2018 Auto Club 400

The 2018 Auto Club 400 was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race that was held on March 18, 2018, at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. Contested over 200 laps on the 2-mile (3.2-kilometre) D-shaped oval, it was the fifth race of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.

Report

Background

Auto Club Speedway (previously California Speedway) was a 2-mile (3.2-kilometre), low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in Fontana, California which hosted NASCAR racing annually from 1997 to 2023. It was also used for open wheel racing events. The racetrack was located near the former locations of Ontario Motor Speedway and Riverside International Raceway. The track was owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation and was the only track owned by ISC to have its naming rights sold. The speedway was served by the nearby Interstate 10 and Interstate 15 freeways as well as a Metrolink station located behind the backstretch.

Entry list

First practice

Kevin Harvick was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 38.082 seconds and a speed of 189.066 mph (304.272 km/h).^[12]

Qualifying

Martin Truex Jr. scored the pole for the race with a time of 38.592 and a speed of 186.567 mph (300.250 km/h).^[13]

Qualifying results

Practice (post-qualifying)

Second practice

Kevin Harvick was the fastest in the second practice session with a time of 38.694 seconds and a speed of 186.075 mph (299.459 km/h).^[14]

Final practice

Kyle Busch was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 38.779 seconds and a speed of 185.668 mph (298.804 km/h).^[15]

Race results

Stage Results

Stage 1 Laps: 60

Stage 2 Laps: 60

Final Stage Results

Stage 3 Laps: 80

Race statistics

• Lead changes: 7 among different drivers
• Cautions/Laps: 5 for 21
• Red flags: 0
• Time of race: 2 hours, 42 minutes and 41 seconds
• Average speed: 147.526 miles per hour (237.420 km/h)

Media

Television

The race was the 18th race Fox Sports covered at the Auto Club Speedway. Mike Joy, three-time Auto Club winner Jeff Gordon and Darrell Waltrip had call in the booth for the race. Jamie Little, Vince Welch and Matt Yocum handled the pit road duties for the television side.

Radio

MRN had the radio call for the race which was also simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Joe Moore, Jeff Striegle and 2001 race winner Rusty Wallace called the race from the booth when the field was racing down the front stretch. Dan Hubbard called race from a billboard outside turn 2 when the field was racing through turns 1 and 2. Kurt Becker called the race from a billboard outside turn 3 when the field was racing through turns 3 and 4. Alex Hayden, Winston Kelley and Steve Post worked pit road for MRN.

Standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings

Manufacturers' Championship standings

• Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.

References

1. ^ "2018 schedule". Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. May 5, 2017. Archived from the original on December 24, 2017. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
2. ^ "Auto Club Speedway". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. January 3, 2013. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
3. ^ "Entry List". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. March 12, 2018. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
4. ^ "First Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. March 16, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
5. ^ "Qualifying Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. March 16, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
6. ^ "Second Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. March 17, 2018. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
7. ^ "Final Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. March 17, 2018. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
8. ^ "Auto Club 400 Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. March 18, 2018. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
9. ^ "Points standings". Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. March 19, 2018. Archived from the original on March 20, 2018. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
10. ^ "Manufacturer standings". Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. March 19, 2018. Archived from the original on March 20, 2018. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
11. ^ "Auto Club Speedway final TV ratings". Jayski's Silly Season Site. ESPN. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
12. ^ Utter, Jim (March 16, 2018). "Kevin Harvick fastest in Friday's lone Cup practice at Fontana". Motorsport.com. Fontana, California: Motorsport Network. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
13. ^ Beacham, Greg (March 16, 2018). "Truex claims 17th NASCAR Cup pole in Fontana". Associated Press. Fontana, California: AP Sports. Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 17, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
14. ^ DeGroot, Nick (March 17, 2018). "Kevin Harvick leads second Cup practice at Fontana". Motorsport.com. Fontana, California: Motorsport Network. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
15. ^ Utter, Jim (March 17, 2018). "Kyle Busch tops final practice at Fontana". Motorsport.com. Fontana, California: Motorsport Network. Retrieved March 17, 2018.