The 2018 Pocono 400 was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held on June 3, 2018 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. Contested over 160 laps on the triangular racecourse, it was the 14th race of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.
Report
Background
The race was held at Pocono Raceway, which is a three-turn superspeedway located in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. The track hosts two annual Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races: the Pocono 400 and the Gander Outdoors 400, as well as one Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series event. Since 2013, the track is also host to a IndyCar Series race.
Pocono Raceway is one of a very few NASCAR tracks not owned by either Speedway Motorsports or NASCAR. It is operated by the Igdalsky siblings Brandon, Nicholas, and sister Ashley, and cousins Joseph IV and Chase Mattioli, all of whom are third-generation members of the family-owned Mattco Inc, started by Joseph II and Rose Mattioli.
Outside of the NASCAR races, the track is used throughout the year by Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and motorcycle clubs as well as racing schools and an IndyCar race. The triangular oval also has three separate infield sections of racetrack – North Course, East Course and South Course. Each of these infield sections use a separate portion of the tri-oval to complete the track. During regular non-race weekends, multiple clubs can use the track by running on different infield sections. Also some of the infield sections can be run in either direction, or multiple infield sections can be put together – such as running the North Course and the South Course and using the tri-oval to connect the two.
Entry list Driver Team Manufacturer 00 Landon Cassill 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 Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway Racing Ford 7 J. J. Yeley (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 Gray Gaulding BK Racing Toyota 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 Cole Custer (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 72 Cole Whitt TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 95 Kasey Kahne Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet 99 Derrike Cope StarCom Racing ChevroletOfficial entry list
First practice Kyle Busch was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 50.865 seconds and a speed of .
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 50.865 176.939 2 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51.285 175.490 3 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 51.286 175.486Official first practice results
Qualifying
Ryan Blaney scored the pole for the race with a time of 50.877 and a speed of .
Qualifying results Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 112 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 51.369 51.217 50.877 24 Kevin Harvick Stewart–Haas RacingFord 51.151 51.068 50.903 31 Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 51.473 51.300 50.955 478 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 51.384 51.272 50.987 518 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 51.532 51.132 50.998 641 Kurt Busch Stewart–Haas RacingFord 51.366 51.290 51.076 722 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 51.738 51.388 51.083 831 Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 51.688 51.241 51.176 914 Clint Bowyer Stewart–Haas RacingFord 51.402 51.457 51.195 1011 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 51.345 51.327 51.197 119 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51.404 51.256 51.361 123 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 51.921 51.497 51.520 1342 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 51.193 51.524 — 1488 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51.494 51.579 — 1548 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51.487 51.616 — 1624 William Byron (R) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51.460 51.649 — 172 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 51.642 51.661 — 1819 Daniel Suárez Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 51.565 51.690 — 1943 Bubba Wallace (R) Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 51.726 51.811 — 2021 Paul Menard Wood Brothers Racing Ford 51.650 51.833 — 2138 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford 51.929 51.934 — 2295 Kasey Kahne Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet 51.766 52.024 — 2317 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 51.972 52.182 — 2447 A. J. Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 52.007 0.000 — 2520 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 52.081 — — 266 Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway Racing Ford 52.140 — — 2737 Chris Buescher JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 52.187 — — 2851 Cole Custer (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 52.197 — — 2913 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 52.658 — — 3034 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 52.703 — — 3115 Ross Chastain (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 52.908 — — 3232 Matt DiBenedetto Go Fas Racing Ford 53.354 — — 3300 Landon Cassill StarCom Racing Chevrolet 53.477 — — 3410 Aric Almirola Stewart–Haas RacingFord 53.855 — — 3572 Cole Whitt TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet 53.882 — — 3623 Gray Gaulding BK Racing Toyota 53.927 — — 377 J. J. Yeley (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 53.935 — — 3899 Derrike Cope StarCom Racing Chevrolet 54.753 — —Official qualifying results
Final practice Kyle Busch was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 51.550 seconds and a speed of .
