The 2018 Alsco 300 was the 17th stock car race of the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series season and the 18th iteration of the event. The race was held on Friday, July 13, 2018, in Sparta, Kentucky, at Kentucky Speedway, a 1.5-mile (2.41 km) tri-oval speedway. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. At race's end, Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing would come back from a spin early in the race to win his third career NASCAR Xfinity Series win and his second of the season. To fill out the podium, Daniel Hemric of Richard Childress Racing and Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing would finish second and third, respectively.
Background
Kentucky Speedway is a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) tri-oval speedway in Sparta, Kentucky, which has hosted ARCA, NASCAR and Indy Racing League racing annually since it opened in 2000. The track is currently owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. and Jerry Carroll, who, along with four other investors, owned Kentucky Speedway until 2008. The speedway has a grandstand capacity of 117,000. Construction of the speedway began in 1998 and was completed in mid-2000. The speedway has hosted the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, Xfinity Series, IndyCar Series, Indy Lights, and most recently, the NASCAR Cup Series beginning in 2011.
Entry list #DriverTeamMakeSponsor0Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevroletFAME USA00Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFordHaas Automation1Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevroletOneMain Financial "Lending Done Human"01Vinnie MillerJD MotorsportsChevroletHerb Kinman Chevrolet2Matt TifftRichard Childress RacingChevroletSurface Sunscreen3Ty DillonRichard Childress RacingChevroletAlsco4Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevroletAE Door & Window Co.5Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevroletPilot Flying J7Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevroletDale Jr's Whisky River8Ray Black Jr.B. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevroletJW Transport, CorvetteParts.net9Tyler ReddickJR MotorsportsChevroletBurgerFi11Ryan TruexKaulig RacingChevroletPhantom Fireworks12Austin CindricTeam PenskeFordLasik Vision Institute15B. J. McLeodJD MotorsportsChevroletHerb Kinman Chevrolet16Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFordDriveDownA1C.com18Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaNOS Energy Drink19Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaMenards, NRG20Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaRheem21Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevroletSouth Point Hotel, Casino & Spa22Paul MenardTeam PenskeFordDiscount Tire23Spencer GallagherGMS RacingChevroletISM Connect35Joey GaseGo Green Racing with SS-Green Light RacingChevroletPro Master, Donate Life36Alex LabbéDGM RacingChevroletJames Carter Attorney at Law, Sticky Stuff38J. J. YeleyRSS RacingChevroletRSS Racing39Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevroletRSS Racing40Chad FinchumMBM MotorsportsToyotaSmithbilt Homes42John Hunter NemechekChip Ganassi RacingChevroletAnderson Columbia45Josh BilickiJP MotorsportsToyotaPrevagen51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevroletRepairableVehicles.com52David StarrJimmy Means RacingChevroletTony's Steaks & Seafood55Brandon HightowerJP MotorsportsToyotaS. Aaron Siebacher Attorney at Law, NAPA Auto Parts60Ty MajeskiRoush Fenway RacingFordFord66Timmy HillMBM MotorsportsDodgeCrashClaimsR.Us74Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingChevroletShadow Warriors Project, Horizon Transport76Spencer BoydSS-Green Light RacingChevroletGrunt Style "This We'll Defend"78Blake JonesB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevroletKBM Commercial Properties79Josh ReaumeJimmy Means RacingChevroletStriping Technology89Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesChevroletVisone RV Motorhome Parts, Racing with Jesus90Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevroletSleep Well Sleep Disorder Specialists93Jeff GreenRSS RacingChevroletRSS RacingOfficial entry list
Practice
First practice The first practice session was held on Thursday, July 12, at 4:05 PM EST, and would last for 45 minutes. John Hunter Nemechek of Chip Ganassi Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.853 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed142John Hunter NemechekChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet29.853180.886219Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota29.918180.493321Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet30.015179.910Full first practice results
Second and final practice The second and final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Thursday, July 12, at 6:05 PM EST, and would last for 45 minutes. Ty Majeski of Roush Fenway Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.717 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed160Ty MajeskiRoush Fenway RacingFord29.717181.714220Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota29.733181.616321Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet29.973180.162Full Happy Hour practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Friday, July 13, at 5:05 PM EST. Since Kentucky 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, advancing through both preliminary rounds and setting a time of 29.759 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)100Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFord30.072179.56929.868180.79629.759181.45827Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet30.029179.82629.947180.31929.828181.038318Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota30.072179.56929.790181.26929.830181.026412Austin CindricTeam PenskeFord30.332178.03029.951180.29429.854180.880521Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet30.222178.67830.008179.95229.904180.578642John Hunter NemechekChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet30.133179.20630.040179.76029.973180.16272Matt TifftRichard Childress RacingChevrolet30.135179.19430.075179.55129.982180.10889Tyler ReddickJR