prioritize an entry for the rescheduled Indianapolis 500, so that it could initially focus on its core European Le Mans Series operations. On June 2, Carlin withdrew its entry for the race in the #31, citing economic impacts of the pandemic in Europe.

| Car No. | Driver Name | Owner/Team | Engine |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Josef Newgarden W | Team Penske | Chevrolet |
| 4 | Charlie Kimball | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | Chevrolet |
| 5 | Patricio O'Ward | Arrow McLaren SP | Chevrolet |
| 7 | Oliver Askew R | Arrow McLaren SP | Chevrolet |
| 8 | Marcus Ericsson | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda |
| 9 | Scott Dixon W | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda |
| 10 | Felix Rosenqvist | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda |
| 12 | Will Power W | Team Penske | Chevrolet |
| 14 | Tony Kanaan W | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | Chevrolet |
| 15 | Graham Rahal W | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda |
| 18 | Santino Ferrucci | Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan | Honda |
| 20 | Ed Carpenter W | Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet |
| 21 | Rinus VeeKay R | Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet |
| 22 | Simon Pagenaud | Team Penske | Chevrolet |
| 26 | Zach Veach | Andretti Autosport | Honda |
| 27 | Alexander Rossi | Andretti Autosport | Honda |
| 28 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | Andretti Autosport | Honda |
| 29 | James Hinchcliffe | Andretti Autosport | Honda |
| 30 | Takuma Sato | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda |
| 55 | Álex Palou R | Dale Coyne Racing with Team Goh | Honda |
| 59 | Conor Daly | Carlin | Chevrolet |
| 60 | Jack Harvey | Meyer Shank Racing | Honda |
| 88 | Colton Herta | Andretti Harding Steinbrenner Autosport | Honda |
| 98 | Marco Andretti | Andretti Herta Autosport with Marco Andretti & Curb-Agajanian | Honda |
| Source: ||||

All cars ran a Dallara safety tub utilizing the IndyCar mandated Universal Aero Kit 18. All cars also utilized Firestone tires.

### Withdrawn

| Car No. | Driver Name | Owner/Team | Engine |
| - | - | - | - |
| 31 | Unnamed | Carlin | Chevrolet |
| 81 | Ben Hanley | DragonSpeed | Chevrolet |
| Key | Meaning |
| R | Rookie |
| W | Past winner |

## Full Results

| Key | Meaning |
| - | - |
| R | Rookie |
| W | Past winner |

### Practice

Practice ran on race day from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. CT

| Pos | No. | Name | Lap Time | Avg. Speed |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 9 | Scott Dixon W | 24.0006 | 215.995 mph (347.610 km/h) |
| 2 | 88 | Colton Herta | 24.1689 | 214.491 mph (345.190 km/h) |
| 3 | 5 | Patricio O'Ward | 24.1875 | 214.326 mph (344.924 km/h) |
| 4 | 26 | Zach Veach | 24.1906 | 214.298 mph (344.879 km/h) |
| 5 | 98 | Marco Andretti | 24.1945 | 214.264 mph (344.824 km/h) |
| 6 | 30 | Takuma Sato | 24.2437 | 213.826 mph (344.120 km/h) |
| 7 | 1 | Josef Newgarden | 24.3029 | 213.308 mph (343.286 km/h) |
| 8 | 22 | Simon Pagenaud | 24.3128 | 213.221 mph (343.146 km/h) |
| 9 | 15 | Graham Rahal | 24.3179 | 213.176 mph (343.074 km/h) |
| 10 | 10 | Felix Rosenqvist | 24.3974 | 212.482 mph (341.957 km/h) |
| 11 | 4 | Charlie Kimball | 24.4184 | 212.299 mph (341.662 km/h) |
| 12 | 12 | Will Power | 24.4281 | 212.215 mph (341.527 km/h) |
| 13 | 8 | Marcus Ericsson | 24.4408 | 212.104 mph (341.348 km/h) |
| 14 | 55 | Alex Palou R | 24.4446 | 212.071 mph (341.295 km/h) |
| 15 | 7 | Oliver Askew R | 24.4842 | 211.728 mph (340.743 km/h) |
| 16 | 27 | Alexander Rossi | 24.4853 | 211.719 mph (340.729 km/h) |
| 17 | 29 | James Hinchcliffe | 24.4979 | 211.610 mph (340.553 km/h) |
| 18 | 20 | Ed Carpenter | 24.5508 | 211.154 mph (339.819 km/h) |
| 19 | 14 | Tony Kanaan | 24.5521 | 211.143 mph (339.802 km/h) |
| 20 | 59 | Conor Daly | 24.5561 | 211.108 mph (339.745 km/h) |
| 21 | 28 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | 24.6094 | 210.617 mph (338.955 km/h) |
| 22 | 18 | Santino Ferrucci | 24.6094 | 210.617 mph (338.955 km/h) |
| 23 | 21 | Rinus VeeKay R | 25.0564 | 209.893 mph (337.790 km/h) |
| 24 | 60 | Jack Harvey | 25.2599 | 205.226 mph (330.279 km/h) |
| Source: |||||

