2018 South Point 400
Race details[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]
Race 27 of 36 in the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
The 2018 South Point 400 program cover. "It All Starts Here!"
The 2018 South Point 400 program cover. "It All Starts Here!"
Date September 16, 2018 (2018-09-16)
Location Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas
Course Permanent racing facility
1.5 mi (2.4 km)
Distance 272 laps, 408 mi (652.8 km)
Scheduled Distance 267 laps, 400.5 mi (640.8 km)
Average speed 111.849 miles per hour (180.004 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Joe Gibbs Racing
Time 28.705
Most laps led
Driver Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing
Laps 96
Winner
No. 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske
Television in the United States
Network NBC
Announcers Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Nielsen Ratings 1.3 (Overnight)[11]
Radio in the United States
Radio PRN
Booth Announcers Doug Rice, Mark Garrow and Wendy Venturini
Turn Announcers Rob Albright (1 & 2) and Pat Patterson (3 & 4)

The 2018 South Point 400 was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held on September 16, 2018 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas. Contested over 272 laps—extended from 267 laps due to an overtime finish, on the 1.5 mi (2.4 km) asphalt intermediate speedway, it was the 27th race of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, first race of the Playoffs, and the first race of the Round of 16.

Report

Background

Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the track where the race is held.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada outside the Las Vegas city limits and about 15 miles northeast of the Las Vegas Strip, is a 1,200-acre (490 ha) complex of multiple tracks for motorsports racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Entry list

No. Driver Team Manufacturer
00Landon Cassill (i)StarCom RacingChevrolet
1Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet
2Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord
3Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
4Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingFord
6Trevor BayneRoush Fenway RacingFord
7Reed SorensonPremium MotorsportsChevrolet
9Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
10Aric AlmirolaStewart-Haas RacingFord
11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
12Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord
13Ty DillonGermain RacingChevrolet
14Clint BowyerStewart-Haas RacingFord
15Ross Chastain (i)Premium MotorsportsChevrolet
17Ricky Stenhouse Jr.Roush Fenway RacingFord
18Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
19Daniel SuárezJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
20Erik JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
21Paul MenardWood Brothers RacingFord
22Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord
23J. J. Yeley (i)BK RacingToyota
24William Byron (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
31Ryan NewmanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
32Matt DiBenedettoGo Fas RacingFord
34Michael McDowellFront Row MotorsportsFord
37Chris BuescherJTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet
38David RaganFront Row MotorsportsFord
41Kurt BuschStewart-Haas RacingFord
42Kyle LarsonChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet
43Darrell Wallace Jr. (R)Richard Petty MotorsportsChevrolet
47A. J. AllmendingerJTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet
48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
51B. J. McLeod (i)Rick Ware RacingFord
66Timmy Hill (i)MBM MotorsportsToyota
72Corey LaJoieTriStar MotorsportsChevrolet
78Martin Truex Jr.Furniture Row RacingToyota
88Alex BowmanHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
95Regan SmithLeavine Family RacingChevrolet
96Jeffrey EarnhardtGaunt Brothers RacingToyota
99Kyle WeathermanStarCom RacingChevrolet
Official entry list

First practice

Joey Logano was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 28.473 seconds and a speed of 189.653 mph (305.217 km/h).[12]

Pos No. Driver Team Manufacturer Time Speed
1 22Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord28.473189.653
2 4Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingFord28.502189.460
3 10Aric AlmirolaStewart-Haas RacingFord28.592188.864
Official first practice results

Qualifying

Erik Jones scored the pole position.

Erik Jones scored the pole for the race with a time of 28.705 and a speed of 188.121 mph (302.751 km/h).[13]

Qualifying results

Pos No. Driver Team Manufacturer R1 R2 R3
1 20Erik JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota28.76628.73728.705
2 22Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord28.61728.75128.708
3 11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota28.90728.77528.781
4 18Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota29.15528.89228.815
5 4Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingFord28.60528.74928.816
6 12Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord28.75228.90428.864
7 9Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.09828.86528.918
8 41Kurt BuschStewart-Haas RacingFord28.83128.93528.957
9 88Alex BowmanHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet28.68428.91528.974
10 78Martin Truex Jr.Furniture Row RacingToyota29.07228.89129.017
11 42Kyle LarsonChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet28.72528.84629.040
12 1Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet29.02528.93129.488
13 2Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord28.80228.936
14 17Ricky Stenhouse Jr.Roush Fenway RacingFord29.03428.939
15 14Clint BowyerStewart-Haas RacingFord28.72928.942
16 10Aric AlmirolaStewart-Haas RacingFord28.73528.947
17 48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet28.78428.953
18 3Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet28.82428.957
19 19Daniel SuárezJoe Gibbs RacingToyota28.99528.962
20 21Paul MenardWood Brothers RacingFord28.86628.965
21 24William Byron (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet28.83028.970
22 31Ryan NewmanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet28.88929.054
23 6Trevor BayneRoush Fenway RacingFord28.93329.088
24 34Michael McDowellFront Row MotorsportsFord29.12029.203
25 95Regan SmithLeavine Family RacingChevrolet29.160
26 32Matt DiBenedettoGo Fas RacingFord29.199
27 38David RaganFront Row MotorsportsFord29.233
28 37Chris BuescherJTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet29.243
29 47A. J. AllmendingerJTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet29.252
30 13Ty DillonGermain RacingChevrolet29.311
31 43Darrell Wallace Jr. (R)Richard Petty MotorsportsChevrolet29.538
32 72Corey LaJoieTriStar MotorsportsChevrolet29.890
33 99Kyle WeathermanStarCom RacingChevrolet29.903
34 15Ross Chastain (i)Premium MotorsportsChevrolet29.944
35 96Jeffrey EarnhardtGaunt Brothers RacingToyota30.004
36 23J. J. Yeley (i)BK RacingToyota30.095
37 00Landon Cassill (i)StarCom RacingChevrolet30.289
38 51B. J. McLeod (i)Rick Ware RacingFord30.416
39 66Timmy Hill (i)MBM MotorsportsToyota30.667
40 7Reed SorensonPremium MotorsportsChevrolet0.000
Official qualifying results

