2018 Bojangles' Southern 500

The 2018 Bojangles' Southern 500, the 69th running of the event was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held on September 2, 2018, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. Contested over 367 laps on the 1.366-mile (2.198 km) egg-shaped oval, it was the 25th race of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season. This race marked the final career start for Kasey Kahne.

2018 Bojangles' Southern 500
Race details[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]
Race 25 of 36 in the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Date September 2, 2018 (2018-09-02)
Location Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina
Course Permanent racing facility
1.366 mi (2.198 km)
Distance 367 laps, 501.322 mi (806.666 km)
Average speed 131.408 miles per hour (211.481 km/h)
Pole position
Driver
Joe Gibbs Racing
Time 28.332
Most laps led
Driver Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing
Laps 284
Winner
No. 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske
Television in the United States
Network NBC
Announcers Steve Letarte, Jeff Burton and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (booth)
Rick Allen, Dale Jarrett and Kyle Petty (NBC Peacock Pitbox)
Nielsen Ratings 1.5 (Overnight)[10]
Radio in the United States
Radio MRN
Booth Announcers Joe Moore, Jeff Striegle and Rusty Wallace
Turn Announcers Dave Moody (1 & 2) and Mike Bagley (3 & 4)

Report

Background
Layout of Darlington Raceway, the track where the race is held.

Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed "The Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition." It is of a unique, somewhat egg-shaped design, an oval with the ends of very different configurations, a condition which supposedly arose from the proximity of one end of the track to a minnow pond the owner refused to relocate. This situation makes it very challenging for the crews to set up their cars' handling in a way that is effective at both ends.

