The 2018 Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart is a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held on July 14, 2018, at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Kentucky. Contested over 267 laps on the 1.5-mile (2.4 km) speedway, it was the 19th race of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.

2018 Quaker State 400
Race details[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]
Race 19 of 36 in the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Layout of Kentucky Speedway
Layout of Kentucky Speedway
Date July 14, 2018 (2018-07-14)
Location Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Kentucky
Course Permanent racing facility
1.5 mi (2.4 km)
Distance 267 laps, 400.5 mi (640.8 km)
Average speed 150.454 miles per hour (242.132 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Furniture Row Racing
Time 28.588
Most laps led
Driver Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing
Laps 174
Winner
No. 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing
Television in the United States
Network NBCSN
Announcers Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Nielsen Ratings 1.3/1.33 (Overnight)[10]
Radio in the United States
Radio PRN
Booth Announcers Doug Rice and Mark Garrow
Turn Announcers Rob Albright (1 & 2) and Pat Patterson (3 & 4)

Report edit

Background edit

The sixth running of the Quaker State 400 was held in Sparta, Kentucky at Kentucky Speedway on July 9, 2016. The track is a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) tri-oval speedway owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. Kentucky Speedway, which has also hosted the ARCA Racing Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and the Indy Racing League, has a grandstand seating capacity of 107,000.

Entry list edit

No. Driver Team Manufacturer
00 Landon Cassill StarCom Racing Chevrolet
1 Jamie McMurray 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 Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway Racing Ford
7 Jesse Little (i) Premium Motorsports 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 Daniel Suárez Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
21 Paul Menard Wood Brothers Racing Ford
22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford
23 J. J. Yeley (i) BK Racing Toyota
24 William Byron (R) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
31 Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
32 Matt DiBenedetto Go Fas Racing Ford
34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford
37 Chris Buescher JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
38 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford
41 Kurt Busch Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet
43 Darrell Wallace Jr. (R) Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet
47 A. J. Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
51 B. J. McLeod (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet
66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota
72 Corey LaJoie TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet
78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota
88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
95 Kasey Kahne Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet
99 Garrett Smithley (i) StarCom Racing Chevrolet
Official entry list

Practice edit

First practice edit

Kyle Larson was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 29.053 seconds and a speed of 185.867 mph (299.124 km/h).[11]

Pos No. Driver Team Manufacturer Time Speed
1 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 29.053 185.867
2 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 29.244 184.653
3 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 29.300 184.300
Official first practice results

Final practice edit

Erik Jones was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 28.762 seconds and a speed of 187.748 mph (302.151 km/h).[12]

Pos No. Driver Team Manufacturer Time Speed
1 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 28.762 187.748
2 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 28.829 187.311
3 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 28.954 186.503
Official final practice results

Qualifying edit

Martin Truex Jr. scored the pole for the race with a time of 28.588 and a speed of 188.890 mph (303.989 km/h).[13]

Qualifying results edit

Pos No. Driver Team Manufacturer R1 R2 R3
1 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 28.927 28.575 28.588
2 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 28.773 28.763 28.611
3 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 28.745 28.791 28.640
4 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 28.851 28.757 28.664
5 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 28.884 28.662 28.692
6 21 Paul Menard Wood Brothers Racing Ford 28.878 28.813 28.705
7 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 28.911 28.798 28.732
8 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 28.902 28.769 28.770
9 41 Kurt Busch Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 29.018 28.780 28.780
10 31 Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 28.906 28.767 28.866
11 19 Daniel Suárez Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 28.898 28.831 28.877
12 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 28.937 28.707 28.895
13 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 28.783 28.851
14 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 29.143 28.866
15 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28.977 28.935
16 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.074 28.947
17 6 Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway Racing Ford 29.222 28.951
18 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 29.152 28.979
19 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 29.205 28.981
20 37 Chris Buescher JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 29.036 29.004
21 24 William Byron (R) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.121 29.010
22 1 Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 29.135 29.050
23 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 29.175 29.116
24 38 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford 29.235 29.234
25 43 Darrell Wallace Jr. (R) Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 29.263
26 47 A. J. Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 29.271
27 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.281
28 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 29.533
29 95 Kasey Kahne Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet 29.582
30 15 Ross Chastain (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 29.805
31 72 Corey LaJoie TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet 29.936
32 23 J. J. Yeley (i) BK Racing Toyota 30.022
33 00 Landon Cassill StarCom Racing Chevrolet 30.150
34 51 B. J. McLeod (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 30.357
35 99 Garrett Smithley (i) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 30.649
36 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 0.000
37 32 Matt DiBenedetto Go Fas Racing Ford 0.000
38 7 Jesse Little (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 0.000
39 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 0.000
Official qualifying results

Race edit

 
Martin Truex Jr. swept all three stages and won the race from the pole position.

