The 2018 1000Bulbs.com 500 was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race that was held on October 14, 2018, at Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. Contested over 193 laps – extended from 188 laps due to an overtime finish – on the superspeedway, it was the 31st race of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, the fifth race of the Playoffs, and second race of the Round of 12. This was a notable race for Stewart–Haas Racing, who dominated in qualifying and both stages, and ended up winning the race with driver Aric Almirola.
Report
Background
Talladega Superspeedway, originally known as Alabama International Motor Superspeedway (AIMS), is a motorsports complex located in Lincoln, Alabama. The track is a tri-oval and was constructed in the 1960s by the International Speedway Corporation. Talladega is most known for its steep banking and the unique location of the start/finish line that's located just past the exit to pit road. Talladega is the longest NASCAR oval with a length of for its tri-oval, slightly longer than the Daytona International Speedway, which is a tri-oval.
Entry list Driver Team Manufacturer 00 Joey Gase (i) 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 7 D. J. Kennington (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 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 J. J. Yeley (i) BK Racing Ford 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 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 62 Brendan Gaughan (i) Beard Motorsports Chevrolet 72 Corey LaJoie TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 95 Regan Smith Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet 96 Jeffrey Earnhardt Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 97 David Starr (i) Obaika Racing Toyota 99 Landon Cassill (i) StarCom Racing ChevroletOfficial entry list
Final practice Kevin Harvick was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 46.889 seconds and a speed of .
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 46.889 204.227 2 10 Aric Almirola Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 46.951 203.957 3 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 47.294 202.478Official final practice results
Qualifying
Kurt Busch scored the pole for the race with a time of 48.906 and a speed of .
Qualifying results Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 141 Kurt Busch Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 49.051 48.906 214 Clint Bowyer Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 49.096 49.032 34 Kevin Harvick Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 49.195 49.061 410 Aric Almirola Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 49.238 49.216 59 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 49.299 49.260 648 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 49.319 49.317 788 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 49.311 49.420 824 William Byron (R) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 49.395 49.420 918 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 49.639 49.439 1011 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 49.493 49.519 1178 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 49.723 49.635 1217 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 49.664 49.661 1319 Daniel Suárez Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 49.729 — 1434 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 49.743 — 1520 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 49.833 — 1638 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford 49.876 — 1743 Bubba Wallace (R) Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 49.892 — 182 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 49.901 — 1912 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 49.945 — 2022 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 50.035 — 213 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 50.085 — 2231 Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 50.091 — 2347 A. J. Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 50.140 — 246 Trevor Bayne Roush Fenway Racing Ford 50.141 — 2595 Regan Smith Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet 50.225 — 2637 Chris Buescher JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 50.228 — 2732 Matt DiBenedetto Go Fas Racing Ford 50.416 — 2862 Brendan Gaughan (i) Beard Motorsports Chevrolet 50.478 — 2913 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 50.480 — 3021 Paul Menard Wood Brothers Racing Ford 50.491 — 311 Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 50.533 — 3223 J. J. Yeley (i) BK Racing Ford 50.565 — 337 D. J. Kennington (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 50.604 — 3442 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 50.739 — 3596 Jeffrey Earnhardt Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 50.837 — 3615 Ross Chastain (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 51.217 — 3700 Joey Gase (i) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 51.292 — 3899 Landon Cassill (i) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 51.311 — 3972 Corey LaJoie TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet 51.837 — 4051 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 52.289 —Did not qualify 4197 David Starr (i) Obaika Racing Toyota 51.517 —Official qualifying results
Race
Stage results
Stage 1 Laps: 55
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 41 Kurt Busch Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 102 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 93 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 84 10 Aric Almirola Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 75 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 66 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 57 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 48 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 39 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 210 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 1Official stage one results
Stage 2 Laps: 55
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 102 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 93 41 Kurt Busch Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 84 10 Aric Almirola Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 75 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 66 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 57 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 48 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 39 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 210 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 1Official stage two results
Final stage results
Stage 3 Laps: 78
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 4 10 Aric Almirola Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 193 542 2 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 193 533 12 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush-Fenway Racing Ford 193 344 10 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 193 425 20 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 193 406 23 47 A. J. Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 193 317 6 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 193 308 15 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 193 299 30 21 Paul Menard Wood Brothers Racing Ford 193 2810 25 95 Regan Smith Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet 193 2711 34 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 193 1612 28 62 Brendan Gaughan (i) Beard Motorsports Chevrolet 193 013 24 6 Trevor Bayne Roush-Fenway Racing Ford 193 2414 1 41 Kurt Busch Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 193 4115 29 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 193 2316 13 19 Daniel Suárez Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 193 2117 21 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 193 2318 37 00 Joey Gase (i) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 193 019 17 43 Bubba Wallace (R) Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 193 1820 8 24 William Byron (R) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 193 1721 26 37 Chris Buescher JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 193 1622 38 99 Landon Cassill (i) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 193 023 11 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 193 1424 36 15 Ross Chastain (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 193 025 22 31 Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 193 1226 9 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 193 1527 18 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 193 1128 3 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 193 2729 19 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 193 1830 27 32 Matt DiBenedetto Go Fas Racing Ford 192 731 5 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 192 1032 39 72 Corey LaJoie TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet 191 533 7 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 191 634 33 7 D. J. Kennington (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 190 035 31 1 Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 186 236 32 23 J. J. Yeley (i) BK Racing Ford 185 037 35 96 Jeffrey Earnhardt Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 185 138 40 51 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 185 139 16 38 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford 173 140 14 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 155 1Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 15 among 11 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 8 for 32 laps Red flags: 0 Time of race: 3 hours, 20 minutes and 24 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, Jeff Burton and six-time Talladega winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. called the race from the broadcast booth, with Steve Letarte and Dale Jarrett providing analysis from the NBC Peacock Pit Box on pit road. Dave Burns, Parker Kligerman, Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast reported from pit lane.
NBCSNBooth announcersPit reporters Lap-by-lap: Rick AllenColor commentator: Jeff BurtonColor commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr.NBC Peacock Pitbox: Steve LetarteNBC Peacock Pitbox: Dale Jarrett Dave BurnsParker KligermanMarty SniderKelli Stavast
Radio MRN covered the radio call for the race, which was simulcast on SiriusXM's NASCAR Radio channel.
MRN Booth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Joe MooreAnnouncer: Jeff StriegleAnnouncer: Rusty Wallace Turns 1 & 2: Dave MoodyBackstretch: Mike BagleyTurns 3 & 4: Dan Hubbard Alex HaydenWinston KelleyKim CoonSteve Post
Standings after the race
Pos Driver Points 1 Kevin Harvick 3,128 2 Kyle Busch 3,111 (−17) 1 3 Joey Logano 3,104 (−24) 2 4 Kurt Busch 3,095 (−33) 4 5 Aric Almirola 3,087 (−41) 4 6 Clint Bowyer 3,086 (−42) 4 7 Martin Truex Jr. 3,083 (−45) 3 8 Chase Elliott 3,066 (−62) 2 9 Brad Keselowski 3,065 (−63) 2 10 Ryan Blaney 3,061 (−67) 11 Kyle Larson 3,047 (−81) 12 Alex Bowman 3,015 (−113) 2 13 Denny Hamlin 2,136 (−992) 14 Jimmie Johnson 2,128 (−1,000) 2 15 Austin Dillon 2,124 (−1,004) 16 Erik Jones 2,108 (−1,020)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Ford 1,124 2 Toyota 1,108 (−16) 3 Chevrolet 1,021 (−103)Official manufacturers' standings Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
Notes
References