The 2018 LTi Printing 250 was the 13th stock car race of the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, and the 27th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, June 9, 2018, in Brooklyn, Michigan at Michigan International Speedway, a two-mile (3.2 km) permanent moderate-banked D-shaped speedway. The race was shortened from 125 laps to 91 due to rain stopping the race. At race's end, Austin Dillon of Richard Childress Racing would win a rain-shortened race after battling with fellow teammate Daniel Hemric in a one-lap shootout during a restart.[1] The win was Dillon's ninth and so far final career win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and his first and only of the season. To fill out the podium, Cole Custer of Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste would finish third.
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 13 of 33 of the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series | |||
| Date | June 9, 2018 | ||
| Official name | 27th Annual LTi Printing 250 | ||
| Location | Brooklyn, Michigan, Michigan International Speedway | ||
| Course |
Permanent racing facility 2.0 mi (3.2 km) | ||
| Distance | 91 laps, 182 mi (292.901 km) | ||
| Scheduled Distance | 125 laps, 250 mi (402.336 km) | ||
| Average speed | 103.067 miles per hour (165.870 km/h) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Joe Gibbs Racing | ||
| Time | Set by 2018 owner's points | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | |
| Laps | 29 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | FOX/FS2 | ||
| Announcers | Adam Alexander, Michael Waltrip, Joey Logano | ||
| Radio in the United States | |||
| Radio | Motor Racing Network | ||
Background
edit
The race was held at Michigan International Speedway, a two-mile (3.2 km) moderate-banked D-shaped speedway located in Brooklyn, Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is known as a "sister track" to Texas World Speedway as MIS's oval design was a direct basis of TWS, with moderate modifications to the banking in the corners, and was used as the basis of Auto Club Speedway. The track is owned by International Speedway Corporation. Michigan International Speedway is recognized as one of motorsports' premier facilities because of its wide racing surface and high banking (by open-wheel standards; the 18-degree banking is modest by stock car standards).
Entry list
edit*Withdrew.[2]
Practice
editFirst practice
editThe first 50-minute practice session would occur on Friday, June 8, at 1:05 PM EST.[3] Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a time of 41.006 and an average speed of 175.584 miles per hour (282.575 km/h).[4]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 41.006 | 175.584 |
| 2 | 42 | John Hunter Nemechek | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 41.076 | 175.285 |
| 3 | 7 | Justin Allgaier | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 41.080 | 175.268 |
| Full first practice results | ||||||
Second and final practice
editThe last 50-minute practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, would occur on Friday, June 8, at 3:05 PM EST.[3] Austin Dillon of Richard Childress Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a time of 40.677 and an average speed of 177.004 miles per hour (284.860 km/h).[4]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 40.677 | 177.004 |
| 2 | 11 | Ryan Truex | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 40.779 | 176.561 |
| 3 | 1 | Elliott Sadler | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 40.857 | 176.224 |
| Full second practice results | ||||||
Starting lineup
editQualifying was scheduled to occur on Saturday, June 9, at 10:05 AM EST.[3] Since Michigan International Speedway is at least 2 miles (3.2 km), the qualifying system was a single car, single lap, two round system where in the first round, everyone would set a time to determine positions 13-40. Then, the fastest 12 qualifiers would move on to the second round to determine positions 1-12.[5]
However, rain would cancel qualifying, and the starting lineup was therefore made by the rulebook, with the top 30 set by owner's points and positions 31-40 set by champion's provisionals and owner attempts. As a result, Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing would win the pole.[6]
No drivers would fail to qualify.
Full starting lineup
editRace results
editStage 1 Laps: 30
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 0 |
| 2 | 42 | John Hunter Nemechek | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 9 |
| 3 | 16 | Ryan Reed | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 8 |
| 4 | 00 | Cole Custer | Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste | Ford | 7 |
| 5 | 19 | Brandon Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 6 |
| 6 | 11 | Ryan Truex | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 5 |
| 7 | 1 | Elliott Sadler | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 4 |
| 8 | 61 | Kaz Grala | Fury Race Cars | Ford | 3 |
| 9 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 0 |
| 10 | 98 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste | Ford | 0 |
Stage 2 Laps: 30
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Elliott Sadler | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 10 |
| 2 | 11 | Ryan Truex | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 9 |
| 3 | 16 | Ryan Reed | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 8 |
| 4 | 2 | Matt Tifft | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 7 |
| 5 | 61 | Kaz Grala | Fury Race Cars | Ford | 6 |
| 6 | 4 | Ross Chastain | JD Motorsports | Chevrolet | 5 |
| 7 | 60 | Austin Cindric | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 4 |
| 8 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 0 |
| 9 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 2 |
| 10 | 00 | Cole Custer | Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste | Ford | 1 |
Stage 3 Laps: 31
References
edit- ^ McFadin, Daniel (2018-06-09). "Austin Dillon wins rain-shortened Xfinity race at Michigan". NASCAR Talk | NBC Sports. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
- ^ Vincent, Amanda. "Dylan Lupton out of NASCAR Ride After Divorce From JGL Racing". The Drive. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
- ^ a b c "2018 NASCAR XFINITY Michigan Race Page". ESPN.com. 2018-06-11. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
- ^ a b Long, Dustin (2018-06-08). "Xfinity practice report from Michigan". NASCAR Talk | NBC Sports. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
- ^ "NASCAR Qualifying Rules". ESPN.com. 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2021-11-01.
- ^ McFadin, Daniel (2018-06-09). "Xfinity qualifying cancelled due to rain; Kyle Busch on pole". NASCAR Talk | NBC Sports. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
- ^ "2018 LTi Printing 250 - The Third Turn". www.thethirdturn.com. Retrieved 2021-12-10.