2018 Alsco 300 (Kentucky)

The 2018 Alsco 300 was the 17th stock car race of the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series season and the 18th iteration of the event. The race was held on Friday, July 13, 2018, in Sparta, Kentucky, at Kentucky Speedway, a 1.5-mile (2.41 km) tri-oval speedway. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. At race's end, Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing would come back from a spin early in the race to win his third career NASCAR Xfinity Series win and his second of the season.[1] To fill out the podium, Daniel Hemric of Richard Childress Racing and Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing would finish second and third, respectively.

2018 Alsco 300
Race details
Race 17 of 33 of the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series
Date July 13, 2018
Official name 18th Annual Alsco 300
Location Sparta, Kentucky, Kentucky Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
1.5 mi (2.41 km)
Distance 200 laps, 300 mi (482.803 km)
Scheduled Distance 200 laps, 300 mi (482.803 km)
Average speed 131.884 miles per hour (212.247 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste
Time 29.759
Most laps led
Driver Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing
Laps 111
Winner
No. 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing
Television in the United States
Network NBCSN
Announcers Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Radio in the United States
Radio Performance Racing Network

Background

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The layout of Kentucky Speedway. the venue where the race was held.

Kentucky Speedway is a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) tri-oval speedway in Sparta, Kentucky, which has hosted ARCA, NASCAR and Indy Racing League racing annually since it opened in 2000. The track is currently owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. and Jerry Carroll, who, along with four other investors, owned Kentucky Speedway until 2008. The speedway has a grandstand capacity of 117,000. Construction of the speedway began in 1998 and was completed in mid-2000. The speedway has hosted the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, Xfinity Series, IndyCar Series, Indy Lights, and most recently, the NASCAR Cup Series beginning in 2011.

Entry list

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# Driver Team Make Sponsor
0 Garrett Smithley JD Motorsports Chevrolet FAME USA
00 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste Ford Haas Automation
1 Elliott Sadler JR Motorsports Chevrolet OneMain Financial "Lending Done Human"
01 Vinnie Miller JD Motorsports Chevrolet Herb Kinman Chevrolet
2 Matt Tifft Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Surface Sunscreen
3 Ty Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Alsco
4 Ross Chastain JD Motorsports Chevrolet AE Door & Window Co.
5 Michael Annett JR Motorsports Chevrolet Pilot Flying J
7 Justin Allgaier JR Motorsports Chevrolet Dale Jr's Whisky River
8 Ray Black Jr. B. J. McLeod Motorsports Chevrolet JW Transport, CorvetteParts.net
9 Tyler Reddick JR Motorsports Chevrolet BurgerFi
11 Ryan Truex Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Phantom Fireworks
12 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford Lasik Vision Institute
15 B. J. McLeod JD Motorsports Chevrolet Herb Kinman Chevrolet
16 Ryan Reed Roush Fenway Racing Ford DriveDownA1C.com
18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota NOS Energy Drink
19 Brandon Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Menards, NRG
20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Rheem
21 Daniel Hemric Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa
22 Paul Menard Team Penske Ford Discount Tire
23 Spencer Gallagher GMS Racing Chevrolet ISM Connect
35 Joey Gase Go Green Racing with SS-Green Light Racing Chevrolet Pro Master, Donate Life
36 Alex Labbé DGM Racing Chevrolet James Carter Attorney at Law, Sticky Stuff
38 J. J. Yeley RSS Racing Chevrolet RSS Racing
39 Ryan Sieg RSS Racing Chevrolet RSS Racing
40 Chad Finchum MBM Motorsports Toyota Smithbilt Homes
42 John Hunter Nemechek Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet Anderson Columbia
45 Josh Bilicki JP Motorsports Toyota Prevagen
51 Jeremy Clements Jeremy Clements Racing Chevrolet RepairableVehicles.com
52 David Starr Jimmy Means Racing Chevrolet Tony's Steaks & Seafood
55 Brandon Hightower JP Motorsports Toyota S. Aaron Siebacher Attorney at Law, NAPA Auto Parts
60 Ty Majeski Roush Fenway Racing Ford Ford
66 Timmy Hill MBM Motorsports Dodge CrashClaimsR.Us[permanent dead link]
74 Mike Harmon Mike Harmon Racing Chevrolet Shadow Warriors Project, Horizon Transport
76 Spencer Boyd SS-Green Light Racing Chevrolet Grunt Style "This We'll Defend"
78 Blake Jones B. J. McLeod Motorsports Chevrolet KBM Commercial Properties
79 Josh Reaume Jimmy Means Racing Chevrolet Striping Technology
89 Morgan Shepherd Shepherd Racing Ventures Chevrolet Visone RV Motorhome Parts, Racing with Jesus
90 Josh Williams DGM Racing Chevrolet Sleep Well Sleep Disorder Specialists
93 Jeff Green RSS Racing Chevrolet RSS Racing
Official entry list

