2018 Auto Club 400

File:Auto Club Speedway Cloudy Sunset 2023.jpg

Auto Club Speedway (previously California Speedway) was a {{convert|2|mi|km|adj=on|spell=in}}, low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in Fontana, California which hosted NASCAR racing annually from 1997 to 2023. It was also used for open wheel racing events. The racetrack was located near the former locations of Ontario Motor Speedway and Riverside International Raceway. The track was owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation and was the only track owned by ISC to have its naming rights sold. The speedway was served by the nearby Interstate 10 and Interstate 15 freeways as well as a Metrolink station located behind the backstretch.

{{Clear}}

Kevin Harvick was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 38.082 seconds and a speed of {{Convert|189.066|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|last=Utter|first=Jim|title=Kevin Harvick fastest in Friday's lone Cup practice at Fontana|url=https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/kevin-harvick-fastest-in-friday-s-cup-practice-at-fontana-1015346/|website=Motorsport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|access-date=March 16, 2018|location=Fontana, California|date=March 16, 2018}}

Martin Truex Jr. scored the pole for the race with a time of 38.592 and a speed of {{Convert|186.567|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cite news|last=Beacham|first=Greg|title=Truex claims 17th NASCAR Cup pole in Fontana|url=https://racing.ap.org/article/truex-claims-17th-nascar-cup-pole-fontana|access-date=March 16, 2018|work=Associated Press|agency=Associated Press|publisher=AP Sports|date=March 16, 2018|location=Fontana, California|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317164755/https://racing.ap.org/article/truex-claims-17th-nascar-cup-pole-fontana|archive-date=March 17, 2018|url-status=dead}}

Kevin Harvick was the fastest in the second practice session with a time of 38.694 seconds and a speed of {{Convert|186.075|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|last=DeGroot|first=Nick|title=Kevin Harvick leads second Cup practice at Fontana|url=https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/kevin-harvick-leads-second-cup-practice-at-fontana-1015626/|website=Motorsport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|access-date=March 17, 2018|location=Fontana, California|date=March 17, 2018}}

Kyle Busch was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 38.779 seconds and a speed of {{Convert|185.668|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|last=Utter|first=Jim|title=Kyle Busch tops final practice at Fontana|url=https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/kyle-busch-tops-final-practice-at-fontana-1015715/|website=Motorsport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|access-date=March 17, 2018|location=Fontana, California|date=March 17, 2018}}

Martin Truex Jr. led the field to the green flag at 3:46 p.m. Winner of three consecutive Cup races, Kevin Harvick was shooting for a higher spot in history with a fourth Sunday, but that march ended early in the race when he collided with Kyle Larson on the backstretch, bringing out the first caution on lap 39. They were running side by side when Harvick appeared to move down the track and into the side of Larson’s car. The impact sent Harvick’s car into the outside wall, causing heavy damage.

The race restarted on lap 43.

Martin Truex Jr., master of stage wins last season, scored his first of the new year, leading Kyle Busch by 3.5 seconds. Also in the top 10 were Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Larson, Kurt Busch, Erik Jones, Clint Bowyer and Denny Hamlin. The second caution of the race flew on lap 62 for the conclusion of the first stage.

The race restarted on lap 67.

Trevor Bayne slapped the outside wall after slight contact with Ryan Newman. The incident produced the race’s third caution of the race, which was on lap 109. Bayne called his meeting with the wall one of the hardest of his career.

The race restarted on lap 114.

Truex scored again at the end of stage two, leading Brad Keselowski by 1.8 seconds. Following were Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Erik Jones, Joey Logano, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Larson, Clint Bowyer and William Byron. The fourth caution of the race flew on lap 122 for conclusion of stage 2.

File:Martin Truex Jr. 2018 NASCAR Media Tour.jpg swept all three stages and won the race from the pole position.]]

The race restarted on lap 127.

The fifth caution of the race flew on lap 130 when David Ragan spun out in turn 2, so Ty Dillon won the free pass under caution.

The race restarted on lap 132.

The closing portion of the race featured a battle for the lead matching Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson. With 18 laps to go, Truex had a five-second lead over Busch and Larson, who were fighting for second.

Martin Truex Jr., last year’s Cup champion, returned to victory lane — a place he visited eight times in 2017 — and, at the same time, dropped Kevin Harvick’s name from NASCAR’s marquee. At least temporarily.{{Cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2018/03/18/auto-club-400-fontana-race-martin-truex-jr-wins/436561002/|title=Martin Truex Jr. wins at Fontana as Kevin Harvick's bid for four in a row sputters|last=Hembree|first=Mike|date=March 18, 2018|work=USA TODAY|access-date=March 18, 2018|language=en}}

“This is a reassurance that what we’re doing is working,” Truex said. “It just feels good to win. I don't really worry about who's winning or who else is fast. Obviously, the 4 (Harvick) has been quick and they have a great team. But, as we’ve seen today, we can put together a run like that, as well.

“It feels good to be able to find that speed.”

Stage 1

Laps: 60

Stage 2

Laps: 60

Stage 3

Laps: 80

• Lead changes: 7 among different drivers
• Cautions/Laps: 5 for 21
• Red flags: 0
• Time of race: 2 hours, 42 minutes and 41 seconds
• Average speed: {{convert|147.526|mph|km/h}}

The race was the 18th race Fox Sports covered at the Auto Club Speedway. Mike Joy, three-time Auto Club winner Jeff Gordon and Darrell Waltrip had call in the booth for the race. Jamie Little, Vince Welch and Matt Yocum handled the pit road duties for the television side.

MRN had the radio call for the race which was also simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Joe Moore, Jeff Striegle and 2001 race winner Rusty Wallace called the race from the booth when the field was racing down the front stretch. Dan Hubbard called race from a billboard outside turn 2 when the field was racing through turns 1 and 2. Kurt Becker called the race from a billboard outside turn 3 when the field was racing through turns 3 and 4. Alex Hayden, Winston Kelley and Steve Post worked pit road for MRN.

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

;Drivers' Championship standings

{{col-2}}

;Manufacturers' Championship standings

• Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.

{{col-end}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{NASCAR next race

| Series = Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

| Monsteryear = 2018

| Previous_race = 2018 TicketGuardian 500

| Next_race = 2018 STP 500

}}

{{NASCAR on Fox}}

{{2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup}}

Auto Club 400

Auto Club 400

Auto Club 400

Category:NASCAR races at Auto Club Speedway