Stage Results edit

Stage 1 Laps: 80

Pos No Driver Team Manufacturer Points
1 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 10
2 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 9
3 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 8
4 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 7
5 21 Paul Menard Wood Brothers Racing Ford 6
6 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 5
7 19 Daniel Suárez Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 4
8 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 3
9 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 2
10 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 1
Official stage one results

Stage 2 Laps: 80

Pos No Driver Team Manufacturer Points
1 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 10
2 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 9
3 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 8
4 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 7
5 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 6
6 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 5
7 41 Kurt Busch Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 4
8 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 3
9 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 2
10 21 Paul Menard Wood Brothers Racing Ford 1
Official stage two results

Final Stage Results edit

Stage 3 Laps: 107

Pos Grid No Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points
1 1 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 267 60
2 7 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 267 50
3 4 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 267 34
4 5 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 50
5 3 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 267 48
6 9 41 Kurt Busch Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 267 35
7 2 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 32
8 12 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 267 31
9 18 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 267 37
10 19 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 267 30
11 6 21 Paul Menard Wood Brothers Racing Ford 267 33
12 8 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 267 35
13 16 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 25
14 27 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 23
15 11 19 Daniel Suárez Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 26
16 36 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 21
17 22 1 Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 267 20
18 24 38 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford 267 19
19 17 6 Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway Racing Ford 267 18
20 21 24 William Byron (R) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 17
21 10 31 Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 267 16
22 13 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 266 15
23 20 37 Chris Buescher JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 266 14
24 23 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 266 13
25 29 95 Kasey Kahne Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet 266 12
26 14 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 266 11
27 25 43 Darrell Wallace Jr. (R) Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 264 10
28 30 15 Ross Chastain (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 263 0
29 28 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 263 8
30 26 47 A. J. Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 262 7
31 31 72 Corey LaJoie TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet 260 6
32 34 51 B. J. McLeod (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 256 0
33 33 00 Landon Cassill StarCom Racing Chevrolet 256 4
34 39 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 254 0
35 38 7 Jesse Little (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 253 0
36 35 99 Garrett Smithley (i) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 251 0
37 37 32 Matt DiBenedetto Go Fas Racing Ford 200 1
38 32 23 J. J. Yeley (i) BK Racing Toyota 199 0
39 15 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 108 1
Official race results

Race statistics edit

  • Lead changes: 7 among different drivers
  • Cautions/Laps: 4 for 22
  • Red flags: 0
  • Time of race: 2 hours, 39 minutes and 43 seconds
  • Average speed: 150.454 miles per hour (242.132 km/h)

Media edit

Television edit

NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt Jr. had the call in the booth for the race. Dave Burns, Parker Kligerman, Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast reported from pit lane during the race.

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

Radio edit

PRN had the radio call for the race, which was simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.

PRN
Booth announcers Turn announcers Pit reporters
Lead announcer: Doug Rice
Announcer: Mark Garrow
Turns 1 & 2: Rob Albright
Turns 3 & 4: Pat Patterson
Brad Gillie
Brett McMillan
Jim Noble
Steve Richards

Standings after the race edit

References edit

  1. ^ "2018 schedule". Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. May 5, 2017. Archived from the original on December 24, 2017. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  2. ^ "Kentucky Speedway". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. January 3, 2013. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  3. ^ "Entry List". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. July 10, 2018. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  4. ^ "First Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. July 13, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  5. ^ "Final Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. July 13, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  6. ^ "Qualifying Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. July 13, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  7. ^ "Quaker State 400 Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. July 14, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  8. ^ "Points standings" (PDF). Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. July 16, 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 29, 2018. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
  9. ^ "Manufacturer standings" (PDF). Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. July 16, 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 29, 2018. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
  10. ^ "Kentucky final TV ratings". Jayski's Silly Season Site. ESPN. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  11. ^ Utter, Jim (July 13, 2018). "Kyle Larson leads Blaney in first Cup practice at Kentucky". Motorsport.com. Sparta, Kentucky: Motorsport Network. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  12. ^ Utter, Jim (July 13, 2018). "Fresh off first Cup win, Erik Jones tops final practice at Kentucky". Motorsport.com. Sparta, Kentucky: Motorsport Network. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  13. ^ Graves, Gary B. (July 13, 2018). "Martin Truex Jr. wins pole at Kentucky Speedway". Associated Press. Sparta, Kentucky: AP Sports. Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 14, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.


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