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.
Report
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 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.
Entry list Driver Team Manufacturer 00 Landon Cassill StarCom Racing Chevrolet 1 Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 6 Trevor Bayne Roush Fenway Racing Ford 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 Aric Almirola Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 15 Ross Chastain (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 19 Daniel Suárez Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 Paul Menard Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 23 Gray Gaulding BK Racing Toyota 24 William Byron (R) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31 Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 32 Matt DiBenedetto Go Fas Racing Ford 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 37 Chris Buescher JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 38 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford 41 Kurt Busch Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 43 Bubba Wallace (R) Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 47 A. J. Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51 Harrison Rhodes Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 55 J. J. Yeley (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 72 Cole Whitt TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 95 Kasey Kahne Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet 96 D. J. Kennington Gaunt Brothers Racing ToyotaOfficial entry list
Practice
First practice Martin Truex Jr. was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 19.776 seconds and a speed of .
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 19.776 95.752 2 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 19.798 95.646 3 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 19.888 95.213Official first practice results
Final practice Martin Truex Jr. was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 19.846 seconds and a speed of .
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 19.846 95.415 2 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 19.874 95.280 3 19 Daniel Suárez Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 19.882 95.242Official final practice results
Qualifying Qualifying for Saturday was cancelled due to snow and Martin Truex Jr., the point leader, was awarded the pole as a result.
Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 2 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 3 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 4 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 5 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 6 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 7 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 8 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 9 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 10 10 Aric Almirola Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 11 41 Kurt Busch Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 12 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 13 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 14 31 Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 15 21 Paul Menard Wood Brothers Racing Ford 16 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 17 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 18 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 19 43 Bubba Wallace (R) Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 20 24 William Byron (R) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 21 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 22 37 Chris Buescher JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 23 19 Daniel Suárez Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 24 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 25 47 A. J. Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 26 1 Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 27 6 Trevor Bayne Roush Fenway Racing Ford 28 38 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford 29 95 Kasey Kahne Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet 30 51 Harrison Rhodes Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 31 32 Matt DiBenedetto Go Fas Racing Ford 32 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 33 15 Ross Chastain (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 34 23 Gray Gaulding BK Racing Toyota 35 72 Cole Whitt Tri-Star Motorsports Chevrolet 36 00 Landon Cassill StarCom Racing Chevrolet 37 96 D. J. Kennington Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 38 55 J. J. Yeley (i) Premium Motorsports ChevroletOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 130
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 93 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 84 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 75 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 66 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 57 47 A. J. Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 48 41 Kurt Busch Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 39 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 210 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 130
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 102 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 93 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 75 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 66 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 57 41 Kurt Busch Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 48 47 A. J. Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 39 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 210 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 240
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 9 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 500 552 2 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 500 503 5 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 500 524 1 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 500 335 8 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 500 426 3 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 500 357 16 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 500 308 25 47 A. J. Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 500 369 21 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 500 2810 4 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 500 4311 11 41 Kurt Busch Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 500 3312 6 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 500 4113 15 21 Paul Menard Wood Brothers Racing Ford 500 2414 10 10 Aric Almirola Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 500 2315 18 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 499 2416 7 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 499 2117 13 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 497 2018 23 19 Daniel Suárez Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 497 1919 14 31 Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 497 1820 20 24 William Byron (R) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 497 1721 24 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 497 1622 32 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 496 1523 22 37 Chris Buescher JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 496 1424 29 95 Kasey Kahne Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet 496 1325 28 38 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford 495 1226 26 1 Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 495 1127 35 72 Cole Whitt TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet 493 1028 37 96 D. J. Kennington Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 493 929 33 15 Ross Chastain (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 493 030 12 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 493 731 38 55 J. J. Yeley (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 493 032 31 32 Matt DiBenedetto Go Fas Racing Ford 488 533 27 6 Trevor Bayne Roush Fenway Racing Ford 486 434 19 43 Bubba Wallace (R) Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 486 335 30 51 Harrison Rhodes Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 482 236 34 23 Gray Gaulding BK Racing Toyota 481 137 17 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 481 138 36 00 Landon Cassill StarCom Racing Chevrolet 211 1 Official race results
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:
Media 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.
FS1 Booth announcersPit reporters Lap-by-lap: Mike JoyColor-commentator: Jeff GordonColor commentator: Darrell Waltrip Jamie LittleVince WelchMatt Yocum
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.
MRNBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Joe MooreAnnouncer: Jeff StriegleAnnouncer: Rusty Wallace Backstretch: Dave Moody Alex HaydenWinston KelleySteve Post
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 1 Kyle Busch 257 1 2 Martin Truex Jr. 249 (–8) 2 3 Ryan Blaney 233 (–24) 1 4 Joey Logano 232 (–25) 1 5 Brad Keselowski 226 (–31) 6 Denny Hamlin 217 (–40) 1 7 Kevin Harvick 212 (–45) 1 8 Clint Bowyer 210 (–47) 2 9 Kyle Larson 195 (–62) 1 10 Kurt Busch 177 (–80) 1 11 Aric Almirola 171 (–86) 1 12 Erik Jones 152 (–105) 1 13 Austin Dillon 148 (–109) 2 14 Alex Bowman 145 (–112) 15 Paul Menard 139 (–118) 2 16 Ryan Newman 135 (–122)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Ford 218 2 Toyota 212 (–6) 3 Chevrolet 193 (–25)Official manufacturers' standings
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
References