2018 Gander Outdoors 400 (Dover)
# 2018 Gander Outdoors 400 (Dover)

The 2018 Gander Outdoors 400 was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held on October 7, 2018 at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware. Contested over 404 laps—extended from 400 laps due to an overtime finish, on the one-mile (1.6 km) concrete speedway, it was the 30th race of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, fourth race of the Playoffs, and the first race of the Round of 12.

## Report

### Background

Dover International Speedway (formerly Dover Downs International Speedway) is a race track in Dover, Delaware, United States. Since opening in 1969, it has held at least two NASCAR races. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosted USAC and the Verizon IndyCar Series. The track features one layout, a 1 mile (1.6 km) concrete oval, with 24° banking in the turns and 9° banking on the straights. The speedway is owned and operated by Dover Motorsports.

The track, nicknamed "The Monster Mile", was built in 1969 by Melvin Joseph of Melvin L. Joseph Construction Company, Inc., with an asphalt surface, but was replaced with concrete in 1995. Six years later in 2001, the track's capacity moved to 135,000 seats, making the track have the largest capacity of sports venue in the mid-Atlantic. In 2002, the name changed to Dover International Speedway from Dover Downs International Speedway after Dover Downs Gaming and Entertainment split, making Dover Motorsports. From 2007 to 2009, the speedway worked on an improvement project called "The Monster Makeover", which expanded facilities at the track and beautified the track. After the 2014 season, the track's capacity was reduced to 95,500 seats.

**Entry list**

| No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer |
| - | - | - | - |
| 00 | Landon Cassill (i) | StarCom Racing | Chevrolet |
| 1 | Jamie McMurray | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet |
| 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford |
| 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 6 | Matt Kenseth | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford |
| 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford |
| 13 | Ty Dillon | Germain Racing | Chevrolet |
| 14 | Clint Bowyer | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 15 | Ross Chastain (i) | Premium Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford |
| 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 19 | Daniel Suárez | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 20 | Erik Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 21 | Paul Menard | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford |
| 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford |
| 23 | J. J. Yeley (i) | BK Racing | Toyota |
| 24 | William Byron (R) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 31 | Ryan Newman | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 32 | Matt DiBenedetto | Go Fas Racing | Ford |
| 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 37 | Chris Buescher | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet |
| 38 | David Ragan | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 41 | Kurt Busch | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 42 | Kyle Larson | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet |
| 43 | Darrell Wallace Jr. (R) | Richard Petty Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 47 | A. J. Allmendinger | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet |
| 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 51 | B. J. McLeod (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford |
| 52 | Harrison Rhodes | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet |
| 66 | Timmy Hill (i) | MBM Motorsports | Toyota |
| 72 | Corey LaJoie | TriStar Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 78 | Martin Truex Jr. | Furniture Row Racing | Toyota |
| 88 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 95 | Regan Smith | Leavine Family Racing | Chevrolet |
| 96 | Jeffrey Earnhardt | Gaunt Brothers Racing | Toyota |
| Official entry list ||||

## First practice

Kyle Larson was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 21.892 seconds and a speed of 164.444 mph (264.647 km/h).

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 42 | Kyle Larson | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 21.892 | 164.444 |
| 2 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 22.025 | 163.451 |
| 3 | 41 | Kurt Busch | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 22.037 | 163.362 |
| Official first practice results |||||||

## Qualifying

Qualifying for Friday was cancelled due to rain and Kyle Busch, the point leader, was awarded the pole as a result.

