The 2018 EcoBoost 300 was the 33rd and final stock car race of the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, the championship race of that year, and the 24th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, November 17, 2018, in Homestead, Florida at Homestead–Miami Speedway, a permanent oval-shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. At race's end, JR Motorsports driver Tyler Reddick would take the lead after cunning pit strategy late in the race to win his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series championship, his 3rd win of his career in the series, and his second and final win of the season.
Background Homestead-Miami Speedway is a motor racing track located in Homestead, Florida. The track, which has several configurations, has promoted several series of racing, including NASCAR, the Verizon IndyCar Series, the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series and the Championship Cup Series.
From 2002 to 2019, Homestead–Miami Speedway hosted the final race of the season in all three of NASCAR's series: the Cup Series, the Xfinity Series, and the Camping World Truck Series. Ford Motor Company sponsored all three of the season-ending races, under the names Ford EcoBoost 400, Ford EcoBoost 300, and Ford EcoBoost 200, respectively. The weekend itself was marketed as Ford Championship Weekend. The Xfinity Series held its season-ending races at Homestead from 1995 until 2020, when it was moved to Phoenix Raceway, along with NASCAR's other two series.
Championship drivers
Christopher Bell advanced after winning the 2018 Whelen Trusted to Perform 200. Cole Custer advanced after winning the 2018 O'Reilly Auto Parts 300. Daniel Hemric advanced by virtue of points. Tyler Reddick advanced by virtue of points.
Entry list #DriverTeamMakeSponsor0Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevroletKDST and Company00Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFordHaas Automation1Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevroletOneMain Financial "Lending Done Human"01B. J. McLeodJD MotorsportsChevroletJD Motorsports2Matt TifftRichard Childress RacingChevroletTunity3Shane LeeRichard Childress RacingChevroletCMR Construction & Roofing4Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevroletFlorida Watermelon Association5Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevroletPilot Flying J "Thank You Veterans"7Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevroletBrandt Professional Agriculture8Tommy Joe MartinsB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevroletB. J. McLeod Motorsports9Tyler ReddickJR MotorsportsChevroletBurgerFi11Ryan TruexKaulig RacingChevroletLeafFilter Gutter Protection13Timmy HillMBM MotorsportsToyotaCrashClaimsR.Us15Quin HouffJD MotorsportsChevroletJD Motorsports16Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFordDriveDownA1C.com18Ryan PreeceJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaRheem, Capitol Container19Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaJuniper Networks20Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaGameStop, Bumblebee21Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevroletSouth Point Hotel, Casino & Spa22Austin CindricTeam PenskeFordMoneyLion23Spencer GallagherGMS RacingChevroletAllegiant Air26Max TullmanTullman-Walker RacingFordEskata35Joey GaseGo Green Racing with SS-Green Light RacingChevroletSparks Energy36Alex LabbéDGM RacingChevroletAlpha Prime Regimen37Jeff GreenRSS RacingChevroletRSS Racing38Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevroletRSS Racing39Angela RuchRSS RacingChevroletGive A Child A Voice, Sutter St.40Carl LongMBM MotorsportsDodgeCrashClaimsR.Us "Thanks Dodge, We'll Miss You..."42John Hunter NemechekChip Ganassi RacingChevroletFire Alarm Services, Lake City, Colorado45Josh BilickiJP MotorsportsToyotaPrevagen51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevroletRepairableVehicles.com, Fly & Form Structures52David StarrJimmy Means RacingChevroletExtreme Kleaner, Shoun Trucking55Bayley CurreyJP MotorsportsToyotaTouched by Pros, Rollin Smoke Barbecue60Chase BriscoeRoush Fenway RacingFordNutriChomps61Kaz GralaFury Race CarsFordNettts, Hot Scream66Chad FinchumMBM MotorsportsToyotaAmana, Smithbilt Homes74Tim ViensMike Harmon RacingChevroletRace Day Sponsor76Spencer BoydSS-Green Light RacingChevroletGrunt Style "This We'll Defend"78Vinnie MillerB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevroletJAS Expedited Trucking86Brandon BrownBrandonbilt MotorsportsChevroletCoalition to Salute America's Heroes89Morgan Shepherd*Shepherd Racing VenturesChevroletVisone RV Motorhome Parts, Racing with Jesus90Caesar BacarellaDGM RacingChevroletMaxim, Alpha Prime Regimen92Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevroletStar Tron, Sleep Well Sleep Disorder Specialists93J. J. YeleyRSS RacingChevroletRSS Racing99Stephen LeichtB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevroletB. J. McLeod MotorsportsOfficial entry list *Driver changed to Landon Cassill for qualifying and the race.
