NASCAR at Darlington race results, highlights from Kevin Harvick's victory at the Real Heroes 400

Two long, dreary months without live, real-life NASCAR racing have passed, and the action finally returned on Sunday with the Real Heroes 400 at Darlington Raceway. 

Kevin Harvick dominated like he never left, earning the 50th win of his career. In five races this season, Harvick is the only driver to finish in the top 10 every time. 

MORE: Ryan Newman at Darlington: Reactions to driver's return three months after huge wreck

Alex Bowman, who held an early lead, finished second, followed by Kurt Busch, Chase Elliot and Denny Hamlin. Harvick took the lead from Bowman in Stage 3 and never looked back. He widened his points lead heading into a compressed schedule with four more races left in May. 

It wasn't quite the same as a typical NASCAR race. Fans weren't screaming from the stands and teams had a limited amount of personnel at the track, but NASCAR is back.

Sporting News tracked live updates and lap-by-lap highlights from NASCAR's race in Darlington, S.C., to resume the 2020 season. Follow below for complete results from the Real Heroes 400. 

MORE:  Jimmie Johnson loses control, crashes just before potential Stage 1 win at Darlington

NASCAR at Darlington live updates, highlights from Real Heroes 400

7:24 p.m. —  How it finished.

Finish: 4 88 1 9 11 19 8 20 38 42

3 10 2 21 6 12 14 22 13 37

43 41 34 95 96 18 15 27 77 51

32 17 66 7 24 00 53 48 78 47 #NASCAR

— Chris Knight ツ (@Knighter01) May 17, 2020

7:22 p.m. —  Harvick wins it. The 50th win of the 44-year-olds career. Bowman in second, Kurt Busch in third.

CHECKERED FLAG: @KevinHarvick pulls away from @AlexBowman88 to win #TheRealHeroes 400 at @TooToughToTame ! pic.twitter.com/w0Gg5v3pwK

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 17, 2020

7:20 p.m. —  Five laps to go. Harvick is comfortably in the lead.

7:18 p.m. —  10 laps to go. Harvick in control with a 2.5 second lead over Bowman.

They are battling at @TooToughToTame ! @KevinHarvick and @AlexBowman88 are putting on a show out front! (📺: FOX) pic.twitter.com/1jOugbADqB

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 17, 2020

7:06 p.m. —  Kyle Busch, who started 40th, moved into the top five with 34 laps to go, but lost a lap after a pit stop.

7:04 p.m. — Off the restart: 1. Harvick 2. Bowman 3. Elliott 4. Kurt Busch 5. Kyle Busch 6. Hamlin 7. Keselowski 8. Jones 9. Truex  10.Reddick

6:55 p.m. —  Caution for a Ryan Newman spin off turn 1. Should give an opportunity to refuel for the last 40 laps.

Trouble for Ryan Newman. pic.twitter.com/2rllbKL3uA

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 17, 2020

6:54 p.m. — 45 to go. Harvick in the lead, followed by Bowman, Kurt Busch, Elliot, and Truex Jr. 

6:48 p.m. —  The stands are empty except for the spotters.

NASCAR has asked the spotters to distance a little better. https://t.co/Z14apzVL9f

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 17, 2020

6:38 p.m. —  Back to green on Lap 219. Under 75 to go.

6:35 p.m. —  Kevin Harvick wins the race off pit lane by inches. Harvick was in fourth, got four tires, and exited in first. 

6:30 p.m. —  Caution out for Buescher. 

Something is on fire behind the billboards in turn 2. We do have a NASCAR official on the scene checking it out now under this yellow for the 17 pic.twitter.com/k2EudAVSr2

— Dillon Welch (@dillon_welch) May 17, 2020

6:19 p.m. —  The final stage is underway. With 100 laps to go, it's Bowman, Keselowski, Truex Jr. upfront.

6:10 p.m. —  Brad Keselowski wins the second stage. We're through 185 laps, Keselowski, Alex Bowman, Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer round out the top five.

STAGE WINNER: @keselowski holds off a late charge from @AlexBowman88 and @MartinTruex_Jr to win the second stage in #TheRealHeroes 400. pic.twitter.com/Uoovlho8iM

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 17, 2020

6:05 p.m. —  Big shakeup after the race on pit road; Kevin Harvick drops seven spots and Brad Keselowski takes the lead as the green flag is back up with eight laps to go in Stage 2.

5:59 p.m. — Christopher Bell spins out and we have another caution on lap 174, only 11 laps to go in Stage 2.

5:54 p.m. —  We're finally back under green on lap 161; Kevin Harvick still leads, Brad Keselowski up into second, Martin Truex Jr. in third.

5:45 p.m. —  Caution comes out at 154 as debris from one of the banners is caught on Tyler Reddick. It was originally caught on Denny Hamlin, but he was able to get it off with help from Clint Bowyer, though it unfortunately flew off and landed on Reddick's car. Wild stuff.

