The 2018 DC Solar 200 was the fourth stock car race of the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series season and the 14th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, March 10, 2018 in Avondale, Arizona, at ISM Raceway, a 1 mile (1.6 km) permanent low-banked tri-oval race track. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. At race's end, Brad Keselowski of Team Penske would take control after the final pit stops to overcome a penalty and win his 37th career NASCAR Xfinity Series season and his first of his part-time season. To fill out the podium, Justin Allgaier of JR Motorsports and Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing would finish second and third, respectively.
Background
ISM Raceway – also known as PIR – is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. It is named after the nearby metropolitan area of Phoenix. The motorsport track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the IndyCar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series. The raceway is currently owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation.
The raceway was originally constructed with a 2.5 mi (4.0 km) road course that ran both inside and outside of the main tri-oval. In 1991 the track was reconfigured with the current 1.51 mi (2.43 km) interior layout. PIR has an estimated grandstand seating capacity of around 67,000. Lights were installed around the track in 2004 following the addition of a second annual NASCAR race weekend.
ISM Raceway is home to two annual NASCAR race weekends, one of 13 facilities on the NASCAR schedule to host more than one race weekend a year. The track is both the first and last stop in the western United States, as well as the fourth and penultimate track on the schedule.
Entry list #DriverTeamMakeSponsor0Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevroletFlex Glue00Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFordHaas Automation1Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevroletBeechcraft, Cessna01Vinnie MillerJD MotorsportsChevroletFlex Tape2Matt TifftRichard Childress RacingChevroletDollar Shave Club #DSC5003Ty DillonRichard Childress RacingChevroletCabela's, Bass Pro Shops4Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevroletFlex Seal5Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevroletPilot Flying J7Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevroletBrandt Professional Agriculture8Tommy Joe MartinsB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevroletB. J. McLeod Motorsports9Tyler ReddickJR MotorsportsChevroletNationwide Children's Hospital11Ryan TruexKaulig RacingChevroletBar Harbor15Matt MillsJD MotorsportsChevroletFlex Shot16Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFordDriveDownA1C.com18Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaNOS Energy19Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaJuniper Networks20Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaRheem21Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevroletSouth Point Hotel, Casino & Spa22Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFordFitzgerald Glider Kits23Spencer GallagherGMS RacingChevroletKingman Chevrolet24Kaz GralaJGL RacingFordNettts28Dylan LuptonJGL RacingFordThinQ Technology Partners35Joey GaseGo Green Racing with SS-Green Light RacingChevroletDonate Life Arizona36Alex LabbéDGM RacingChevroletWholey's, Can-Am38J. J. YeleyRSS RacingChevroletSuperior Essex39Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevroletTAP & Sons, Lighting SouthWest40Chad FinchumMBM MotorsportsToyotaMBM Motorsports42Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingChevroletDC Solar45Josh BilickiJP MotorsportsToyotaPrevagen51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevroletRepairableVehicles.com52David StarrJimmy Means RacingChevroletWhataburger55Stephen LeichtJP MotorsportsToyotaJani-King "The King of Clean"60Austin CindricRoush Fenway RacingFordPirtek66Timmy HillMBM MotorsportsChevroletCrashClaimsR.Us, Chris Kyle Memorial Benefit74Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingChevroletShadow Warriors Project, Koolbox76Spencer BoydSS-Green Light RacingChevroletGrunt Style "This We'll Defend"78B. J. McLeodB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevroletJW Transport89Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesChevroletVisone RV Motorhome Parts, Racing with Jesus90Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevroletScott Foundation, Phoenix Children's Hospital93Jeff GreenRSS RacingChevroletRSS RacingOfficial entry list
Practice
First practice The first 50-minute practice session would occur on Friday, March 9, at 12:05 PM MST. Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing would set the fastest lap in the session with a time of 26.892 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed120Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota26.892133.869218Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota27.220132.25637Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet27.401131.382Full first practice results
Second and final practice The second and final 50-minute practice session would occur on Friday, March 9, at 2:05 PM MST. Cole Custer of Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste would set the fastest lap in the session with a time of 27.393 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed100Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFord27.393131.420218Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota27.513130.847322Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord27.527130.781Full final practice results
Qualifying Qualifying would take place on Saturday, March 10, at 11:05 AM MST. Since ISM Raceway 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.