Practice
First practice The first practice session was held on Friday, November 16, at 2:35p.m. EST, and would last for 50 minutes. Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 32.298 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed120Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota32.298167.193222Austin CindricTeam PenskeFord32.450166.410321Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet32.642165.431Full first practice results
Second and final practice The second and final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Friday, November 16, at 5:05p.m. EST, and would last for 50 minutes. Ryan Reed of Roush Fenway Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 32.442 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed116Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFord32.442166.451222Austin CindricTeam PenskeFord32.492166.19531Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet32.555165.873Full Happy Hour practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Saturday, November 17, at 12:35p.m. EST. Since Homestead–Miami 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.
Cole Custer of Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste would win the pole after advancing from both preliminary rounds and setting the fastest lap in Round 3, with a time of 28.523 and an average speed of .
Five drivers would fail to qualify: Josh Williams, Stephen Leicht, Josh Bilicki, Bayley Currey, and Tim Viens.
Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTime (R1)Speed (R1)Time (R2)Speed (R2)Time (R3)Speed (R3)100Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFord32.858164.34432.520166.05232.609165.598220Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota33.215162.57732.752164.87532.659165.345342John Hunter NemechekChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet33.190162.70032.970163.78532.776164.75549Tyler ReddickJR MotorsportsChevrolet33.333162.00233.109163.09832.820164.534522Austin CindricTeam PenskeFord33.465161.36332.911164.07932.918164.04467Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet33.365161.84633.097163.15732.927163.99971Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet33.375161.79833.088163.20132.989163.691819Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota33.111163.08833.105163.11733.023163.52292Matt TifftRichard Childress RacingChevrolet33.243162.44033.189162.70533.083163.2261021Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet33.652160.46633.046163.40933.094163.1721116Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFord33.427161.54633.139162.95033.102163.1321218Ryan PreeceJoe Gibbs RacingToyota33.354161.90033.052163.37933.183162.734Eliminated in Round 21360Chase BriscoeRoush Fenway RacingFord33.459161.39233.213162.587——145Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet33.354161.90033.275162.284——1511Ryan TruexKaulig RacingChevrolet33.153162.88133.317162.079——1651Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet33.490161.24233.339161.972——1723Spencer GallagherGMS RacingChevrolet33.515161.12233.430161.532——1861Kaz GralaFury Race CarsFord33.393161.71133.454161.416——1938Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet33.392161.71533.478161.300——2036Alex LabbéDGM RacingChevrolet33.601160.71033.531161.045——213Shane LeeRichard Childress RacingChevrolet33.695160.26133.533161.035——2226Max TullmanTullman-Walker RacingFord33.650160.47533.703160.223——234Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevrolet33.375161.798————2489Landon CassillShepherd Racing VenturesChevrolet33.784159.839————Eliminated in Round 12566Chad FinchumMBM MotorsportsToyota33.808159.726————2635Joey GaseGo Green Racing with SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet33.867159.447————2786Brandon BrownBrandonbilt MotorsportsChevrolet33.960159.011————2893J. J. YeleyRSS RacingChevrolet34.005158.800————290Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet34.236157.729————308Tommy Joe MartinsB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet34.269157.577————3113Timmy HillMBM MotorsportsToyota34.294157.462————3201B. J. McLeodJD MotorsportsChevrolet34.303157.421————3390Caesar BacarellaDGM RacingChevrolet34.376157.086————Qualified by owner's points3452David StarrJimmy Means RacingChevrolet34.506156.495————3515Quin HouffJD MotorsportsChevrolet34.623155.966————3676Spencer BoydSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet34.820155.083————3778Vinnie MillerB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet35.075153.956————3840Carl LongMBM MotorsportsDodge36.592147.573————3939Angela RuchRSS RacingChevrolet36.817146.671————Champion's Provisional4037Jeff GreenRSS RacingChevrolet34.950154.506————Failed to qualify4192Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet34.647155.858————4299Stephen LeichtB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet34.685155.687————4345Josh BilickiJP MotorsportsToyota34.810155.128————4455Bayley CurreyJP MotorsportsToyota34.833155.025————4574Tim ViensMike Harmon RacingChevrolet35.131153.710————Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup
Race results
Note: Christopher Bell, Cole Custer, Daniel Hemric, and Tyler Reddick are not eligible for stage points because of their participation in the Championship 4.
Stage 1 Laps: 45 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts100Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFord0221Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet039Tyler ReddickJR MotorsportsChevrolet047Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet7542John Hunter NemechekChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet6620Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota0722Austin CindricTeam PenskeFord4818Ryan PreeceJoe Gibbs RacingToyota391Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet21016Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFord1 Stage 2 Laps: 45 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts100Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFord0242John Hunter NemechekChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet9320Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota0421Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet0518Ryan PreeceJoe Gibbs RacingToyota667Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet5722Austin CindricTeam PenskeFord489Tyler ReddickJR MotorsportsChevrolet091Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet21019Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota1 Stage 3 Laps: 110