Well, that's new. #NASCARIsBack pic.twitter.com/YOSTpCwcHO

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 17, 2020

5:41 p.m. — We're through 148 laps, past the halfway point, so if any rain comes the race will be official. Harvick, Bowman and Kurt Busch make up the top three.

5:33 p.m. —  After 130 laps, Kevin Harvick leads. Alex Bowman in second, Denny Hamlin in third. There are 163 laps left, 45 left in Stage 2.

5:25 p.m. —  Yellow flag is up on lap 125 after Daniel Suarez spins out. No contact as he loses a tire, so he should be able to continue.

Trouble for Daniel Suárez! He keeps it off the wall. #NASCARIsBack pic.twitter.com/MTCRklkiog

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 17, 2020

5:20 p.m. —  Kevin Harvick is at the front of the restart to start lap 117. Alex Bowman in second, Kurt Busch in third and Denny Hamlin in fourth.

5:13 p.m. —  Another caution out as William Byron loses control and bumps the outside wall.

"Big moment for the 24!" 😱 @WilliamByron | @TooToughToTame pic.twitter.com/iKhqRtj3qG

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 17, 2020

5:07 p.m. — Kevin Harvick takes the lead off the restart, Alex Bowman in second and William Byron in third.

4:56 p.m. —  Oh no. Jimmie Johnson spins out on the last lap in Stage 1. William Byron wins Stage 1.

Heartbreak for @JimmieJohnson !

The 4️⃣8️⃣ crashes while leading in #TheRealHeroes 400! pic.twitter.com/VCskH5nOlg

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 17, 2020

4:54 p.m. —  Five laps left in Stage 1, Johnson still leads. Byron up to second, Hamlin up to third.

4:51 p.m. —  Finally some action at the front: Jimmie Johnson passes Alex Bowman to take the lead with nine laps to go in Stage 1. William Byron is in third, Denny Hamlin in fourth.

JIMMIE. JOHNSON. TO. THE. LEAD! 🐐
#NASCARIsBack pic.twitter.com/PZA304no62

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 17, 2020

4:32 p.m. —  After 45 laps we're halfway through Stage 1: Alex Bowman has taken the lead, Jimmie Johnson in second, Brad Keselowski down in third.

4:28 p.m. —  Competition yellow is complete and the green flag is back up as teams have had a chance to make adjustments to their cars.

4:15 p.m. —  After 30 laps, Brad Keselowski still leads with Kevin Harvick right behind him. Denny Hamlin up to third, Jimmie Johnson in fourth. Competition yellow is up now.

4:08 p.m. —  Kyle Busch has already moved up 15 spots from 40th up to 25th after 15 laps. Impressive start following the setback.

4:06 p.m. — Brad Keselowski leads after 10 laps, Kevin Harvick in second and Jimmie Johnson in third.

4:03 p.m. —  We'll try this again, green flag comes back up for lap No. 7.

3:56 p.m. —  It took about 15 seconds for the first wreck of the afternoon. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. loses control around turn two and crashes into the inside wall. He's definitely done for the day.

Well, that was not ideal. @StenhouseJr crashes early in #TheRealHeroes 400. pic.twitter.com/sjJfazAZEU

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 17, 2020

3:56 p.m. —  Green flag is finally waving and NASCAR is back!

3:52 p.m. —  Kyle Busch's car failed pre-race inspection twice, meaning he'll lose his fourth-place spot and start at the rear.

3:44 p.m. —  "Drivers, start your engines." A nice tribute to the healthcare workers putting themselves on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19. As they say in racing, let's do that racing.

We can never thank these people enough. #TheRealHeroes give the command to start today's race at @TooToughToTame ! pic.twitter.com/SLbQ55dQ6p

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 17, 2020

3:37 p.m. —  Clint Bowyer provides fans with a little pre-race laugh during an interview with Jeff Gordon. "Patience, grasshopper."

"Patience, grasshopper. Patience."- @ClintBowyer pic.twitter.com/8s7MkiqUJ2

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 17, 2020

3:20 p.m. —  All drivers have passed screening and will start the race, per FOX's Bob Pockrass.

What time does the NASCAR race start today?

• Date : Sunday, May 17
•   Start time : 3:30 p.m. ET
• TV channel : Fox
• Live stream : Fox Sports Go, fuboTV (7-day free trial)

The NASCAR race at Darlington on May 17 is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Of the seven NASCAR races currently scheduled across all three national series in the span of 11 days, Sunday's event at Darlington is the only "day" race. Although, with a race distance of 400 miles, chances are Sunday's event will end under the lights.

Fox will broadcast  five of the nine NASCAR Cup Series races currently on the revised schedule. The other four Cup races will broadcast live on FS1.

MORE:  Updated NASCAR schedule for 2020

NASCAR starting lineup at Darlington