The 2018 Lakes Region 200 was the 18th stock car race of the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, and the 29th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, July 21, 2018, in Loudon, New Hampshire, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway a 1.058 miles (1.703 km) permanent, oval-shaped, low-banked racetrack. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. At race's end, Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing would pit for four tires on the final round of pit stops compared to second-place finisher's Team Penske driver Brad Keselowski, who only took two tires. The strategy for Bell proved to be a winning strategy for Bell, as he would hold off Keselowski for the win to win his fourth career NASCAR Xfinity Series win, his third of the season, and his second consecutive win in the series. To fill out the podium, Ryan Preece of Joe Gibbs Racing would finish third.
Background
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a 1.058-mile (1.703 km) oval speedway located in Loudon, New Hampshire, which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since the early 1990s, as well as the longest-running motorcycle race in North America, the Loudon Classic. Nicknamed "The Magic Mile", the speedway is often converted into a 1.6-mile (2.6 km) road course, which includes much of the oval.
The track was originally the site of Bryar Motorsports Park before being purchased and redeveloped by Bob Bahre. The track is currently one of eight major NASCAR tracks owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports.
Entry list #DriverTeamMakeSponsor0Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevroletJD Motorsports00Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFordHaas Automation1Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevroletOneMain Financial "Lending Done Human"01Vinnie MillerJD MotorsportsChevroletJD Motorsports2Matt TifftRichard Childress RacingChevroletNational Brain Tumor Society3Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevroletCabela's, Bass Pro Shops4Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevroletJD Motorsports5Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevroletTMC Transportation7Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevroletDove Men + Care8Angela RuchB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevroletJW Transport, Give A Child A Voice9Tyler ReddickJR MotorsportsChevroletTakl11Ryan TruexKaulig RacingChevroletPhantom Fireworks13Timmy HillMBM MotorsportsToyotaOCR Gaz Bar15B. J. McLeodJD MotorsportsChevroletJD Motorsports16Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFordDriveDownA1C.com18Ryan PreeceJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaFalmouth Ready Mix, Mizzy Construction19Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaXYO Network20Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaRheem21Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevroletSouth Point Hotel, Casino & Spa22Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFordMenards, Richmond Water Heaters23Johnny SauterGMS RacingChevroletISM Connect35Joey GaseGo Green Racing with SS-Green Light RacingChevroletSparks Energy36Alex LabbéDGM RacingChevroletRoyAuto.com, Outil Mag38J. J. YeleyRSS RacingChevroletRSS Racing39Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevroletRSS Racing40Chad FinchumMBM MotorsportsToyotaSmithbilt Homes42John Hunter NemechekChip Ganassi RacingChevroletD. A. B. Constructors, Inc.45Josh BilickiJP MotorsportsToyotaPrevagen51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevroletRepairableVehicles.com52David StarrJimmy Means RacingChevroletJimmy Means Racing55Bayley CurreyJP MotorsportsToyotaPrevagen60Austin CindricRoush Fenway RacingFordPirtek61Kaz GralaFury Race CarsFordIT Coalition66Carl LongMBM MotorsportsChevroletLasVegas.net, TLC Resorts74Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingChevroletShadow Warriors Project, Horizon Transport76Spencer BoydSS-Green Light RacingChevroletGrunt Style "This We'll Defend"78Tommy Joe MartinsB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevroletB. J. McLeod Motorsports89Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesChevroletVisone RV Motorhome Parts, Racing with Jesus90Donald TheetgeDGM RacingChevroletCircuit Acura, Mercedes-Benz St-Nicholas93Jeff GreenRSS RacingChevroletRSS RacingOfficial entry list
Practice
First practice The first practice session was held on Friday, July 20, at 1:05 PM EST, and would last for 50 minutes. Brad Keselowski of Team Penske would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.747 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed122Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord29.747128.040200Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFord29.845127.619318Ryan PreeceJoe Gibbs RacingToyota29.875127.491Full first practice results
Second and final practice The second and final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Friday, July 20, at 3:05 PM EST, and would last for 50 minutes. Ryan Truex of Kaulig Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.747 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed111Ryan TruexKaulig RacingChevrolet29.549128.898222Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord29.660128.415320Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota29.751128.023Full Happy Hour practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Saturday, July 21, at 11:05 AM EST. Since New Hampshire Motor 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.