### Starting Lineup

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 2 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 3 | 78 | Martin Truex Jr. | Furniture Row Racing | Toyota |
| 4 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford |
| 5 | 14 | Clint Bowyer | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 6 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford |
| 7 | 41 | Kurt Busch | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 8 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford |
| 9 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 10 | 42 | Kyle Larson | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet |
| 11 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 12 | 88 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 13 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 14 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 15 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 16 | 20 | Erik Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 17 | 31 | Ryan Newman | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 18 | 21 | Paul Menard | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford |
| 19 | 19 | Daniel Suárez | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 20 | 1 | Jamie McMurray | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet |
| 21 | 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford |
| 22 | 24 | William Byron (R) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 23 | 37 | Chris Buescher | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet |
| 24 | 47 | A. J. Allmendinger | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet |
| 25 | 95 | Regan Smith | Leavine Family Racing | Chevrolet |
| 26 | 38 | David Ragan | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 27 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 28 | 6 | Matt Kenseth | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford |
| 29 | 43 | Darrell Wallace Jr. (R) | Richard Petty Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 30 | 13 | Ty Dillon | Germain Racing | Chevrolet |
| 31 | 32 | Matt DiBenedetto | Go Fas Racing | Ford |
| 32 | 15 | Ross Chastain (i) | Premium Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 33 | 72 | Corey LaJoie | Tri-Star Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 34 | 00 | Landon Cassill (i) | StarCom Racing | Chevrolet |
| 35 | 23 | J. J. Yeley (i) | BK Racing | Toyota |
| 36 | 51 | B. J. McLeod (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford |
| 37 | 96 | Jeffrey Earnhardt | Gaunt Brothers Racing | Toyota |
| 38 | 66 | Timmy Hill (i) | MBM Motorsports | Toyota |
| 39 | 52 | Harrison Rhodes | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet |
| Official starting lineup |||||

## Practice (post-qualifying)

### Second practice

Second practice session scheduled for Saturday was cancelled due to rain.

### Final practice

Kyle Larson was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 22.640 seconds and a speed of 159.011 mph (255.903 km/h).

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 42 | Kyle Larson | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 22.640 | 159.011 |
| 2 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 22.880 | 157.343 |
| 3 | 20 | Erik Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 22.916 | 157.095 |
| Official final practice results |||||||

## Race

Kyle Busch led the field to green, only to be passed by Kevin Harvick ten laps later. Harvick swept both stages. Harvick led until about 50 to go when he had a loose wheel. Aric Almirola inherited the lead from his mistake-cursed teammate. Almirola maintained the lead until a caution with ten to go, caused by a crashed SHR car of Clint Bowyer. Chase Elliott boldly opted not to pit, taking the lead. On the restart Elliott surfed ahead of Almirola, who would ultimately wreck with Brad Keselowski a half lap later, sending the race into overtime. At the restart, Elliott forged ahead of Denny Hamlin, a rival from Martinsville and Phoenix in 2017. Chase would go on to lock himself into the round of 8.

### Stage Results

Stage 1 Laps: 120

| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 10 |
| 2 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 9 |
| 3 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 8 |
| 4 | 14 | Clint Bowyer | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 7 |
| 5 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 6 |
| 6 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford | 5 |
| 7 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 4 |
| 8 | 41 | Kurt Busch | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 3 |
| 9 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 2 |
| 10 | 78 | Martin Truex Jr. | Furniture Row Racing | Toyota | 1 |
| Official stage one results ||||||

Stage 2 Laps: 120

| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 10 |
| 2 | 14 | Clint Bowyer | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 9 |
| 3 | 78 | Martin Truex Jr. | Furniture Row Racing | Toyota | 8 |
| 4 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 7 |
| 5 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 6 |
| 6 | 41 | Kurt Busch | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 5 |
| 7 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 4 |
| 8 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 3 |
| 9 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 2 |
| 10 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford | 1 |
| Official stage two results ||||||

