2018 AAA Texas 500

2018 AAA Texas 500

Race details[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]
Race 34 of 36 in the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Date	November 4, 2018 (2018-11-04)
Location	Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas
Course	Permanent racing facility
Course length	1.5 miles (2.4 km)
Distance	337 laps, 505.5 mi (808.8 km)
Scheduled distance	334 laps, 501 mi (801.6 km)
Average speed	150.558 miles per hour (242.300 km/h)
Pole position
Driver	Ryan Blaney	Team Penske
Time	26.932
Most laps led
Driver	Kevin Harvick	Stewart-Haas Racing
Laps	177
Winner
No. 4	Kevin Harvick	Stewart-Haas Racing
Television in the United States
Network	NBCSN
Announcers	Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Nielsen ratings	1.4/1.5 (Overnight)[11]
Radio in the United States
Radio	PRN
Booth announcers	Doug Rice and Mark Garrow
Turn announcers	Rob Albright (1 & 2) and Pat Patterson (3 & 4)

The 2018 AAA Texas 500 was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race that was held on November 4, 2018, at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. Contested over 337 laps – extended from 334 laps due to an overtime finish, on the 1.5 mile (2.4 km) intermediate quad-oval, it was the 34th race of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, the eighth race of the Playoffs, and the second race of the Round of 8.

As of 2024, this is Trevor Bayne's most recent NASCAR Cup Series start.

Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas. The track measures 1.5 miles (2.4 km) around and is banked 24 degrees in the turns, and is of the oval design, where the front straightaway juts outward slightly. The track layout is similar to Atlanta Motor Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway (formerly Lowe's Motor Speedway). The track is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., the same company that owns Atlanta and Charlotte Motor Speedways, as well as the short-track Bristol Motor Speedway.

Ryan Blaney was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 27.139 seconds and a speed of 198.976 mph (320.221 km/h).^[12]

Ryan Blaney scored the pole for the race with a time of 26.932 and a speed of 200.505 mph (322.682 km/h).^[13]

Aric Almirola was the fastest in the second practice session with a time of 27.856 seconds and a speed of 193.854 mph (311.978 km/h).^[14]

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 28.074 seconds and a speed of 192.349 mph (309.556 km/h).^[15]

Stage 1 Laps: 85

Stage 2 Laps: 85

Stage 3 Laps: 164

† Kevin Harvick was penalized 40 points and the win is encumbered due to a spoiler infraction post-race.^[16]

• Lead changes: 16 among different drivers
• Cautions/Laps: 8 for 37
• Red flags: 0
• Time of race: 3 hours, 21 minutes and 27 seconds
• Average speed: 150.558 miles per hour (242.300 km/h)

NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, Two–time Texas winner Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and 2000 Texas winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. had the call in the booth for the race. Dave Burns, Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast reported from pit lane during the race.

PRN had the radio call for the race, which was simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.

Pos Driver Points 1 Kyle Busch 4,128 2 Martin Truex Jr. 4,125 (−3) 1 3 Joey Logano 4,119 (−6) 1 4 Kevin Harvick 4,103 (−25) 5 Kurt Busch 4,100 (−28) 6 Chase Elliott 4,086 (−42) 1 7 Aric Almirola 4,068 (−60) 1 8 Clint Bowyer 4,052 (−76) 9 Ryan Blaney 2,283 (−1,845) 10 Brad Keselowski 2,259 (−1,869) 11 Denny Hamlin 2,220 (−1,908) 12 Kyle Larson 2,211 (−1,917) 2 13 Erik Jones 2,204 (−1,924) 1 14 Jimmie Johnson 2,195 (−1,933) 1 15 Alex Bowman 2,187 (−1,941) 16 Austin Dillon 2,184 (−1,944) Official driver's standings

Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Ford 1,235 2 Toyota 1,211 (−24) 3 Chevrolet 1,123 (−112) Official manufacturers' standings Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.

• After the race Kevin Harvick was issued a L1 penalty after the race, his win will not count and he is deducted 40 points as well as his crew and car chief were suspended.