Practice (post-qualifying)

Second practice

Ryan Newman was the fastest in the second practice session with a time of 29.365 seconds and a speed of 183.892 mph (295.945 km/h).[14]

Pos No. Driver Team Manufacturer Time Speed
1 31Ryan NewmanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet29.365183.892
2 12Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord29.465183.268
3 10Aric AlmirolaStewart-Haas RacingFord29.477183.194
Official second practice results

Final practice

Erik Jones was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 29.793 seconds and a speed of 181.251 mph (291.695 km/h).[15]

Pos No. Driver Team Manufacturer Time Speed
1 20Erik JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota29.793181.251
2 12Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord29.795181.238
3 88Alex BowmanHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.801181.202
Official final practice results

Race

Brad Keselowski won the race.

Stage Results

Stage 1 Laps: 80

For pre-race ceremonies, Motor Racing Outreach chaplain Billy Maudin would give the invocation and Las Vegas country music singer Sierra Black would sing the anthem. Brendan Gaughan, a former NASCAR driver and the son of the South Point's owner, Michael Gaughan would give out the starting command. Temperatures were nearly 100 degrees at the start of the race. Erik Jones would start from the pole, however he would get passed for the lead on lap 1 by Joey Logano, who would go on to lead the first 34 laps until green flag pit stops occurred. At the end of the pit cycle, Kevin Harvick would lead, but was quickly swallowed up by Martin Truex Jr. on lap 59, who then proceeded to stay in the lead for the rest of the stage and win.

Pos No Driver Team Manufacturer Points
178Martin Truex Jr.Furniture Row RacingToyota10
24Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingFord9
388Alex BowmanHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet8
441Kurt BuschStewart-Haas RacingFord7
518Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota6
69Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet5
722Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord4
820Erik JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota3
910Aric AlmirolaStewart-Haas RacingFord2
1031Ryan NewmanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1
Official stage one results

Stage 2 Laps: 80

The green flag would come out on lap 87. However, just three laps later NASCAR threw the caution for debris caused by Ricky Stenhouse Jr hitting the wall in turn 3. Truex would go on to lead the first 32 laps in the stage until on lap 112, Ty Dillon would suffer a tire failure. Keselowski would lead on the restart on lap 116. Truex would go back to the lead just 9 laps later. On lap 148, the first major crash happened in the day. Kevin Harvick, who was battling Jimmie Johnson for 7th, would blow a right front and smash his car into the wall. Erik Jones, who was running the high side ran into the back of Harvick, taking both of them out. Keselowski would end up as the leader on the restart, and after a 5 lap shootout would win stage 2.

Pos No Driver Team Manufacturer Points
12Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord10
241Kurt BuschStewart-Haas RacingFord9
378Martin Truex Jr.Furniture Row RacingToyota8
448Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet7
51Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet6
622Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord5
79Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet4
812Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord3
988Alex BowmanHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet2
1042Kyle LarsonChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet1
Official stage two results

Final Stage Results

Stage 3 Laps: 107

Keselowski would lead the field to green, and would battle Kyle Larson until lap 184 when William Byron suffered a flat tire and hit the Turn 3 wall. Truex would take the lead back on lap 202. 10 laps later, Jamie McMurray, who had hit the wall laps earlier, would spin with another tire failure, collecting Chase Elliott, causing both of them to retire. Logano would pull out to the lead on the restart against Keselowski. Kyle Busch then would get loose and spin coming out of turn 4, with the splitter hitting the frontstretch grass. Larson would lead on the restart, then on lap 248 Denny Hamlin would suffer a similar crash to Kyle Busch, this time destroying Hamlin's car and taking him out. The field would restart, but just 2 laps later on lap 253 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. would hit the back stretch wall hard, similar to Jeff Gordon's 2008 crash at the same track. On the restart, Alex Bowman and Jimmie Johnson would suffer tire problems. Due to debris caused by the incidents, NASCAR was forced to throw the caution with 7 to go. With just 2 laps to go, Keselowski would lead the field to green and would battle with Logano. However, a crash started by David Ragan and Michael McDowell would cause the big one of the day, tearing Matt Dibenedetto's right side and massively damaging Kurt Busch's car. NASCAR would throw the red flag due to the accident. The field would attempt a green-white checkered finish, with Brad Keselowski eventually pulling away and winning the inaugural South Point 400.

