2018 Iowa 250
{{Short description|14th race of the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox NASCAR race report|Type=NASXFIN|Avg={{convert|102.1|mph|km/h}}|Distance_km=352.044|Scheduled_mi=218.75|Pole_Driver=Austin Cindric|Pole_Team=Team Penske|First_Team=JR Motorsports|Most_Team=JR Motorsports|Most_laps=184|Most_Driver=Justin Allgaier|First_Driver=Justin Allgaier|Announcers=Adam Alexander, Michael Waltrip, Regan Smith|Network=Fox Sports 1|Radio=Motor Racing Network|Course_km=1.408|Location=Newton, Iowa, Iowa Speedway|Official_name=8th Annual Iowa 250 presented by Enogen|Season_No=33|Race_No=14|Date=June 17|Scheduled_laps=250|Course_mi=0.875|Race_Name=Iowa 250 presented by Enogen|Year=2018|Pole_Time=23.971|Car=7|Distance_laps=250|Distance_mi=218.75|Scheduled_km=352.044|Image=Iowa Speedway 2024.svg}}
The 2018 Iowa 250 presented by Enogen was the 14th stock car race of the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series season and the 8th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, June 17, 2018, in Newton, Iowa at Iowa Speedway, a 7⁄8 mile (1.4 km) permanent D-shaped oval racetrack. The race took the scheduled 250 laps to complete. At race's end, JR Motorsports driver Justin Allgaier would dominate the race to win his seventh career NASCAR Xfinity Series win and his second of the season.{{Cite web|last=McFadin|first=Daniel|date=2018-06-17|title=Justin Allgaier dominates in Xfinity win at Iowa Speedway|url=https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/06/17/justin-allgaier-dominates-in-xfinity-win-at-iowa-speedway/|access-date=2022-01-19|website=NASCAR Talk {{!}} NBC Sports|language=en-US}} To fill out the podium, Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing and Daniel Hemric of Richard Childress Racing would finish second and third, respectively.
Background
Iowa Speedway is a 7/8-mile (1.4 km) paved oval motor racing track in Newton, Iowa, United States, approximately 30 miles (48 km) east of Des Moines. The track was designed with influence from Rusty Wallace and patterned after Richmond Raceway, a short track where Wallace was very successful. It has over 25,000 permanent seats as well as a unique multi-tiered Recreational Vehicle viewing area along the backstretch.
= Entry list =
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!# !Driver !Team !Make !Sponsor |
| 0 |
| 00
|Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste |Ford |
| 1
|OneMain Financial "Lending Done Human" |
| 01 |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 7 |
| 8 |
| 9 |
| 11 |
| 13 |
| 15 |
| 16
|Ford |
| 18 |
| 19 |
| 20 |
| 21 |
| 22
|Ford |
| 23 |
| 35 |
| 36 |
| 38 |
| 39 |
| 40 |
| 42 |
| 45 |
| 51
|[https://repairablevehicles.com/ RepairableVehicles.com] |
| 52 |
| 55 |
| 60
|Ford |Ford |
| 61
|Ford |
| 66
|[https://lasvegas.net/ LasVegas.net], TLC Resorts |
| 74 |
| 76
|Grunt Style "This We'll Defend" |
| 78 |
| 89 |
| 90
|Bethel Glass & Shower Door, Sleep Well Sleep Disorder Specialists |
| 93 |
| colspan="5" |[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2019/05/nxs14iowa2018entrylist.pdf Official entry list] |
|---|
Practice
= First practice =
The first practice session was held on Saturday, June 16, at 2:05 PM CST, and would last for 50 minutes.{{Cite web|date=2018-06-18|title=2018 NASCAR XFINITY Iowa Race Page|url=https://www.espn.com/jayski/nxs/races/2018/story/_/id/23461512/2018-nascar-xfinity-iowa-race-page|access-date=2022-01-19|website=ESPN.com|language=en}} Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 24.270 and an average speed of {{Convert|129.790|mph|km/h}}.{{Cite web|last=Beaver|first=Dan|date=2018-06-16|title=Xfinity practice report at Iowa Speedway|url=https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/06/16/xfinity-practice-report-from-iowa-speedway/|access-date=2022-01-19|website=NASCAR Talk {{!}} NBC Sports|language=en-US}}