Practice

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First practice

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The first practice session was held on Thursday, July 12, at 4:05 PM EST, and would last for 45 minutes.[2] John Hunter Nemechek of Chip Ganassi Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.853 and an average speed of 180.886 miles per hour (291.108 km/h).[3]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 42 John Hunter Nemechek Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 29.853 180.886
2 19 Brandon Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 29.918 180.493
3 21 Daniel Hemric Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 30.015 179.910
Full first practice results

Second and final practice

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The second and final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Thursday, July 12, at 6:05 PM EST, and would last for 45 minutes.[2] Ty Majeski of Roush Fenway Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.717 and an average speed of 181.714 miles per hour (292.440 km/h).[3]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 60 Ty Majeski Roush Fenway Racing Ford 29.717 181.714
2 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 29.733 181.616
3 21 Daniel Hemric Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 29.973 180.162
Full Happy Hour practice results

Qualifying

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Qualifying was held on Friday, July 13, at 5:05 PM EST.[2] Since Kentucky Speedway is under 2 miles (3.2 km), the qualifying system was a multi-car system that included three rounds. The first round was 15 minutes, where every driver would be able to set a lap within the 15 minutes. Then, the second round would consist of the fastest 24 cars in Round 1, and drivers would have 10 minutes to set a lap. Round 3 consisted of the fastest 12 drivers from Round 2, and the drivers would have 5 minutes to set a time. Whoever was fastest in Round 3 would win the pole.[4]

Cole Custer of Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste would win the pole, advancing through both preliminary rounds and setting a time of 29.759 and an average speed of 181.458 miles per hour (292.028 km/h) in the third round.[5]

No drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time (R1) Speed (R1) Time (R2) Speed (R2) Time (R3) Speed (R3)
1 00 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste Ford 30.072 179.569 29.868 180.796 29.759 181.458
2 7 Justin Allgaier JR Motorsports Chevrolet 30.029 179.826 29.947 180.319 29.828 181.038
3 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 30.072 179.569 29.790 181.269 29.830 181.026
4 12 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 30.332 178.030 29.951 180.294 29.854 180.880
5 21 Daniel Hemric Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 30.222 178.678 30.008 179.952 29.904 180.578
6 42 John Hunter Nemechek Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 30.133 179.206 30.040 179.760 29.973 180.162
7 2 Matt Tifft Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 30.135 179.194 30.075 179.551 29.982 180.108
8 9 Tyler Reddick JR Motorsports Chevrolet 30.092 179.450 30.022 179.868 30.101 179.396
9 16 Ryan Reed Roush Fenway Racing Ford 30.233 178.613 29.982 180.108 30.125 179.253
10 1 Elliott Sadler JR Motorsports Chevrolet 30.346 177.948 30.082 179.509 30.131 179.217
11 19 Brandon Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 30.157 179.063 29.909 180.548 30.262 178.442
12 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 29.811 181.141 29.824 181.062
Eliminated in Round 2
13 11 Ryan Truex Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 30.233 178.613 30.116 179.307
14 22 Paul Menard Team Penske Ford 30.377 177.766 30.202 178.796
15 23 Spencer Gallagher GMS Racing Chevrolet 30.222 178.678 30.223 178.672
16 3 Ty Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 30.495 177.078 30.280 178.336
17 5 Michael Annett JR Motorsports Chevrolet 30.529 176.881 30.315 178.130
18 60 Ty Majeski Roush Fenway Racing Ford 30.475 177.194 30.333 178.024
19 39 Ryan Sieg RSS Racing Chevrolet 30.581 176.580 30.464 177.258
20 51 Jeremy Clements Jeremy Clements Racing Chevrolet 30.663 176.108 30.498 177.061
21 4 Ross Chastain JD Motorsports Chevrolet 30.748 175.621 30.576 176.609
22 35 Joey Gase Go Green Racing with SS-Green Light Racing Chevrolet 30.782 175.427 30.715 175.810
23 38 J. J. Yeley RSS Racing Chevrolet 30.868 174.938 31.064 173.835
24 0 Garrett Smithley JD Motorsports Chevrolet 31.168 173.255
Eliminated in Round 1
25 36 Alex Labbé DGM Racing Chevrolet 31.190 173.132
26 15 B. J. McLeod JD Motorsports Chevrolet 31.255 172.772
27 55 Brandon Hightower JP Motorsports Toyota 31.304 172.502
28 93 Jeff Green RSS Racing Chevrolet 31.352 172.238
29 66 Timmy Hill MBM Motorsports Dodge 31.371 172.133
30 52 David Starr Jimmy Means Racing Chevrolet 31.394 172.007
31 90 Josh Williams DGM Racing Chevrolet 31.508 171.385
32 89 Morgan Shepherd Shepherd Racing Ventures Chevrolet 31.611 170.827
33 8 Ray Black Jr. B. J. McLeod Motorsports Chevrolet 31.619 170.783
Qualified by owner's points
34 45 Josh Bilicki JP Motorsports Toyota 31.667 170.525
35 40 Chad Finchum MBM Motorsports Toyota 31.823 169.689
36 76 Spencer Boyd SS-Green Light Racing Chevrolet 32.085 168.303
37 78 Blake Jones B. J. McLeod Motorsports Chevrolet 32.220 167.598
38 01 Vinnie Miller JD Motorsports Chevrolet 32.318 167.090
39 74 Mike Harmon Mike Harmon Racing Chevrolet 33.068 163.300
Qualified on time
40 79 Josh Reaume Jimmy Means Racing Chevrolet 32.945 163.910
Official qualifying results
Official starting lineup

Race results

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Stage 1 Laps: 45

Pos. # Driver Team Make Pts
1 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 0
2 00 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste Ford 9
3 42 John Hunter Nemechek Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 8
4 2 Matt Tifft Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 7
5 12 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 6
6 19 Brandon Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 5
7 9 Tyler Reddick JR Motorsports Chevrolet 4
8 7 Justin Allgaier JR Motorsports Chevrolet 3
9 21 Daniel Hemric Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 2
10 1 Elliott Sadler JR Motorsports Chevrolet 1

Stage 2 Laps: 45

Pos. # Driver Team Make Pts
1 42 John Hunter Nemechek Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 10
2 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 0
3 00 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste Ford 8
4 12 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 7
5 19 Brandon Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 6
6 7 Justin Allgaier JR Motorsports Chevrolet 5
7 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 4
8 9 Tyler Reddick JR Motorsports Chevrolet 3
9 22 Paul Menard Team Penske Ford 0
10 21 Daniel Hemric Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 1

