The 2018 Iowa 250 presented by Enogen was the 14th stock car race of the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series season and the 8th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, June 17, 2018, in Newton, Iowa at Iowa Speedway, a 7⁄8 mile (1.4 km) permanent D-shaped oval racetrack. The race took the scheduled 250 laps to complete. At race's end, JR Motorsports driver Justin Allgaier would dominate the race to win his seventh career NASCAR Xfinity Series win and his second of the season. To fill out the podium, Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing and Daniel Hemric of Richard Childress Racing would finish second and third, respectively.
Background
Iowa Speedway is a 7/8-mile (1.4 km) paved oval motor racing track in Newton, Iowa, United States, approximately 30 miles (48 km) east of Des Moines. The track was designed with influence from Rusty Wallace and patterned after Richmond Raceway, a short track where Wallace was very successful. It has over 25,000 permanent seats as well as a unique multi-tiered Recreational Vehicle viewing area along the backstretch.
Entry list #DriverTeamMakeSponsor0Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevroletJD Motorsports00Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFordHaas Automation1Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevroletOneMain Financial "Lending Done Human"01Vinnie MillerJD MotorsportsChevroletJAS Expedited Trucking 2Matt TifftRichard Childress RacingChevroletWastebits3Shane LeeRichard Childress RacingChevroletChildress Vineyards4Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevroletJD Motorsports5Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevroletNorthland Oil7Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevroletBrandt Professional Agriculture8Blake JonesB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevroletTennessee Shine Company9Tyler ReddickJR MotorsportsChevroletBurgerFi11Ryan TruexKaulig RacingChevroletPhantom Fireworks13Timmy HillMBM MotorsportsToyotaO.C.R. Gaz Bar15B. J. McLeodJD MotorsportsChevroletJD Motorsports16Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFordDriveDownA1C.com18Riley HerbstJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaAdvance Auto Parts19Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaXYO Network20Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaRheem21Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevroletSouth Point Hotel, Casino & Spa22Austin CindricTeam PenskeFordFitzgerald Glider Kits23Justin HaleyGMS RacingChevroletFraternal Order of Eagles35Joey GaseGo Green Racing with SS-Green Light RacingChevroletPremier Millwright, Iowa Donor Network36Alex LabbéDGM RacingChevroletWholey's, Can-Am38Jeff GreenRSS RacingChevroletRSS Racing39Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevroletRSS Racing40Chad FinchumMBM MotorsportsToyotaSmithbilt Homes42John Hunter NemechekChip Ganassi RacingChevroletChevrolet Accessories45Josh BilickiJP MotorsportsToyotaPrevagen51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevroletRepairableVehicles.com52David StarrJimmy Means RacingChevroletCircle Track Warehouse55Brandon HightowerJP MotorsportsToyotaAllgayer, Premier Recycling, LLC60Chase BriscoeRoush Fenway RacingFordFord61Kaz GralaFury Race CarsFordNettts66Stan MullisMBM MotorsportsChevroletLasVegas.net, TLC Resorts74Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingChevroletShadow Warriors Project, Koolbox ICE76Spencer BoydSS-Green Light RacingChevroletGrunt Style "This We'll Defend"78Tommy Joe MartinsB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevroletRiessen Construction89Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesChevroletVisone RV Motorhome Parts, Racing with Jesus90Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevroletBethel Glass & Shower Door, Sleep Well Sleep Disorder Specialists93J. J. YeleyRSS RacingChevroletRSS RacingOfficial entry list
Practice
First practice The first practice session was held on Saturday, June 16, at 2:05 PM CST, and would last for 50 minutes. Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 24.270 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed120Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota24.270129.790221Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet24.295129.65633Shane LeeRichard Childress RacingChevrolet24.305129.603Full first practice results
Second and final practice The second and final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, June 16, at 4:40 PM CST, and would last for 50 minutes. Kaz Grala of Fury Race Cars would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 24.221 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed161Kaz GralaFury Race CarsFord24.221130.05229Tyler ReddickJR MotorsportsChevrolet24.334129.449321Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet24.369129.263Full Happy Hour practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Sunday, June 17, at 1:35 PM CST. Since Iowa 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.
Austin Cindric of Team Penske would win the pole after advancing from both preliminary rounds and setting the fastest lap in Round 3, with a time of 23.971 and an average speed of .
No drivers would fail to qualify.
Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTime (R1)Speed (R1)Time (R2)Speed (R2)Time (R3)Speed (R3)122Austin CindricTeam PenskeFord23.971131.409221Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet24.048130.988319Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota24.076130.83641Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet24.132130.532500Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFord24.150130.435611Ryan TruexKaulig RacingChevrolet24.191130.21479Tyler ReddickJR MotorsportsChevrolet24.236129.972861Kaz GralaFury Race CarsFord24.259129.849918Riley HerbstJoe Gibbs RacingToyota24.281129.731105Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet24.309129.582117Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet24.326129.491122Matt TifftRichard Childress RacingChevrolet24.364129.289Eliminated in Round 21323Justin HaleyGMS RacingChevrolet24.187130.235——143Shane LeeRichard Childress RacingChevrolet24.187130.235——1542John Hunter NemechekChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet24.201130.160——164Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevrolet24.220130.058——1760Ty MajeskiRoush Fenway RacingFord24.229130.009——1836Alex LabbéDGM RacingChevrolet24.363129.294——1951Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet24.390129.151——200Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet24.500128.571——2139Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet24.515128.493——2215B. J. McLeodJD MotorsportsChevrolet————2352David StarrJimmy Means RacingChevrolet24.559128.263————2438Jeff GreenRSS RacingChevrolet24.596128.070————Eliminated in Round 12578Tommy Joe MartinsB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet24.613127.981————2676Spencer BoydSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet24.660127.737————2735Joey GaseGo Green Racing with SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet24.674127.665————2855Brandon HightowerJP MotorsportsToyota24.829126.868————2940Chad FinchumMBM MotorsportsToyota24.843126.796————3089Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesChevrolet24.855126.735————3193J. J. YeleyRSS RacingChevrolet24.878126.618————328Blake JonesB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet24.961126.197————3390Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet25.087125.563————Qualified by owner's points3445Josh BilickiJP MotorsportsToyota25.097125.513————3513Timmy HillMBM MotorsportsToyota25.178125.109————3601Vinnie MillerJD MotorsportsChevrolet25.216124.921————3774Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingChevrolet25.885121.692————3866Stan MullisMBM MotorsportsChevrolet26.314119.708————3920Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota——————4016Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFord——————Official starting lineup
Race results Stage 1 Laps: 60 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts17Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet10222Austin CindricTeam PenskeFord9321Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet8419Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota7500Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFord6620Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota579Tyler ReddickJR MotorsportsChevrolet4842John Hunter NemechekChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet3918Riley HerbstJoe Gibbs RacingToyota0103Shane LeeRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1 Stage 2 Laps: 60 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts17Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet10221Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet9320Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota8400Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFord7522Austin CindricTeam PenskeFord6619Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota5718Riley HerbstJoe Gibbs RacingToyota0842John Hunter NemechekChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet3960Ty MajeskiRoush Fenway RacingFord21016Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFord1 Stage 3 Laps: 130 FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts1117Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet250182running6023920Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota2502running483221Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2502running514500Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFord2506running465319Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota2500running446918Riley HerbstJoe Gibbs RacingToyota2500running071760Ty MajeskiRoush Fenway RacingFord2500running32879Tyler ReddickJR MotorsportsChevrolet2500running339122Matt TifftRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2500running2810861Kaz GralaFury Race CarsFord2500running2711122Austin CindricTeam PenskeFord25058running41121323Justin HaleyGMS RacingChevrolet2500running013105Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet2500running2414611Ryan TruexKaulig RacingChevrolet2500running23151542John Hunter NemechekChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet2500running2816143Shane LeeRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2500running22174016Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFord2500running21182139Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet2500running1919164Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevrolet2490running18201951Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet2490running17212735Joey GaseGo Green Racing with SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet2490running16222676Spencer BoydSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet2470running15231836Alex LabbéDGM RacingChevrolet2470running14242352David StarrJimmy Means RacingChevrolet2470running1325200Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet2440running12262940Chad FinchumMBM MotorsportsToyota2440running1127328Blake JonesB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet2430running102841Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet2390running9292215B. J. McLeodJD MotorsportsChevrolet2390running8302855Brandon HightowerJP MotorsportsToyota2200crash7313601Vinnie MillerJD MotorsportsChevrolet2050overheating6322578Tommy Joe MartinsB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet2010running5333866Stan MullisMBM MotorsportsChevrolet1500running4343390Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet1340electrical3352438Jeff GreenRSS RacingChevrolet1310driveshaft2363445Josh BilickiJP MotorsportsToyota950fuel pump1373513Timmy HillMBM MotorsportsToyota750brakes1383774Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingChevrolet310rear gear1393089Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesChevrolet280brakes1403193J. J. YeleyRSS RacingChevrolet210vibration1Official race results
References