Pos Grid No Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points
1132Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord27250
21142Kyle LarsonChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet27236
31078Martin Truex Jr.Furniture Row RacingToyota27252
4222Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord27242
5612Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord27235
61610Aric AlmirolaStewart-Haas RacingFord27233
7418Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota27235
81919Daniel SuárezJoe Gibbs RacingToyota27229
92231Ryan NewmanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet27229
102021Paul MenardWood Brothers RacingFord27227
11183Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet27226
122595Regan SmithLeavine Family RacingChevrolet27225
13236Trevor BayneRoush Fenway RacingFord27224
142947A. J. AllmendingerJTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet27223
152837Chris BuescherJTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet27222
163272Corey LaJoieTriStar MotorsportsChevrolet27221
173623J. J. Yeley (i)BK RacingToyota2720
183700Landon Cassill (i)StarCom RacingChevrolet2720
19988Alex BowmanHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet27128
203415Ross Chastain (i)Premium MotorsportsChevrolet2710
21841Kurt BuschStewart-Haas RacingFord27132
221748Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet27022
231514Clint BowyerStewart-Haas RacingFord27014
242632Matt DiBenedettoGo Fas RacingFord26913
253596Jeffrey EarnhardtGaunt Brothers RacingToyota26912
263399Kyle WeathermanStarCom RacingChevrolet26911
272738David RaganFront Row MotorsportsFord26810
283851B. J. McLeod (i)Rick Ware RacingFord2680
292434Michael McDowellFront Row MotorsportsFord2658
301417Ricky Stenhouse Jr.Roush Fenway RacingFord2517
31407Reed SorensonPremium MotorsportsChevrolet2466
32311Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota2455
333966Timmy Hill (i)MBM MotorsportsToyota2310
343013Ty DillonGermain RacingChevrolet2183
35121Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet2118
3679Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21111
372124William Byron (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet2101
383143Darrell Wallace Jr. (R)Richard Petty MotorsportsChevrolet1641
3954Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingFord14710
40120Erik JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota1474
Official race results

Race statistics

  • Lead changes: 9 among different drivers
  • Cautions/Laps: 12 for 59
  • Red flags: 1 for 10 minutes and 37 seconds
  • Time of race: 3 hours, 28 minutes and 15 seconds
  • Average speed: 111.849 miles per hour (180.004 km/h)

Media

Television

NBC Sports called 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.

NBC
Booth announcersPit 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

PRN covered the radio call for the race which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Doug Rice, Mark Garrow and Wendy Venturini called the race in the booth when the field raced through the tri-oval. Rob Albright called the race from a billboard in turn 2 when the field raced through turns 1 and 2. Pat Patterson called the race from a billboard outside of turn 3 when the field raced through turns 3 and 4. Brad Gillie, Brett McMillan, Jim Noble and Heather DeBeaux worked pit road for the radio side.

PRN
Booth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters
Lead announcer: Doug Rice
Announcer: Mark Garrow
Announcer: Wendy Venturini
Turns 1 & 2: Rob Albright
Turns 3 & 4: Pat Patterson
Brad Gillie
Brett McMillan
Jim Noble
Heather DeBeaux

Standings after the race

References

  1. "2018 schedule". Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. May 5, 2017. Archived from the original on December 24, 2017. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  2. "Las Vegas Motor Speedway". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. January 3, 2013. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  3. "Entry List". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. September 11, 2018. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  4. "First Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. September 14, 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  5. "Starting Lineup". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. September 14, 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  6. "Second Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. September 15, 2018. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
  7. "Final Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. September 15, 2018. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
  8. "South Point 400 Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. September 16, 2018. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
  9. "Points standings" (PDF). Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. September 17, 2018. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  10. "Manufacturer standings" (PDF). Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. September 17, 2018. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  11. "Las Vegas TV ratings". Jayski's Silly Season Site. ESPN. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  12. DeGroot, Nick (September 14, 2018). "Joey Logano leads first Cup practice from Las Vegas". Motorsport.com. Las Vegas: Motorsport Network. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  13. Beacham, Greg (September 14, 2018). "Erik Jones claims pole for 1st NASCAR playoff race in Vegas". Associated Press. Las Vegas: AP Sports. Associated Press. Archived from the original on September 15, 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  14. Utter, Jim (September 15, 2018). "Ryan Newman tops playoff contenders in second Las Vegas practice". Motorsport.com. Las Vegas: Motorsport Network. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
  15. Utter, Jim (September 15, 2018). "Pole-winner Erik Jones fastest in final Cup practice at Las Vegas". Motorsport.com. Brooklyn, Michigan: Motorsport Network. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
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