Justin Allgaier would win the pole after making through both preliminary rounds and setting a time of 26.896 and an average speed of in the third round. No drivers would fail to qualify,
Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTime (R1)Speed (R1)Time (R2)Speed (R2)Time (R3)Speed (R3)17Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet26.896133.849222Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord26.909133.784300Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFord26.910133.779420Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota26.933133.665518Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota26.940133.630642Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet27.016133.254711Ryan TruexKaulig RacingChevrolet27.023133.220821Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet27.056133.05792Matt TifftRichard Childress RacingChevrolet27.092132.8811019Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota27.142132.6361116Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFord27.341131.6701223Spencer GallagherGMS RacingChevrolet27.378131.492Eliminated in Round 21360Austin CindricRoush Fenway RacingFord27.350131.627——143Ty DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet27.356131.598——155Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet27.373131.516——1638J. J. YeleyRSS RacingChevrolet27.462131.090——1724Kaz GralaJGL RacingFord27.475131.028——184Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevrolet27.503130.895——1935Joey GaseGo Green Racing with SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet27.627130.307——2028Dylan LuptonJGL RacingFord27.757129.697——2151Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet27.773129.622——2236Alex LabbéDGM RacingChevrolet27.867129.185——2339Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet27.932128.884——241Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet27.826129.375————Eliminated in Round 12593Jeff GreenRSS RacingChevrolet27.963128.742————2678B. J. McLeodB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet27.967128.723————278Tommy Joe MartinsB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet28.009128.530————2890Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet28.100128.114————2989Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesChevrolet28.125128.000————3052David StarrJimmy Means RacingChevrolet28.428126.636————310Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet28.472126.440————3255Stephen LeichtJP MotorsportsToyota28.538126.148————3301Vinnie MillerJD MotorsportsChevrolet28.662125.602————Qualified by owner's points3476Spencer BoydSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet28.669125.571————3515Matt MillsJD MotorsportsChevrolet28.830124.870————3640Chad FinchumMBM MotorsportsToyota28.874124.680————3774Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingChevrolet28.904124.550————3866Timmy HillMBM MotorsportsChevrolet28.966124.284————3945Josh BilickiJP MotorsportsToyota28.987124.194————409Tyler ReddickJR MotorsportsChevrolet——————Official starting lineup
Race results Stage 1 Laps: 45 Fin#DriverTeamMakePts17Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet10220Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota9322Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord0418Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota0521Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet6642Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet072Matt TifftRichard Childress RacingChevrolet4819Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota393Ty DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet21011Ryan TruexKaulig RacingChevrolet1 Stage 2 Laps: 45 Fin#DriverTeamMakePts118Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota0221Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet9300Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFord8442Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet0511Ryan TruexKaulig RacingChevrolet6623Spencer GallagherGMS RacingChevrolet577Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet4824Kaz GralaJGL RacingFord3938J. J. YeleyRSS RacingChevrolet21020Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota1 Stage 3 Laps: 110 FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts1222Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord20066running0217Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet20076running493518Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota20039running04420Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota2005running435642Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet2000running06821Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2000running46792Matt TifftRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2000running348300Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFord2000running379241Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet1990running2810409Tyler ReddickJR MotorsportsChevrolet1996running27111019Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota1990running29121724Kaz GralaJGL RacingFord1998running2813143Ty DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1990running0141223Spencer GallagherGMS RacingChevrolet1990running2815711Ryan TruexKaulig RacingChevrolet1990running29161360Austin CindricRoush Fenway RacingFord1990running2117155Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet1990running20181116Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFord1990running1919184Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevrolet1990running18202151Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet1980running17211638J. J. YeleyRSS RacingChevrolet1980running18222236Alex LabbéDGM RacingChevrolet1980running15232028Dylan LuptonJGL RacingFord1980running14241935Joey GaseGo Green Racing with SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1970running13252339Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet1970running12262678B. J. McLeodB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet1960running1127278Tommy Joe MartinsB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet1950running1028310Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet1950running9292890Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet1940running8303476Spencer BoydSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1940running7313255Stephen LeichtJP MotorsportsToyota1930running6323945Josh BilickiJP MotorsportsToyota1930running5333301Vinnie MillerJD MotorsportsChevrolet1920running4343866Timmy HillMBM MotorsportsChevrolet1900running3353774Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingChevrolet1850running2363640Chad FinchumMBM MotorsportsToyota1040engine1372989Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesChevrolet560brakes1383515Matt MillsJD MotorsportsChevrolet540crash1393052David StarrJimmy Means RacingChevrolet240engine1402593Jeff GreenRSS RacingChevrolet180brakes1Official race results
References