The 2018 First Data 500 was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held on October 28, 2018, at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia. Contested over 500 laps on the .526 mile (.847 km) short track (extended from 500 laps), it was the 33rd race of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, seventh race of the Playoffs, and first race of the Round of 8.
Report
Background
Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Ridgeway, Virginia. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series. The track is also one of the first paved oval tracks in NASCAR, being built in 1947 by H. Clay Earles. It is also the only race track that has been on the NASCAR circuit from its beginning in 1948. Along with this, Martinsville is the only NASCAR oval track on the entire NASCAR track circuit to have asphalt surfaces on the straightaways, then concrete to cover the turns.
Entry list Driver Team Manufacturer 00 Joey Gase (i) 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 Hermie Sadler 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 J. J. Yeley (i) 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 Jeb Burton (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 72 Cole Whitt TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 95 Regan Smith Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet 96 D. J. Kennington (i) Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 99 Landon Cassill (i) StarCom Racing ChevroletOfficial entry list
Practice
First practice Brad Keselowski was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 19.784 seconds and a speed of .
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 19.784 95.714 2 41 Kurt Busch Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 19.798 95.646 3 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 19.809 95.593Official first practice results
Final practice Ryan Newman was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 19.785 seconds and a speed of .
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 31 Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 19.785 95.709 2 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 19.951 94.913 3 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 19.978 94.784Official final practice results
Qualifying Kyle Busch scored the pole for the race with a time of 19.673 and a speed of .
Qualifying results Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 118 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 19.795 19.711 19.673 214 Clint Bowyer Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 19.694 19.716 19.700 311 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 19.738 19.715 19.702 412 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 19.660 19.761 19.706 510 Aric Almirola Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 19.717 19.722 19.713 678 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 19.858 19.751 19.739 741 Kurt Busch Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 19.719 19.692 19.692 82 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 19.831 19.780 19.770 919 Daniel Suárez Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 19.792 19.731 19.786 1042 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 19.763 19.741 19.806 1122 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 19.730 19.802 19.825 1224 William Byron (R) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 19.836 19.762 19.877 134 Kevin Harvick Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 19.836 19.822 — 1438 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford 19.796 19.796 — 1537 Chris Buescher JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 19.795 19.795 — 1688 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 19.863 19.842 — 1747 A. J. Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 19.756 19.756 — 1831 Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 19.763 19.763 — 191 Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 19.740 19.740 — 2017 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush–Fenway Racing Ford 19.832 19.832 — 219 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 19.891 19.891 — 2234 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 19.879 19.879 — 2348 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 19.881 19.881 — 2420 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 19.802 19.802 — 2515 Ross Chastain (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 19.898 — — 2613 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 19.905 — — 276 Matt Kenseth Roush–Fenway Racing Ford 19.913 — — 283 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 19.916 — — 2932 Matt DiBenedetto Go Fas Racing Ford 19.918 — — 3095 Regan Smith Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet 19.941 — — 3172 Cole Whitt TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet 20.057 — — 3243 Bubba Wallace (R) Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 20.062 — — 3396 D. J. Kennington (i) Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 20.162 — — 3423 J. J. Yeley (i) BK Racing Toyota 20.205 — — 3500 Joey Gase (i) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 20.342 — — 3651 Jeb Burton (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 20.388 — — 3766 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 20.432 — — 387 Hermie Sadler Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 20.472 — — 3921 Paul Menard Wood Brothers Racing Ford 21.040 — — 4099 Landon Cassill (i) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 0.000 — —Official qualifying results
Race
Stage Results
Stage 1 Laps: 130
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 93 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 75 41 Kurt Busch Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 66 31 Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 57 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 48 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 39 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 210 10 Aric Almirola Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 1Official stage one results
Stage 2 Laps: 130
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 102 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 75 41 Kurt Busch Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 66 31 Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 57 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 48 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 39 47 A. J. Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 210 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage 3 Laps: 240
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 11 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 500 592 3 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 500 543 6 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Toyota 500 454 1 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 500 495 8 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 500 336 7 41 Kurt Busch Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 500 437 21 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 500 348 18 31 Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 500 399 9 19 Daniel Suárez Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 500 2810 13 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 500 2911 5 10 Aric Almirola Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 500 2712 23 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 500 2513 15 37 Chris Buescher JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 500 2414 17 47 A. J. Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 500 2515 26 13 Ty Dillon Germain Racing Chevrolet 500 2216 19 1 Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 500 2117 16 88 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 500 2018 14 38 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford 500 1919 20 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush–Fenway Racing Ford 500 1820 4 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 500 2021 2 14 Clint Bowyer Stewart–Haas Racing Ford 499 2622 39 21 Paul Menard Wood Brothers Racing Ford 499 1523 27 6 Matt Kenseth Roush–Fenway Racing Ford 499 1424 31 72 Cole Whitt TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet 498 1325 22 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 497 1226 24 20 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 494 1127 33 96 D. J. Kennington (i) Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 493 028 30 95 Regan Smith Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet 492 929 25 15 Ross Chastain (i) Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 492 030 28 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 491 731 34 23 J. J. Yeley (i) BK Racing Toyota 491 032 40 99 Landon Cassill (i) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 490 033 36 51 Jeb Burton (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 489 034 32 43 Bubba Wallace (R) Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 488 335 35 00 Joey Gase (i) StarCom Racing Chevrolet 467 036 29 32 Matt DiBenedetto Go Fas Racing Ford 451 137 10 42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 393 138 37 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 368 039 12 24 William Byron (R) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 364 140 38 7 Hermie Sadler Premium Motorsports Chevrolet 230 1Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 6 among different drivers Cautions/Laps: 8 for 68 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 3 hours, 29 minutes and 32 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, 1997 race winner Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and 2014 race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. had the call in the booth for the race. Dave Burns, Parker Kligerman, Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast reported from pit lane during the race.
NBCSNBooth announcersPit reporters Lap-by-lap: Rick AllenColor-commentator: Jeff BurtonColor-commentator: Steve LetarteColor-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dave BurnsParker KligermanMarty SniderKelli Stavast
Radio MRN covered the radio call for the race, which was simulcast on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
MRN Booth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Joe MooreAnnouncer: Jeff StriegleAnnouncer: Rusty Wallace Backstretch: Dave Moody Alex HaydenWinston KelleySteve PostKim Coon
Standings after the race
Pos Driver Points 1 Kyle Busch 4,104 1 2 Martin Truex Jr. 4,083 (–21) 1 3 Kevin Harvick 4,083 (–21) 2 4 Joey Logano 4,074 (–30) 2 5 Kurt Busch 4,058 (–46) 2 6 Chase Elliott 4,052 (–52) 2 7 Clint Bowyer 4,041 (–63) 8 Aric Almirola 4,033 (–71) 9 Ryan Blaney 2,232 (–1,872) 10 Brad Keselowski 2,227 (–1,877) 1 11 Denny Hamlin 2,213 (–1,891) 1 12 Kyle Larson 2,179 (–1,925) 2 13 Jimmie Johnson 2,173 (–1,931) 2 14 Alex Bowman 2,164 (–1,940) 1 15 Erik Jones 2,159 (–1,949) 3 16 Austin Dillon 2,157 (–1,947)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Ford 1,195 2 Toyota 1,178 (–17) 3 Chevrolet 1,091 (–104)Official manufacturers' standings Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
References