2018 Coca-Cola 600

The 2018 Coca-Cola 600, the 59th running of the event, was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held on May 27, 2018 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. Contested over 400 laps on the 1.5 mile (2.42 km) asphalt speedway, it is the 13th race of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.

Background
The race was held at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which is located in Concord, North Carolina. The speedway complex includes a 1.5 mi quad-oval track that will be utilized for the race, as well as a dragstrip and a dirt track. The speedway was built in 1959 by Bruton Smith and is considered the home track for NASCAR with many race teams based in the Charlotte metropolitan area. The track is owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI) with Marcus G. Smith serving as track president.

First practice
Denny Hamlin was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 28.401 seconds and a speed of 190.134 mph.

Qualifying
Kyle Busch scored the pole for the race with a time of 28.149 and a speed of 191.836 mph.

Second practice
Second practice session for Saturday was cancelled due to weather.

Final practice
Erik Jones was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 28.870 seconds and a speed of 187.045 mph.

First stage
Kyle Busch led the field to green at 6:18 p.m., Kevin Harvick took the lead on lap 1 and led 32 laps, and the first caution flew on lap 37 when Austin Dillon spun out in Turn 2, Michael McDowell won the free pass under caution.

The race restarted on lap 44, and it remained green for 41 laps.

A left front tire issue sent Kevin Harvick into the turn-four wall on lap 83, causing the second caution of the race, Harvick had advanced from 39th place at race start to fourth. He parked, ending his shot at scoring a third consecutive win.

The race restarted on lap 89, Kyle Busch took the lead and dominated the first of four stages, leading 94 of 100 laps and finishing the stage 1.2 seconds in front of second-place Ryan Blaney. Following in the top 10 were Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Aric Almirola, Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Erik Jones, and the third caution flew for completion of the first stage.

Second stage
The race restarted on lap 108 and it remained green for 8 laps.

The fourth caution of the race flew on lap 116 when William Byron spun out in turn 1, Ross Chastain won the free pass under this caution.

The race restarted on lap 120 and the fifth caution of the race flew for a four-car wreck, involving frontrunners Jimmie Johnson and Joey Logano. Jimmie Johnson slid through turn three after contact with Denny Hamlin, and Logano also went into a slide trying to avoid traffic in the accident area. Both drivers continued on the lead lap.

The race restarted on lap 124, It remained green until the end of the stage.

The race reached its halfway point at lap 200 with Kyle Busch winning the second stage. Following in the top 10 were Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer, Aric Almirola, Chase Elliott, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman and Erik Jones, The sixth caution of the race flew for completion of the second stage.

Third stage
The race restarted on lap 208 and it remained green for 19 laps.

Gray Gaulding lost control of his car in turn four on lap 226 and spun off the frontstretch, causing the seventh caution of the race.

The race restarted on lap 231 and it remained green for 29 laps, and the eighth caution flew when Chris Buescher a tire problem sent him into the wall on lap 260.

The race restarted on lap 265 and Kyle Larson, running fourth, lost control of his car in turn one on lap 274, and his spin brought out the ninth caution of the race. He avoided major damage and stayed on the lead lap.

The race restarted on lap 280 and the tenth caution of the race flew when Ryan Blaney's car burst into flames 20 laps from the end of the third stage, bringing out a caution. Blaney was not injured.

The race restarted on lap 286 under a 16-lap shootout to end the stage, Kyle Busch easily won the race’s third stage, finishing a second in front of teammate Erik Jones, and the eleventh caution of the race flew on lap 302 for the conclusion of the third stage.

Final stage
The race restarted on lap 308, Kyle Busch drove on to score his first career victory at Charlotte.

Post-race
"This one's very special. I don't think there's anything that can top Homestead, just with the meaning of what the championship is," Busch said. "But the Coke 600, I've dreamt of this race since I was a kid, and being able to win this Coca Cola 600 is phenomenal. It's a little boy's dream come true.

Driver comments
"I thank NASCAR for allowing me to come out here and win this race of my dreams, and I don't know if it's ever been done but the first one to check off all the tracks, and get it all done. I don't want to go to any new ones, but holy moly, I love the red, white and blue schemes and what that all means, all of our heroes, whether they're fighting for us right now or whether they're fallen heroes."

Stage Results
Stage 1 Laps: 100

Stage 2 Laps: 100

Stage 3 Laps: 100

Final Stage Results
Stage 4 Laps: 100

Race statistics

 * Lead changes: 4 among different drivers
 * Cautions/Laps: 11 for 54
 * Red flags: 0
 * Time of race: 4 hours, 23 minutes and 22 seconds
 * Average speed: 136.692 mph

Television
Fox Sports televised the race in the United States for the eighteenth consecutive year. Mike Joy was the lap-by-lap announcer, while three-time Coca-Cola 600 winner, Jeff Gordon and five-time race winner Darrell Waltrip were the color commentators. Jamie Little, Regan Smith, Vince Welch and Matt Yocum reported from pit lane during the race.

Radio
Radio coverage of the race was broadcast by the Performance Racing Network (PRN), and was simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Doug Rice, Mark Garrow and Wendy Venturini called the race in the booth when the field raced through the quad-oval. Rob Albright reported the race from a billboard in turn 2 when the field was racing through turns 1 and 2 and halfway down the backstretch. Pat Patterson called the race from a billboard outside of turn 3 when the field raced through the other half of the backstretch and through turns 3 and 4. Brad Gillie, Brett McMillan, Jim Noble and Steve Richards were the pit reporters during the broadcast.

Standings after the race

 * Drivers' Championship standings


 * Manufacturers' Championship standings


 * Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
 * . – Driver has clinched a position in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.