2018 STP 500

The 2018 STP 500 was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held on March 26, 2018, at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia. Contested over 500 laps on the .526 mile (.847 km) paperclip-shaped short track, it was sixth race of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season. The race was postponed from Sunday, March 25 to Monday, March 26 due to snow accumulation in Martinsville.

Background
Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, in Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At 0.526 mi in length, it is the shortest track in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved oval tracks in NASCAR, being built in 1947 by H. Clay Earles. It is also the only remaining race track that has been on the NASCAR circuit from its beginning in 1948.

First practice
Martin Truex Jr. was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 19.776 seconds and a speed of 95.752 mph.

Final practice
Martin Truex Jr. was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 19.846 seconds and a speed of 95.415 mph.

Qualifying
Qualifying for Saturday was cancelled due to snow and Martin Truex Jr., the point leader, was awarded the pole as a result.

Race
Blue skies and sunshine greeted drivers and fans at the track Monday morning after Sunday’s postponement because of snow. Piles of dirty snow were evident against walls outside the racing surface, and areas in shadow outside the track were still snow-covered, but most of the grass parking lots at the track were open. The postponement was the first in the Cup Series because of snow since 1993.

Start
Martin Truex Jr. led the field to the green flag at 2:01 p.m., He led a total of 5 laps, and Kyle Busch took the lead on lap 5 and led 22 laps, The first caution of the race flew on lap 52 for a scheduled competition caution due to snow, J. J. Yeley won the free pass under caution and Denny Hamlin took the lead on lap 53.

The race restarted on lap 57.

Martinsville ace Denny Hamlin won the first stage after a battle with Brad Keselowski, who took second. Following in the top 10 were Ryan Blaney, Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer,  Kevin Harvick, A. J. Allmendinger, Kurt Busch, Joey Logano and Jimmie Johnson, and the second caution of the race flew on lap 132 for conclusion of the first stage, Brad Keselowski took the lead on lap 136 and led only one lap.

Stage 2
The race restarted on lap 143, and Denny Hamlin took the lead on the following lap, and led 3 laps, Ryan Blaney took the lead from Hamlin on lap 146, and led 139 laps, Blaney outran Clint Bowyer to win the second stage. They were followed by Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, A. J. Allmendinger, Joey Logano and Jimmie Johnson, The third caution of the race flew on lap 262 for conclusion of the second stage.

Final stage
Although some fender paint was exchanged from time to time, the race was unusually quiet by Martinsville standards. Cup races here average 13 caution flags. Through 360 laps, there had been only three cautions, and none were for mishaps on the track. The first was a competition caution at lap 50, followed by cautions at the ends of the first two stages.

The race restarted on lap 272 and it remained green for 113 laps, Contact with Austin Dillon sent Jamie McMurray into the outside wall in turn two on lap 384, bringing out the afternoon’s fourth caution on lap 385, Kyle Busch took the lead on the following lap and led only one lap, Clint Bowyer took the lead on lap 387.

The race restarted on lap 392.

It was no contest, really. Clint Bowyer led for the last 114 laps in a clean race that was surprisingly short on cautions, maintaining a 1-to-1 1/2-second lead over the charging Kyle Busch. Bowyer almost ran out of gas midway through the race, but made it to pit road in the nick of time.

Clint Bowyer ended a 190-race winless streak by dominating the circuit’s shortest track, leading 215 laps on the way to his first win since 2012.

Bowyer, 38, held off Kyle Busch over the final 114 laps to score the ninth Cup win of his career.

Post race
"Let me tell you something, Gene Haas, Tony Stewart, to give this old dog a fresh chance and fresh blood with a new opportunity.  Finally to get the 14 in victory lane is just a weight off the shoulders. It’s been a long time."

Stage Results
Stage 1 Laps: 130

Stage 2 Laps: 130

Final Stage Results
Stage 3 Laps: 240

Race statistics

 * Lead changes: 6 among different drivers
 * Cautions/Laps: 4 for 33
 * Red flags: 0
 * Time of race: 3 hours, 13 minutes and 14 seconds
 * Average speed: 81.663 mph

Television
Fox Sports was covering their 18th race at the Martinsville Speedway. Mike Joy, nine-time Martinsville winner Jeff Gordon and 11-time Martinsville winner Darrell Waltrip called in the booth for the race. Jamie Little, Vince Welch and Matt Yocum handled pit road duties for the entire race.

Radio
MRN had the radio call for the race which would also be simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Joe Moore, Jeff Striegle and seven-time Martinsville winner Rusty Wallace called the race in the booth as the cars were on the frontstretch. Dave Moody called the race from atop the turn 3 stands as the field is racing down the backstretch. Alex Hayden, Winston Kelley and Steve Post worked pit road for the radio side.

Standings after the race

 * Drivers' Championship standings


 * Manufacturers' Championship standings


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