### Final Stage Results

Stage 3 Laps: 160

| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Points |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 9 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 404 | 48 |
| 2 | 15 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 404 | 38 |
| 3 | 6 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 404 | 50 |
| 4 | 16 | 20 | Erik Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 404 | 33 |
| 5 | 7 | 41 | Kurt Busch | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 404 | 40 |
| 6 | 2 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 404 | 51 |
| 7 | 14 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 404 | 30 |
| 8 | 1 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 404 | 41 |
| 9 | 21 | 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 404 | 28 |
| 10 | 19 | 19 | Daniel Suárez | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 404 | 27 |
| 11 | 8 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 404 | 30 |
| 12 | 10 | 42 | Kyle Larson | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 404 | 25 |
| 13 | 11 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 404 | 32 |
| 14 | 4 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford | 404 | 29 |
| 15 | 3 | 78 | Martin Truex Jr. | Furniture Row Racing | Toyota | 404 | 31 |
| 16 | 18 | 21 | Paul Menard | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 403 | 21 |
| 17 | 17 | 31 | Ryan Newman | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 403 | 20 |
| 18 | 20 | 1 | Jamie McMurray | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 402 | 19 |
| 19 | 22 | 24 | William Byron (R) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 402 | 18 |
| 20 | 28 | 6 | Matt Kenseth | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 402 | 17 |
| 21 | 25 | 95 | Regan Smith | Leavine Family Racing | Chevrolet | 401 | 16 |
| 22 | 24 | 47 | A. J. Allmendinger | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 400 | 15 |
| 23 | 29 | 43 | Darrell Wallace Jr. (R) | Richard Petty Motorsports | Chevrolet | 399 | 14 |
| 24 | 26 | 38 | David Ragan | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 399 | 13 |
| 25 | 23 | 37 | Chris Buescher | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 399 | 12 |
| 26 | 27 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 399 | 11 |
| 27 | 31 | 32 | Matt DiBenedetto | Go Fas Racing | Ford | 397 | 10 |
| 28 | 12 | 88 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 396 | 9 |
| 29 | 30 | 13 | Ty Dillon | Germain Racing | Chevrolet | 396 | 8 |
| 30 | 33 | 72 | Corey LaJoie | TriStar Motorsports | Chevrolet | 394 | 7 |
| 31 | 37 | 96 | Jeffrey Earnhardt | Gaunt Brothers Racing | Toyota | 394 | 6 |
| 32 | 35 | 23 | J. J. Yeley (i) | BK Racing | Toyota | 392 | 0 |
| 33 | 34 | 00 | Landon Cassill (i) | StarCom Racing | Chevrolet | 390 | 0 |
| 34 | 36 | 51 | B. J. McLeod (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 389 | 0 |
| 35 | 5 | 14 | Clint Bowyer | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 388 | 18 |
| 36 | 13 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 387 | 1 |
| 37 | 32 | 15 | Ross Chastain (i) | Premium Motorsports | Chevrolet | 314 | 0 |
| 38 | 39 | 52 | Harrison Rhodes | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet | 308 | 1 |
| 39 | 38 | 66 | Timmy Hill (i) | MBM Motorsports | Toyota | 35 | 0 |
| Official race results ||||||||

### Race statistics

* Lead changes: 8 among different drivers
* Cautions/Laps: 5 for 31
* Red flags: 1 for 4 minutes and 59 seconds
* Time of race: 3 hours, 18 minutes and 2 seconds
* Average speed: 122.404 miles per hour (196.990 km/h)

## Media

### Television

NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, 2006 race winner Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and 2001 race 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.

NBCSN :

| Booth announcers | Pit reporters |
| - | - |
| Lap-by-lap: Rick Allen Color-commentator: Jeff Burton Color-commentator: Steve Letarte Color-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Dave Burns Marty Snider Kelli Stavast |

### Radio

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

MRN :

| Booth announcers | Turn announcers | Pit reporters |
| - | - | - |
| Lead announcer: Joe Moore Announcer: Jeff Striegle Announcer: Rusty Wallace | Backstretch: Mike Bagley | Alex Hayden Winston Kelley Steve Post Kim Coon |

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 1 | Kevin Harvick | 3,101 |
| 1 | 2 | Kyle Busch | 3,096 (–5) |
| | 3 | Martin Truex Jr. | 3,069 (–32) |
| 2 | 4 | Joey Logano | 3,064 (–37) |
| 4 | 5 | Chase Elliott | 3,056 (–45) |
| 1 | 6 | Kurt Busch | 3,054 (–47) |
| 3 | 7 | Brad Keselowski | 3,054 (–47) |
| | 8 | Ryan Blaney | 3,043 (–58) |
| 2 | 9 | Aric Almirola | 3,033 (–68) |
| 5 | 10 | Clint Bowyer | 3,033 (–68) |
| 1 | 11 | Kyle Larson | 3,031 (–70) |
| | 12 | Alex Bowman | 3,009 (–92) |
| 1 | 13 | Austin Dillon | 2,101 (–1,000) |
| 1 | 14 | Jimmie Johnson | 2,098 (–1,003) |
| | 15 | Denny Hamlin | 2,094 (–1,007) |
| | 16 | Erik Jones | 2,079 (–1,022) |
| Official driver's standings ||||
| | Pos | Manufacturer | Points |
| | 1 | Ford | 1,084 |
| | 2 | Toyota | 1,075 (–9) |
| | 3 | Chevrolet | 990 (–94) |
| Official manufacturers' standings ||||