MotorsportsChevrolet30.092179.45030.022179.86830.101179.396916Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFord30.233178.61329.982180.10830.125179.253101Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet30.346177.94830.082179.50930.131179.2171119Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota30.157179.06329.909180.54830.262178.4421220Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota29.811181.14129.824181.062——Eliminated in Round 21311Ryan TruexKaulig RacingChevrolet30.233178.61330.116179.307——1422Paul MenardTeam PenskeFord30.377177.76630.202178.796——1523Spencer GallagherGMS RacingChevrolet30.222178.67830.223178.672——163Ty DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet30.495177.07830.280178.336——175Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet30.529176.88130.315178.130——1860Ty MajeskiRoush Fenway RacingFord30.475177.19430.333178.024——1939Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet30.581176.58030.464177.258——2051Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet30.663176.10830.498177.061——214Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevrolet30.748175.62130.576176.609——2235Joey GaseGo Green Racing with SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet30.782175.42730.715175.810——2338J. J. YeleyRSS RacingChevrolet30.868174.93831.064173.835——240Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet31.168173.255————Eliminated in Round 12536Alex LabbéDGM RacingChevrolet31.190173.132————2615B. J. McLeodJD MotorsportsChevrolet31.255172.772————2755Brandon HightowerJP MotorsportsToyota31.304172.502————2893Jeff GreenRSS RacingChevrolet31.352172.238————2966Timmy HillMBM MotorsportsDodge31.371172.133————3052David StarrJimmy Means RacingChevrolet31.394172.007————3190Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet31.508171.385————3289Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesChevrolet31.611170.827————338Ray Black Jr.B. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet31.619170.783————Qualified by owner's points3445Josh BilickiJP MotorsportsToyota31.667170.525————3540Chad FinchumMBM MotorsportsToyota31.823169.689————3676Spencer BoydSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet32.085168.303————3778Blake JonesB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet32.220167.598————3801Vinnie MillerJD MotorsportsChevrolet32.318167.090————3974Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingChevrolet33.068163.300————Qualified on time4079Josh ReaumeJimmy Means RacingChevrolet32.945163.910————Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup
Race results Stage 1 Laps: 45 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts118Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota0200Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFord9342John Hunter NemechekChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet842Matt TifftRichard Childress RacingChevrolet7512Austin CindricTeam PenskeFord6619Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota579Tyler ReddickJR MotorsportsChevrolet487Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet3921Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2101Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet1 Stage 2 Laps: 45 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts142John Hunter NemechekChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet10218Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota0300Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFord8412Austin CindricTeam PenskeFord7519Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota667Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet5720Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota489Tyler ReddickJR MotorsportsChevrolet3922Paul MenardTeam PenskeFord01021Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1 Stage 3 Laps: 110 Pos.St#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts11220Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota20017running442521Daniel HemricRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2008running383318Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota200111running0427Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet20032running415100Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBesteFord20014running49689Tyler ReddickJR MotorsportsChevrolet2000running387642John Hunter NemechekChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet20014running488916Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFord2000running2991422Paul MenardTeam PenskeFord2000running010412Austin CindricTeam PenskeFord2000running401172Matt TifftRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2000running3312101Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet2000running26131311Ryan TruexKaulig RacingChevrolet2000running2414163Ty DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2000running015175Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet2004running22161939Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet2000running2117214Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevrolet2000running20182051Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet2000running1919240Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet1980running18201523Spencer GallagherGMS RacingChevrolet1980running17212615B. J. McLeodJD MotorsportsChevrolet1960running1622338Ray Black Jr.B. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet1960running15233052David StarrJimmy Means RacingChevrolet1950running14243676Spencer BoydSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1950running13253778Blake JonesB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet1940running12262755Brandon HightowerJP MotorsportsToyota1940running11271860Ty MajeskiRoush Fenway RacingFord1930running10283445Josh BilickiJP MotorsportsToyota1930running9293801Vinnie MillerJD MotorsportsChevrolet1920running8303974Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingChevrolet1900running7313540Chad FinchumMBM MotorsportsToyota1720transmission6322536Alex LabbéDGM RacingChevrolet1680running5332235Joey GaseGo Green Racing with SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1610crash4342338J. J. YeleyRSS RacingChevrolet1190suspension3353190Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet1070carburetor2361119Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota1040crash12372966Timmy HillMBM MotorsportsDodge550fuel pump1383289Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesChevrolet250vibration1394079Josh ReaumeJimmy Means RacingChevrolet90overheating0402893Jeff GreenRSS RacingChevrolet60electrical1Official race results
References