Stage 3 Laps: 110

Pos.[6] St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts
1 12 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 200 17 running 44
2 5 21 Daniel Hemric Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 200 8 running 38
3 3 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 200 111 running 0
4 2 7 Justin Allgaier JR Motorsports Chevrolet 200 32 running 41
5 1 00 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste Ford 200 14 running 49
6 8 9 Tyler Reddick JR Motorsports Chevrolet 200 0 running 38
7 6 42 John Hunter Nemechek Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 200 14 running 48
8 9 16 Ryan Reed Roush Fenway Racing Ford 200 0 running 29
9 14 22 Paul Menard Team Penske Ford 200 0 running 0
10 4 12 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 200 0 running 40
11 7 2 Matt Tifft Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 200 0 running 33
12 10 1 Elliott Sadler JR Motorsports Chevrolet 200 0 running 26
13 13 11 Ryan Truex Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 200 0 running 24
14 16 3 Ty Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 200 0 running 0
15 17 5 Michael Annett JR Motorsports Chevrolet 200 4 running 22
16 19 39 Ryan Sieg RSS Racing Chevrolet 200 0 running 21
17 21 4 Ross Chastain JD Motorsports Chevrolet 200 0 running 20
18 20 51 Jeremy Clements Jeremy Clements Racing Chevrolet 200 0 running 19
19 24 0 Garrett Smithley JD Motorsports Chevrolet 198 0 running 18
20 15 23 Spencer Gallagher GMS Racing Chevrolet 198 0 running 17
21 26 15 B. J. McLeod JD Motorsports Chevrolet 196 0 running 16
22 33 8 Ray Black Jr. B. J. McLeod Motorsports Chevrolet 196 0 running 15
23 30 52 David Starr Jimmy Means Racing Chevrolet 195 0 running 14
24 36 76 Spencer Boyd SS-Green Light Racing Chevrolet 195 0 running 13
25 37 78 Blake Jones B. J. McLeod Motorsports Chevrolet 194 0 running 12
26 27 55 Brandon Hightower JP Motorsports Toyota 194 0 running 11
27 18 60 Ty Majeski Roush Fenway Racing Ford 193 0 running 10
28 34 45 Josh Bilicki JP Motorsports Toyota 193 0 running 9
29 38 01 Vinnie Miller JD Motorsports Chevrolet 192 0 running 8
30 39 74 Mike Harmon Mike Harmon Racing Chevrolet 190 0 running 7
31 35 40 Chad Finchum MBM Motorsports Toyota 172 0 transmission 6
32 25 36 Alex Labbé DGM Racing Chevrolet 168 0 running 5
33 22 35 Joey Gase Go Green Racing with SS-Green Light Racing Chevrolet 161 0 crash 4
34 23 38 J. J. Yeley RSS Racing Chevrolet 119 0 suspension 3
35 31 90 Josh Williams DGM Racing Chevrolet 107 0 carburetor 2
36 11 19 Brandon Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 104 0 crash 12
37 29 66 Timmy Hill MBM Motorsports Dodge 55 0 fuel pump 1
38 32 89 Morgan Shepherd Shepherd Racing Ventures Chevrolet 25 0 vibration 1
39 40 79 Josh Reaume Jimmy Means Racing Chevrolet 9 0 overheating 0
40 28 93 Jeff Green RSS Racing Chevrolet 6 0 electrical 1
Official race results

References

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  1. ^ Spencer, Lee (2018-07-14). "Christopher Bell rallies for Xfinity victory at Kentucky". Official Site Of NASCAR. Archived from the original on 2018-07-14. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  2. ^ a b c "2018 NASCAR XFINITY Kentucky Race Page". ESPN.com. 2018-07-16. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  3. ^ a b Coburn, Wesley (2018-07-12). "John Hunter Nemechek, Ty Majeski Lead Kentucky XFINITY Practices". www.frontstretch.com. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  4. ^ "NASCAR Qualifying Rules". ESPN.com. 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2021-12-05.
  5. ^ McFadin, Daniel (2018-07-13). "Cole Custer wins pole for Kentucky Xfinity race". NASCAR Talk | NBC Sports. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  6. ^ "2018 Alsco 300 (Kentucky) - The Third Turn". www.thethirdturn.com. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
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2018 Coca-Cola Firecracker 250
NASCAR Xfinity Series
2018 season
Next race:
2018 Lakes Region 200