2018 Quaker State 400

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 mi speedway, it was the 19th race of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.

Background
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 mi 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.

First practice
Kyle Larson was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 29.053 seconds and a speed of 185.867 mph.

Final practice
Erik Jones was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 28.762 seconds and a speed of 187.748 mph.

Qualifying
Martin Truex Jr. scored the pole for the race with a time of 28.588 and a speed of 188.890 mph.

Stage 1
Truex Jr. wasted no time in driving away from Jones on the start. Brad Keselowski(2), who seems to always run well at Kentucky moved into 2nd place early in Stage 1. Stage lengths at Kentucky are 80, 80, and 107. Necessitating a visit to pit road for fuel during all race Stages.

Most pit stops in Stage 1 occurred on laps 40-45. A few drivers stayed out hoping to catch a caution and improve their track position. Kurt Busch(41), Joey Logano(22), William Bowman(88), and Jimmie Johnson(48) pushed it the farthest. Pitting on Lap 61-66, returning the lead to Truex Jr.

Stage 2
Logano did not pit at the end of the Stage, having been to pit road just 17 laps earlier. Kurt Busch, benefiting from his late pit stop, only took 2 tires and exited in 1st. He lined up next to Logano for the restart, Truex Jr. lined up 3rd.

Kurt Busch jumped to a big lead when the green flag waved. Truex Jr. ran him down and took the lead on lap 98. Looking like he might dominate in a similar fashion to last year. Truex Jr. built a 3-second lead only to see it wiped out when Bowman cut down a tire on Lap 108. The damage from hitting the wall in turn 3 sent Bowman to the garage. Pit stops will give teams enough fuel to complete Stage 2.

Truex Jr., and Kyle Busch share the front row for the restart after Bowman’s crash. Harvick, Blaney, and Menard make up the top 5 as the race goes green on Lap 114. Truex Jr., Kyle Bush, and Blaney went 3-wide down the backstretch. Martin pulled away through turns 3 and 4. He quickly established a 1-second lead, as Busch and Blaney battled for 2nd.

No one could challenge Truex Jr., who easily captured his 2nd Stage win of the night. His 5th Stage win of the season.

The Final Stage
Keselowski gambles taking just 2 tires, he exits the pits first. Lining up on the front row next to Truex Jr., the clean air makes the gamble pay off. Keselowski jumps into the lead as Truex Jr. battles Harvick for 2nd.

Kyle Larson(42) makes his first appearance at the front of the pack. He passes Truex Jr. for 2nd. Larson missed driver introductions and had to start from the rear of the field. He doggedly worked his way into contention.

Short run speed took Larson to the front and the car went away just as quickly. Problems with the track bar in the rear of the car cost Larson a shot at the lead. Truex Jr. passed and began to close the gap on Keselowski. By Lap 201, Larson had faded to 7th and Truex Jr. reassumed the lead.

On Lap 206 J J Yeley(23) stuffed his car into the wall in Turn 4 bringing out the caution. This time Kurt Busch was the gambler taking just 2 tires and exiting 1st. Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, Blaney, and Harvick followed.

Kurt Busch found the same success as Keselowski as he shot to the lead with a push from Blaney. Truex Jr., whose car seems to get stronger with a few laps on it, quickly closed on Busch’s bumper. Taking the lead on Lap 233 and pulling Blaney with him into second.

While the cars slugged it out on the race track. Some comic relief treated the fans in the grandstand. The track’s sprinkler system, apparently on a timer, activated and soaked the outer lane exit of pit road. The cars don’t need to pit again unless there is another caution.

The Finish
The official count showed 14 lead changes. When Truex Jr. was not in the lead, he was just loaning it to another driver. Just like last year, Truex Jr. dominated every facet of the race. Further entrenching himself as one of the Big 3 in 2018.

The only thing that got away from Truex Jr. all night was his car in the post-race celebration. After crawling out the window and standing on the door to salute the fans, the 78 car began rolling toward the apron of the track. Martin jumped off just as the NBC crew arrived to interview him. Did not seem to phase him in the least.

The Feud?
No on-track drama between Kyle Busch and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. The two had little interaction. Busch finished 4th and Stenhouse Jr. 26th, 1 Lap down. Stenhouse Jr. seemed to give Busch a wide berth when Kyle passed.

Stage Results
Stage 1 Laps: 80

Stage 2 Laps: 80

Final Stage Results
Stage 3 Laps: 107

Race statistics

 * 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 mph

Television
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.

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

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.