Entry list
No. Driver Team Manufacturer Sponsor or Throwback
00Landon Cassill (i)StarCom RacingChevroletStarCom Fiber – Bobby Allison's 1988 Daytona 500 winning car[11]
1Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingChevroletMcDonald's – Bill Elliott's 1998 car, scheme dedicated to the 50th anniversary of McDonald's Big Mac[11]
2Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFordMiller Genuine Draft – Rusty Wallace's 1990 car[11]
3Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevroletAmerican Ethanol E15 – Dale Earnhardt's 1995 Silver Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race car[11]
4Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingFord1996 Busch Beer design[11]
6Matt KensethRoush Fenway RacingFordOscar Mayer[11][12]
9Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevroletNAPA Auto Parts – Cousin Casey Elliott's 1993 All Pro Series-inspired car.[11]
10Aric AlmirolaStewart-Haas RacingFordSmithfield Foods Helping Hungry Homes[11]
11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaFedEx – Hamlin's first-ever car that he ran in mini stock in 1997 at Langley Speedway and Southside Speedway in Virginia.[11]
12Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFordDuracell – Father Dave Blaney's 2003 car[11]
13Ty DillonGermain RacingChevroletGEICO – 2009–2011 team car[11]
14Clint BowyerStewart-Haas RacingFordNed Jarrett's 1965 Southern 500 winning car[11]
15Ross Chastain (i)Premium MotorsportsChevroletNone
17Ricky Stenhouse Jr.Roush Fenway RacingFordJohn Deere – Chad Little's 1997–2000 car[11]
18Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaSkittles – Derrike Cope & Ernie Irvan's 1997–1998 car[11]
19Daniel SuárezJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaArris
20Erik JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaSport Clips – Rick Carelli Camping World Truck Series inspired car[11]
21Paul MenardWood Brothers RacingFordFord Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center – Cale Yarborough's 1968 Southern 500 winning car[11]
22Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFordPennzoil – Steve Park's 1998 – 2002 car[11]
23Joey Gase (i)BK RacingToyotaSparks Energy – Scheme duplicates his father Bob Gase, had when he won the 2003 championship in his modified at Hawkeye Downs Speedway.[11]
24William Byron (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevroletAxalta Coating Systems – Jeff Gordon's iconic 1993–2000 “Rainbow Warriors” car[11]
31Ryan NewmanRichard Childress RacingChevroletCaterpillar Inc. – Neil Bonnett's 1993 car[11]
32Matt DiBenedettoGo Fas RacingFordKeen Parts/CorvetteParts.net – Jeff Burton's 2000 car[11]
34Michael McDowellFront Row MotorsportsFordLove's Travel Stops & Country Stores – Scheme pays tribute to Love's first travel stop in Amarillo, Texas in 1981.[11]
37Chris BuescherJTG Daugherty RacingChevroletScheme dedicated to the 110th anniversary of Bush's Best Beans.[11]
38David RaganFront Row MotorsportsFordCitgo – Dale Jarrett's 1991 Champion Spark Plug 400 winning car, which was his first cup win.[11]
41Kurt BuschStewart-Haas RacingFordHaas Automation – Busch's 2003 Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 car, where he was part of one of the closest finishes in NASCAR history at Darlington Raceway.[11]
42Kyle LarsonChip Ganassi RacingChevroletDC Solar – Davey Allison inspired car[11]
43Darrell Wallace Jr. (R)Richard Petty MotorsportsChevroletSTP – Richard Petty's 1972 car with STP day glo red[11]
47A. J. AllmendingerJTG Daugherty RacingChevroletKroger – Robert Pressley's 1998 NASCAR Busch Series car[11]
48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevroletLowe's/Kobalt (tools) – Johnson's 2012 Bojangles' Southern 500 winning car[11]
51B. J. McLeod (i)Rick Ware RacingChevroletJacob Companies – Days of Thunder antagonist Russ Wheeler's Hardee's-themed replica car
52J. J. Yeley (i)Rick Ware RacingChevroletTrading View
66Timmy Hill (i)MBM MotorsportsToyotaRewards.com – Darrell Waltrip's 2000 car.[11]
72Corey LaJoieTriStar MotorsportsChevroletBlockchain Terminal – Father Randy LaJoie's 1996–1998 NASCAR Busch Series car[11]
78Martin Truex Jr.Furniture Row RacingToyotaBass Pro Shops/5-hour Energy
88Alex BowmanHendrick MotorsportsChevroletLLumar[11]
95Kasey KahneLeavine Family RacingChevroletDumont Jets – Kahne 2006 car[11]
96Jeffrey EarnhardtGaunt Brothers RacingToyotaXtreme Concepts/Project K9 Hero/Nine Line Apparel – Grandfather Dale Earnhardt's 1978 car[11]
99Derrike CopeStarCom RacingChevroletBojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits – Cope's 1993 car[11]
Official entry list

Practice

First practice

Denny Hamlin was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 28.543 seconds and a speed of 172.287 mph (277.269 km/h).[13]

Pos No. Driver Team Manufacturer Time Speed
1 11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota28.543172.287
2 42Kyle LarsonChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet28.585172.034
3 2Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord28.591171.998
Official first practice results

Final practice

Ryan Newman was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 28.641 seconds and a speed of 171.698 mph (276.321 km/h).[14]

Pos No. Driver Team Manufacturer Time Speed
1 31Ryan NewmanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet28.641171.698
2 9Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet28.672171.512
3 48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet28.754171.023
Official final practice results

Qualifying
Denny Hamlin scored the pole position.

Denny Hamlin scored the pole for the race with a time of 28.332 and a speed of 173.571 mph (279.335 km/h).[15]