Brad Keselowski of Team Penske would win the pole, advancing through both preliminary rounds and setting a time of 29.232 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)122Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord29.739128.07429.290130.03829.232130.296220Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota29.514129.05129.268130.13529.270130.126318Ryan PreeceJoe Gibbs RacingToyota29.521129.02029.392129.58629.277130.095400Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFord29.573128.79329.337129.82929.325129.882542John Hunter NemechekChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet29.897127.39729.533128.96829.335129.838621Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet29.316129.92229.283130.06929.362129.71977Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet29.477129.21329.513129.05529.387129.608819Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota29.797127.82529.484129.18229.441129.37199Tyler ReddickJR MotorsportsChevrolet29.889127.43129.479129.20429.496129.129101Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet29.719128.16029.463129.27429.503129.099113Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet29.971127.08329.485129.17829.687128.2991223Johnny SauterGMS RacingChevrolet30.027126.84629.546128.91129.816127.743Eliminated in Round 21311Ryan TruexKaulig RacingChevrolet29.829127.68829.561128.845——142Matt TifftRichard Childress RacingChevrolet29.744128.05329.570128.806——1560Austin CindricRoush Fenway RacingFord29.780127.89829.682128.320——1661Kaz GralaFury Race CarsFord29.867127.52529.707128.212——1739Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet29.594128.70229.756128.001——1851Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet29.949127.17629.920127.299——195Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet29.966127.10429.926127.274——204Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevrolet30.092126.57229.961127.125——2136Alex LabbéDGM RacingChevrolet30.036126.80830.153126.316——2235Joey GaseGo Green Racing with SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet30.152126.32030.252125.902——2338J. J. YeleyRSS RacingChevrolet30.127126.42530.496124.895——2416Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFord29.703128.229————Eliminated in Round 12578Tommy Joe MartinsB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet30.358125.463————2615B. J. McLeodJD MotorsportsChevrolet30.430125.166————2752David StarrJimmy Means RacingChevrolet30.474124.985————280Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet30.615124.410————2976Spencer BoydSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet30.657124.239————3090Donald TheetgeDGM RacingChevrolet30.670124.187————3193Jeff GreenRSS RacingChevrolet30.703124.053————3213Timmy HillMBM MotorsportsToyota30.789123.707————3345Josh BilickiJP MotorsportsToyota30.808123.630————Qualified by owner's points3440Chad FinchumMBM MotorsportsToyota30.864123.406————3501Vinnie MillerJD MotorsportsChevrolet31.006122.841————3689Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesChevrolet31.038122.714————3755Bayley CurreyJP MotorsportsToyota31.109122.434————3866Carl LongMBM MotorsportsChevrolet31.118122.399————3974Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingChevrolet31.956119.189————408Angela RuchB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet32.093118.680————Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup
Race results Stage 1 Laps: 45 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts120Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota10218Ryan PreeceJoe Gibbs RacingToyota9342John Hunter NemechekChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet8421Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet7522Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord0619Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota5700Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFord487Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet392Matt TifftRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2101Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet1 Stage 2 Laps: 45 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts122Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord0221Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet9318Ryan PreeceJoe Gibbs RacingToyota8419Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota7542John Hunter NemechekChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet661Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet5760Austin CindricRoush Fenway RacingFord4820Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota3939Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet2102Matt TifftRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1 Stage 3 Laps: 110 FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts1220Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota20093running532122Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord20072running03318Ryan PreeceJoe Gibbs RacingToyota2006running514542John Hunter NemechekChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet2000running475142Matt TifftRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2000running356819Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota2000running43777Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet2000running338101Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet20026running359400Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFord2000running3210113Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2000running011621Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2003running42122416Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFord2000running25131311Ryan TruexKaulig RacingChevrolet2000running24141661Kaz GralaFury Race CarsFord2000running23151739Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet2000running2416195Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet2000running21171560Austin CindricRoush Fenway RacingFord2000running24181851Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet2000running19191223Johnny SauterGMS RacingChevrolet1990running0202578Tommy Joe MartinsB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet1990running17213440Chad FinchumMBM MotorsportsToyota1980running16222235Joey GaseGo Green Racing with SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1980running15232136Alex LabbéDGM RacingChevrolet1980running14242976Spencer BoydSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1980running132599Tyler ReddickJR MotorsportsChevrolet1960running1226204Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevrolet1960running11273501Vinnie MillerJD MotorsportsChevrolet1950running10282752David StarrJimmy Means RacingChevrolet1950running9293755Bayley CurreyJP MotorsportsToyota1900running030408Angela RuchB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet1880running7313974Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingChevrolet1820running632280Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet1760crash5333090Donald TheetgeDGM RacingChevrolet1720running4343345Josh BilickiJP MotorsportsToyota1650ignition3352615B. J. McLeodJD MotorsportsChevrolet1300engine2362338J. J. YeleyRSS RacingChevrolet1130brakes1373866Carl LongMBM MotorsportsChevrolet620brakes1383213Timmy HillMBM MotorsportsToyota570vibration1393689Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesChevrolet320brakes1403193Jeff GreenRSS RacingChevrolet220brakes1Official race results
References