### Qualifying

Qualifying was run on race day starting at 5 p.m. (ET)

| Pos | No. | Name | Lap 1 Time | Lap 2 Time | Total Time | Avg. Speed |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 1 | Josef Newgarden | 24.0227 | 24.0351 | 48.0578 | 215.740 mph (347.200 km/h) |
| 2 | 9 | Scott Dixon | 24.0393 | 24.0413 | 48.0806 | 215.638 mph (347.036 km/h) |
| 3 | 22 | Simon Pagenaud | 24.0507 | 24.0686 | 48.1193 | 215.464 mph (346.756 km/h) |
| 4 | 28 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | 24.2439 | 24.1344 | 48.3783 | 214.311 mph (344.900 km/h) |
| 5 | 26 | Zach Veach | 24.2942 | 24.1588 | 48.4530 | 213.981 mph (344.369 km/h) |
| 6 | 12 | Will Power | 24.2708 | 24.1937 | 48.4645 | 213.930 mph (344.287 km/h) |
| 7 | 15 | Graham Rahal | 24.2734 | 24.2029 | 48.4763 | 213.878 mph (344.203 km/h) |
| 8 | 27 | Alexander Rossi | 24.2336 | 24.2855 | 48.5191 | 213.689 mph (343.899 km/h) |
| 9 | 10 | Felix Rosenqvist | 24.3100 | 24.2384 | 48.5484 | 213.560 mph (343.692 km/h) |
| 10 | 14 | Tony Kanaan | 24.3959 | 24.1917 | 48.5876 | 213.388 mph (343.415 km/h) |
| 11 | 98 | Marco Andretti | 24.2882 | 24.3444 | 48.6326 | 213.190 mph (343.096 km/h) |
| 12 | 4 | Charlie Kimball | 24.4347 | 24.2917 | 48.7264 | 212.780 mph (342.436 km/h) |
| 13 | 20 | Ed Carpenter | 24.4153 | 24.3261 | 48.7414 | 212.714 mph (342.330 km/h) |
| 14 | 88 | Colton Herta | 24.3807 | 24.3648 | 48.7455 | 212.697 mph (342.303 km/h) |
| 15 | 29 | James Hinchcliffe | 24.3560 | 24.4109 | 48.7669 | 212.603 mph (342.151 km/h) |
| 16 | 55 | Álex Palou | 24.5459 | 24.2437 | 48.7896 | 212.504 mph (341.992 km/h) |
| 17 | 8 | Marcus Ericsson | 24.4232 | 24.4733 | 48.8965 | 212.040 mph (341.245 km/h) |
| 18 | 5 | Patricio O'Ward | 24.4068 | 24.4959 | 48.9027 | 212.013 mph (341.202 km/h) |
| 19 | 59 | Conor Daly | 24.5452 | 24.4934 | 49.0386 | 211.425 mph (340.256 km/h) |
| 20 | 7 | Oliver Askew | 24.7092 | 24.4657 | 49.1749 | 210.839 mph (339.312 km/h) |
| 21 | 60 | Jack Harvey | 25.2665 | 25.1499 | 50.4164 | 205.647 mph (330.957 km/h) |
| 22 | 30 | Takuma Sato | Wrecked during attempt | Wrecked during attempt | No Time | No Speed |
| 23 | 21 | Rinus VeeKay | Did not attempt | Did not attempt | No Time | No Speed |
| 24 | 18 | Santino Ferrucci | Did not attempt | Did not attempt | No Time | No Speed |
| Source: |||||||