Qualifying results
Pos No. Driver Team Manufacturer R1 R2 R3
1 11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota28.20728.26628.332
2 42Kyle LarsonChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet27.90828.21728.358
3 78Martin Truex Jr.Furniture Row RacingToyota28.38128.37628.392
4 88Alex BowmanHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet28.00628.16128.400
5 18Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota28.25528.31428.415
6 31Ryan NewmanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet28.21528.31328.453
7 20Erik JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota28.42228.34428.506
8 22Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord28.21928.34728.507
9 41Kurt BuschStewart-Haas RacingFord28.19128.41128.535
10 24William Byron (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet27.99728.39028.550
11 9Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet28.11628.23628.694
12 10Aric AlmirolaStewart-Haas RacingFord28.40528.42028.922
13 2Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord28.36028.460—
14 21Paul MenardWood Brothers RacingFord28.25028.505—
15 6Matt KensethRoush Fenway RacingFord28.29928.512—
16 19Daniel SuárezJoe Gibbs RacingToyota28.37528.523—
17 14Clint BowyerStewart-Haas RacingFord28.35628.547—
18 3Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet28.42128.585—
19 37Chris BuescherJTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet28.43328.621—
20 48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet28.18028.635—
21 12Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord28.21728.663—
22 4Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingFord28.27928.667—
23 38David RaganFront Row MotorsportsFord28.36528.810—
24 47A. J. AllmendingerJTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet28.37128.830—
25 17Ricky Stenhouse Jr.Roush Fenway RacingFord28.439——
26 34Michael McDowellFront Row MotorsportsFord28.445——
27 43Darrell Wallace Jr. (R)Richard Petty MotorsportsChevrolet28.489——
28 13Ty DillonGermain RacingChevrolet28.542——
29 95Kasey KahneLeavine Family RacingChevrolet28.585——
30 32Matt DiBenedettoGo Fas RacingFord28.622——
31 1Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet28.819——
32 52J. J. Yeley (i)Rick Ware RacingChevrolet28.854——
33 15Ross Chastain (i)Premium MotorsportsChevrolet28.928——
34 72Corey LaJoieTriStar MotorsportsChevrolet29.091——
35 00Landon Cassill (i)StarCom RacingChevrolet29.330——
36 66Timmy Hill (i)MBM MotorsportsToyota30.018——
37 51B. J. McLeod (i)Rick Ware RacingChevrolet30.038——
38 99Derrike CopeStarCom RacingChevrolet30.662——
39 23Joey Gase (i)BK RacingToyota31.781——
40 96Jeffrey EarnhardtGaunt Brothers RacingToyota0.000——
Official qualifying results

Race
Brad Keselowski won the race.

Stage Results

Stage 1 Laps: 100

Pos No Driver Team Manufacturer Points
142Kyle LarsonChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet10
220Erik JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota9
378Martin Truex Jr.Furniture Row RacingToyota8
422Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord7
52Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord6
64Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingFord5
711Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota4
841Kurt BuschStewart-Haas RacingFord3
918Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota2
109Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet1
Official stage one results

Stage 2 Laps: 100

Pos No Driver Team Manufacturer Points
142Kyle LarsonChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet10
22Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord9
322Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord8
49Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet7
520Erik JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota6
641Kurt BuschStewart-Haas RacingFord5
731Ryan NewmanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet4
818Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota3
91Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet2
104Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingFord1
Official stage two results

Final Stage Results

Stage 3 Laps: 167

Pos Grid No Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points
1132Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord36755
2822Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord36750
3242Kyle LarsonChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet36754
4224Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingFord36739
5119Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet36740
6941Kurt BuschStewart-Haas RacingFord36739
7518Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota36735
8720Erik JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota36744
9311Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet36730
10111Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota36731
11378Martin Truex Jr.Furniture Row RacingToyota36734
122517Ricky Stenhouse Jr.Roush Fenway RacingFord36725
131937Chris BuescherJTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet36724
141210Aric AlmirolaStewart-Haas RacingFord36723
152112Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord36722
16183Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet36721
171421Paul MenardWood Brothers RacingFord36620
182338David RaganFront Row MotorsportsFord36619
19631Ryan NewmanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet36622
202634Michael McDowellFront Row MotorsportsFord36517
212813Ty DillonGermain RacingChevrolet36516
222447A. J. AllmendingerJTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet36515
23488Alex BowmanHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet36514
242995Kasey KahneLeavine Family RacingChevrolet36413
25156Matt KensethRoush Fenway RacingFord36412
262743Darrell Wallace Jr. (R)Richard Petty MotorsportsChevrolet36311
273472Corey LaJoieTriStar MotorsportsChevrolet36010
283315Ross Chastain (i)Premium MotorsportsChevrolet3600
291619Daniel SuárezJoe Gibbs RacingToyota3588
303500Landon Cassill (i)StarCom RacingChevrolet3570
313252J. J. Yeley (i)Rick Ware RacingChevrolet3500
323751B. J. McLeod (i)Rick Ware RacingChevrolet3470
333899Derrike CopeStarCom RacingChevrolet3464
344096Jeffrey EarnhardtGaunt Brothers RacingToyota3443
351024William Byron (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3292
361714Clint BowyerStewart-Haas RacingFord3091
373666Timmy Hill (i)MBM MotorsportsToyota2680
383032Matt DiBenedettoGo Fas RacingFord2541
392048Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet2271
403923Joey Gase (i)BK RacingToyota1200
Official race results