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 51.550 174.588 2 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 51.690 174.115 3 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 51.738 173.953Official final practice results
Race
Stage Results
Stage 1 Laps: 50
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 102 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 93 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 75 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 66 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 57 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 48 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 39 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 210 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 1Official stage one results
Stage 2 Laps: 50
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 102 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 84 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 75 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 57 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 48 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 39 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 210 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage 3 Laps: 60
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 4 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 160 572 13 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 160 433 5 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 160 514 2 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 160 525 17 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 160 376 1 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 160 387 34 10 Aric Almirola Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 160 308 15 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 160 339 7 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 160 2810 11 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 160 3811 20 21 Paul Menard Wood Brothers Racing Ford 160 2612 12 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 160 2513 26 6 Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway Racing Ford 160 2414 23 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 160 2315 3 1 Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 160 2216 21 38 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford 160 2117 27 37 Chris Buescher JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 160 2018 16 24 William Byron (R) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 160 1919 6 41 Kurt Busch Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 160 1820 9 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 160 3221 30 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 160 1622 24 47 A. J. Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 160 1523 29 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 160 1424 18 19 Daniel Suárez Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 160 1325 8 31 Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 160 1226 28 51 Cole Custer (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 160 027 14 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 160 1128 31 15 Ross Chastain (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 159 029 25 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 159 830 35 72 Cole Whitt TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet 158 731 33 00 Landon Cassill StarCom Racing Chevrolet 157 632 37 7 J. J. Yeley (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 157 033 36 23 Gray Gaulding BK Racing Toyota 157 434 38 99 Derrike Cope StarCom Racing Chevrolet 152 335 10 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 146 836 22 95 Kasey Kahne Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet 120 137 32 32 Matt DiBenedetto Go Fas Racing Ford 113 138 19 43 Bubba Wallace (R) Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 108 1Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 7 among different drivers Cautions/Laps: 6 for 23 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 2 hours, 52 minutes and 0 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television Fox NASCAR televised the race in the United States on FS1 for the fourth consecutive year. Mike Joy was the lap-by-lap announcer, while six-time Pocono winner, Jeff Gordon and four-time winner Darrell Waltrip were the color commentators. Jamie Little, Vince Welch and Matt Yocum reported from pit lane during the race.
FS1 TelevisionBooth announcersPit reporters Lap-by-lap: Mike Joy Color-commentator: Jeff Gordon Color commentator: Darrell Waltrip Jamie LittleVince WelchMatt Yocum
Radio Radio coverage of the race was broadcast by Motor Racing Network (MRN) and simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Joe Moore, Jeff Striegle and four-time Pocono winner Rusty Wallace announced the race in the booth while the field was racing on the front stretch. Dave Moody called the race from atop a billboard outside of turn 1 when the field was racing through turn 1 while Mike Bagley called the race from a billboard outside turn 2 when the field was racing through turn 2. Kurt Becker reported the race from a billboard outside turn 3 when the field was racing through turn 3. Alex Hayden, Winston Kelley and Steve Post reported from pit lane during the race.
MRNBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Joe MooreAnnouncer: Jeff StriegleAnnouncer: Rusty Wallace Turn 1: Dave MoodyTurn 2: Mike BagleyTurn 3: Kurt Becker Alex HaydenWinston KelleySteve Post
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Kyle Busch 624 1 2 Kevin Harvick 537 (–87) 1 3 Joey Logano 534 (–90) 1 4 Martin Truex Jr. 487 (–137) 1 5 Brad Keselowski 474 (–150) 2 6 Clint Bowyer 453 (–171) 1 7 Kurt Busch 447 (–177) 1 8 Denny Hamlin 437 (–187) 9 Kyle Larson 425 (–199) 1 10 Ryan Blaney 413 (–211) 1 11 Aric Almirola 406 (–218) 12 Jimmie Johnson 360 (–264) 2 13 Chase Elliott 334 (–290) 1 14 Erik Jones 322 (–302) 1 15 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 319 (–305) 2 16 Alex Bowman 310 (–314)Official driver's standings