### Race

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Engine | Laps | Time/Status | Pit Stops | Grid | Laps Led | Pts. |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 9 | Scott Dixon W | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 200 | 1:38:37.7648 | 5 | 2 | 157 | 53 |
| 2 | 22 | Simon Pagenaud | Team Penske | Chevrolet | 200 | +4.410 | 5 | 3 | | 40 |
| 3 | 1 | Josef Newgarden W | Team Penske | Chevrolet | 200 | +5.806 | 5 | 1 | 41 | 37 |
| 4 | 26 | Zach Veach | Andretti Autosport | Honda | 200 | +6.577 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 33 |
| 5 | 20 | Ed Carpenter W | Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet | 200 | +6.948 | 5 | 13 | | 30 |
| 6 | 59 | Conor Daly | Carlin | Chevrolet | 200 | +7.576 | 5 | 19 | | 28 |
| 7 | 88 | Colton Herta | Andretti Harding Steinbrenner Autosport | Honda | 200 | +8.055 | 5 | 14 | | 26 |
| 8 | 28 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | Andretti Autosport | Honda | 200 | +8.310 | 6 | 4 | | 24 |
| 9 | 7 | Oliver Askew R | Arrow McLaren SP | Chevrolet | 200 | +8.694 | 5 | 20 | | 22 |
| 10 | 14 | Tony Kanaan W | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | Chevrolet | 200 | +8.963 | 5 | 10 | | 20 |
| 11 | 4 | Charlie Kimball | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | Chevrolet | 199 | Contact | 6 | 12 | | 19 |
| 12 | 5 | Patricio O'Ward | Arrow McLaren SP | Chevrolet | 199 | +1 Lap | 5 | 18 | | 18 |
| 13 | 12 | Will Power W | Team Penske | Chevrolet | 199 | +1 Lap | 5 | 6 | | 17 |
| 14 | 98 | Marco Andretti | Andretti Herta Autosport w/ Marco Andretti & Curb-Agajanian | Honda | 199 | +1 Lap | 5 | 11 | | 16 |
| 15 | 27 | Alexander Rossi | Andretti Autosport | Honda | 199 | +1 Lap | 7 | 8 | | 15 |
| 16 | 60 | Jack Harvey | Meyer Shank Racing | Honda | 199 | +1 Lap | 5 | 21 | | 14 |
| 17 | 15 | Graham Rahal W | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda | 198 | +2 Laps | 7 | 7 | | 13 |
| 18 | 29 | James Hinchcliffe | Andretti Autosport | Honda | 198 | +2 Laps | 5 | 15 | | 12 |
| 19 | 8 | Marcus Ericsson | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 196 | +4 Laps | 6 | 17 | | 11 |
| 20 | 10 | Felix Rosenqvist | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 190 | Contact | 5 | 9 | | 10 |
| 21 | 18 | Santino Ferrucci | Dale Coyne Racing w/ Vasser-Sullivan | Honda | 156 | Mechanical | 4 | 23 | | 9 |
| 22 | 21 | Rinus VeeKay R | Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet | 36 | Contact | 1 | 24 | | 8 |
| 23 | 55 | Álex Palou R | Dale Coyne Racing w/ Team Goh | Honda | 36 | Contact | 1 | 16 | | 7 |
| DNS | 30 | Takuma Sato | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda | 0 | Did Not Start, Qualifying crash | 0 | 22 | | 6 |
| Source: |||||||||||

Notes: Points include 1 point for leading at least 1 lap during a race, an additional 2 points for leading the most race laps, and 1 point for Pole Position.

### Race statistics

Average speed: 175.201 mph (281.959 km/h)

Lead changes: 5

Lap leader breakdown :

| From lap | To lap | Total laps | Driver |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 31 | 31 | Josef Newgarden |
| 32 | 34 | 3 | Scott Dixon |
| 35 | 36 | 2 | Zach Veach |
| 37 | 80 | 44 | Scott Dixon |
| 81 | 90 | 10 | Josef Newgarden |
| 91 | 200 | 110 | Scott Dixon |
| Source: ||||

Cautions: 4 for 24 laps :

| From lap | To lap | Total laps | Reason |
| - | - | - | - |
| 38 | 45 | 8 | #21 (VeeKay), & #55 (Palou) accident backstretch |
| 77 | 85 | 9 | Debris |
| 191 | 196 | 6 | #10 (Rosenqvist) accident turn 2 |
| 200 | 200 | 1 | #4 (Kimball) accident backstretch |
| Source: ||||

## Championship standings after the race

| Pos | Driver | Points |
| - | - | - |
| 1 | Scott Dixon | 53 |
| 2 | Simon Pagenaud | 40 |
| 3 | Josef Newgarden | 37 |
| 4 | Zach Veach | 33 |
| 5 | Ed Carpenter | 30 |
| Pos | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1 | Honda | 87 |
| 2 | Chevrolet | 76 |
| Source: |||

* Note: Only the top five positions are included.

## Broadcasting

### Television

Originally scheduled for NBCSN, it was announced on May 24 that the race would move to NBC, marking the first IndyCar Series event to air in primetime on network television in seven years. With 1.285 million viewers, it was the most-watched IndyCar Series event outside of the Indianapolis 500 since 2016.

The race was called at the track with Leigh Diffey doing play-by-play. Paul Tracy and Townsend Bell as analysts, with Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast reporting on pit lane.

NBC :

| Booth Announcers | Pit/garage reporters |
| - | - |
| Announcer: Leigh Diffey Driver Expert: Townsend Bell Driver Expert: Paul Tracy | Marty Snider Kelli Stavast |

### Radio

The race was carried by the IndyCar Radio Network. Mark Jaynes served as the chief announcer from WIBC Radio studios along with Davey Hamilton as Driver Expert. Jake Query called the field down the backstretch from WIBC studios. Nick Yeoman was the sole pit reporter at the track.

IndyCar Radio Network :

| Booth Announcers | Turn Reporters | Pit/garage reporters |
| - | - | - |
| Chief Announcer: Mark Jaynes Driver Expert: Davey Hamilton | Backstretch: Jake Query | Nick Yeoman |