Race statistics
  • Lead changes: 5 among different drivers
  • Cautions/Laps: 6 for 35
  • Red flags: 0
  • Time of race: 3 hours, 48 minutes and 54 seconds
  • Average speed: 131.408 miles per hour (211.481 km/h)

Media

Television

NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Steve Letarte, two–time Darlington winner Jeff Burton and Dale Earnhardt Jr. had the call in the booth for the race. Rick Allen, three-time Darlington winner Dale Jarrett and Kyle Petty called from the NBC Peacock Pit Box on pit road. Jarrett and Petty also join Earnhardt in the booth for a portion of the race. Dave Burns, Parker Kligerman, Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast reported from pit lane during the race.

NBCSN
Booth announcersPit reporters
Lap-by-lap: Steve Letarte
Color-commentator: Jeff Burton
Color-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
NBC Peacock Pitbox: Rick Allen
NBC Peacock Pitbox: Dale Jarrett
NBC Peacock Pitbox: Kyle Petty		Dave Burns
Parker Kligerman
Marty Snider
Kelli Stavast

Radio

The Motor Racing Network had the radio call for the race, which was simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Dave Moody called the race from a Billboard outside of turn when the field raced through turns 1 and 2, and Mike Bagley had the call of the race atop of the Darlington Raceway Club outside of turn 3 when the field raced through turns 3 and 4

MRN
Booth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters
Lead announcer: Joe Moore
Announcer: Jeff Striegle
Announcer: Rusty Wallace		Turns 1 & 2: Dave Moody
Turns 3 & 4: Mike Bagley		Alex Hayden
Winston Kelley
Steve Post

Standings after the race

References
  1. "2018 schedule". Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. May 5, 2017. Archived from the original on December 24, 2017. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  2. "Darlington Raceway". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. January 3, 2013. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  3. "Entry List". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. August 27, 2018. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  4. "First Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. August 31, 2018. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  5. "Final Practice Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. August 31, 2018. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  6. "Starting Lineup". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. September 1, 2018. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  7. "Bojangles' Southern 500 Results". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. September 2, 2018. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  8. "Points standings" (PDF). Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. September 3, 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 29, 2019. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  9. "Manufacturer standings" (PDF). Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. September 3, 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 29, 2019. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  10. "Darlington final TV ratings". Jayski's Silly Season Site. ESPN. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  11. McFadin, Daniel (September 2, 2018). "Retro Rundown 2018: Southern 500 paint schemes". NASCARTalk.com. NBC Sports. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  12. McFadin, Daniel (August 21, 2018). "Oscar Mayer to sponsor Matt Kenseth in Southern 500". NASCARTalk.com. NBC Sports. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  13. Utter, Jim (August 31, 2018). "Defending winner Denny Hamlin fastest in first Darlington practice". Motorsport.com. Darlington, South Carolina: Motorsport Network. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  14. Utter, Jim (August 31, 2018). "Ryan Newman tops Chase Elliott in final Darlington practice". Motorsport.com. Darlington, South Carolina: Motorsport Network. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  15. Iacobelli, Pete (September 1, 2018). "Bojangles' Southern 500". Associated Press. Darlington, South Carolina: AP Sports. Associated Press. Archived from the original on September 2, 2018. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
Previous race:
2018 Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race		 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
2018 season		 Next race:
2018 Brickyard 400
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