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Time !Speed |
| 1
|20 |24.270 |129.790 |
|---|
| 2
|21 |24.295 |129.656 |
| 3
|3 |24.305 |129.603 |
| colspan="7" |[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2019/05/nxs14iowa2018prac1.pdf Full first practice results] |
= Second and final practice =
The second and final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, June 16, at 4:40 PM CST, and would last for 50 minutes.{{Cite web|date=2018-06-18|title=2018 NASCAR XFINITY Iowa Race Page|url=https://www.espn.com/jayski/nxs/races/2018/story/_/id/23461512/2018-nascar-xfinity-iowa-race-page|access-date=2022-01-19|website=ESPN.com|language=en}} Kaz Grala of Fury Race Cars would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 24.221 and an average speed of {{Convert|130.052|mph|km/h}}.{{Cite web|last=Beaver|first=Dan|date=2018-06-16|title=Xfinity practice report at Iowa Speedway|url=https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/06/16/xfinity-practice-report-from-iowa-speedway/|access-date=2022-01-19|website=NASCAR Talk {{!}} NBC Sports|language=en-US}}
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Time !Speed |
| 1
|61 |Ford |24.221 |130.052 |
|---|
| 2
|9 |24.334 |129.449 |
| 3
|21 |24.369 |129.263 |
| colspan="7" |[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2019/05/nxs14iowa2018prac2.pdf Full Happy Hour practice results] |
Qualifying
Qualifying was held on Sunday, June 17, at 1:35 PM CST.{{Cite web|date=2018-06-18|title=2018 NASCAR XFINITY Iowa Race Page|url=https://www.espn.com/jayski/nxs/races/2018/story/_/id/23461512/2018-nascar-xfinity-iowa-race-page|access-date=2022-01-19|website=ESPN.com|language=en}} Since Iowa 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.{{Cite web|date=2018-02-07|title=NASCAR Qualifying Rules|url=https://www.espn.com/jayski/pages/story/_/id/18676661/nascar-qualifying-rules|access-date=2021-11-03|website=ESPN.com|language=en}}
Austin Cindric of Team Penske would win the pole after advancing from both preliminary rounds and setting the fastest lap in Round 3, with a time of 23.971 and an average speed of {{Convert|131.409|mph|km/h}}.{{Cite web|last=McFadin|first=Daniel|date=2018-06-17|title=Austin Cindric wins pole for Xfinity race at Iowa Speedway|url=https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/06/17/austin-cindric-wins-pole-for-xfinity-race-at-iowa-speedway/|access-date=2022-01-19|website=NASCAR Talk {{!}} NBC Sports|language=en-US}}
No drivers would fail to qualify.
= Full qualifying results =
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Time (R1) !Speed (R1) !Time (R2) !Speed (R2) !Time (R3) !Speed (R3) |
| 1
|22 |Ford | | | | |23.971 |131.409 |
|---|
| 2
|21 | | | | |24.048 |130.988 |
| 3
|19 | | | | |24.076 |130.836 |
| 4
|1 | | | | |24.132 |130.532 |
| 5
|00 |Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste |Ford | | | | |24.150 |130.435 |
| 6
|11 | | | | |24.191 |130.214 |
| 7
|9 | | | | |24.236 |129.972 |
| 8
|61 |Ford | | | | |24.259 |129.849 |
| 9
|18 | | | | |24.281 |129.731 |
| 10
|5 | | | | |24.309 |129.582 |
| 11
|7 | | | | |24.326 |129.491 |
| 12
|2 | | | | |24.364 |129.289 |
| colspan="11" |Eliminated in Round 2 |
| 13
|23 | | |24.187 |130.235 |— |— |
| 14
|3 | | |24.187 |130.235 |— |— |
| 15
|42 | | |24.201 |130.160 |— |— |
| 16
|4 | | |24.220 |130.058 |— |— |
| 17
|60 |Ford | | |24.229 |130.009 |— |— |
| 18
|36 | | |24.363 |129.294 |— |— |
| 19
|51 | | |24.390 |129.151 |— |— |
| 20
|0 | | |24.500 |128.571 |— |— |
| 21
|39 | | |24.515 |128.493 |— |— |
| 22
|15 | | |— |— |— |— |
| 23
|52 |24.559 |128.263 |— |— |— |— |
| 24
|38 |24.596 |128.070 |— |— |— |— |
| colspan="11" |Eliminated in Round 1 |
| 25
|78 |24.613 |127.981 |— |— |— |— |
| 26
|76 |24.660 |127.737 |— |— |— |— |
| 27
|35 |Go Green Racing with SS-Green Light Racing |24.674 |127.665 |— |— |— |— |
| 28
|55 |24.829 |126.868 |— |— |— |— |
| 29
|40 |24.843 |126.796 |— |— |— |— |
| 30
|89 |24.855 |126.735 |— |— |— |— |
| 31
|93 |24.878 |126.618 |— |— |— |— |
| 32
|8 |24.961 |126.197 |— |— |— |— |
| 33
|90 |25.087 |125.563 |— |— |— |— |
| colspan="11" |Qualified by owner's points |
| 34
|45 |25.097 |125.513 |— |— |— |— |
| 35
|13 |25.178 |125.109 |— |— |— |— |
| 36
|01 |25.216 |124.921 |— |— |— |— |
| 37
|74 |25.885 |121.692 |— |— |— |— |
| 38
|66 |26.314 |119.708 |— |— |— |— |
| 39
|20 |— |— |— |— |— |— |
| 40
|16 |Ford |— |— |— |— |— |— |
| colspan="11" |Official starting lineup |
Race results
Stage 1 Laps: 60
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Pts |
| 1
|7 |10 |
|---|
| 2
|22 |Ford |9 |
| 3
|21 |8 |
| 4
|19 |7 |
| 5
|00 |Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste |Ford |6 |
| 6
|20 |5 |
| 7
|9 |4 |
| 8
|42 |3 |
| 9
|18 |0 |
| 10
|3 |1 |
Stage 2 Laps: 60
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Pts |
| 1
|7 |10 |
|---|
| 2
|21 |9 |
| 3
|20 |8 |
| 4
|00 |Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste |Ford |7 |
| 5
|22 |Ford |6 |
| 6
|19 |5 |
| 7
|18 |0 |
| 8
|42 |3 |
| 9
|60 |Ford |2 |
| 10
|16 |Ford |1 |
Stage 3 Laps: 130
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!St !# !Driver !Team !Make !Laps !Led !Status !Pts |
| 1
|11 |7 |250 |182 |running |60 |
|---|
| 2
|39 |20 |250 |2 |running |48 |
| 3
|2 |21 |250 |2 |running |51 |
| 4
|5 |00 |Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste |Ford |250 |6 |running |46 |
| 5
|3 |19 |250 |0 |running |44 |
| 6
|9 |18 |250 |0 |running |0 |
| 7
|17 |60 |Ford |250 |0 |running |32 |
| 8
|7 |9 |250 |0 |running |33 |
| 9
|12 |2 |250 |0 |running |28 |
| 10
|8 |61 |Ford |250 |0 |running |27 |
| 11
|1 |22 |Ford |250 |58 |running |41 |
| 12
|13 |23 |250 |0 |running |0 |
| 13
|10 |5 |250 |0 |running |24 |
| 14
|6 |11 |250 |0 |running |23 |
| 15
|15 |42 |250 |0 |running |28 |
| 16
|14 |3 |250 |0 |running |22 |
| 17
|40 |16 |Ford |250 |0 |running |21 |
| 18
|21 |39 |250 |0 |running |19 |
| 19
|16 |4 |249 |0 |running |18 |
| 20
|19 |51 |249 |0 |running |17 |
| 21
|27 |35 |Go Green Racing with SS-Green Light Racing |249 |0 |running |16 |
| 22
|26 |76 |247 |0 |running |15 |
| 23
|18 |36 |247 |0 |running |14 |
| 24
|23 |52 |247 |0 |running |13 |
| 25
|20 |0 |244 |0 |running |12 |
| 26
|29 |40 |244 |0 |running |11 |
| 27
|32 |8 |243 |0 |running |10 |
| 28
|4 |1 |239 |0 |running |9 |
| 29
|22 |15 |239 |0 |running |8 |
| 30
|28 |55 |220 |0 |crash |7 |
| 31
|36 |01 |205 |0 |overheating |6 |
| 32
|25 |78 |201 |0 |running |5 |
| 33
|38 |66 |150 |0 |running |4 |
| 34
|33 |90 |134 |0 |electrical |3 |
| 35
|24 |38 |131 |0 |driveshaft |2 |
| 36
|34 |45 |95 |0 |fuel pump |1 |
| 37
|35 |13 |75 |0 |brakes |1 |
| 38
|37 |74 |31 |0 |rear gear |1 |
| 39
|30 |89 |28 |0 |brakes |1 |
| 40
|31 |93 |21 |0 |vibration |1 |
| colspan="10" |[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2019/05/nxs14iowa2018racereport.pdf Official race results] |
References
{{Reflist}}{{NASCAR next race|Previous_race=2018 LTi Printing 250|Next_race=2018 Overton's 300|Series=NASCAR Xfinity Series|Monsteryear=2018}}
{{NASCAR on Fox}}{{2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series}}
Category:2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series
Category:NASCAR races at Iowa Speedway