2018 Consumers Energy 400

Race details[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]
Race 23 of 36 in the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Date	August 12, 2018 (2018-08-12)
Location	Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan
Course	Permanent racing facility 2 mi (3.2 km)
Distance	200 laps, 400 mi (640 km)
Average speed	140.474 miles per hour (226.071 km/h)
Pole position
Driver	Denny Hamlin	Joe Gibbs Racing
Time	35.504
Most laps led
Driver	Kevin Harvick	Stewart-Haas Racing
Laps	108
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	1.62 (Overnight)[11]
Radio in the United States
Radio	MRN
Booth Announcers	Joe Moore, Jeff Striegle and Rusty Wallace
Turn Announcers	Dave Moody (1 & 2) and Kurt Becker (3 & 4)

The 2018 Consumers Energy 400 is a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held on August 12, 2018 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. Contested over 200 laps on the two-mile (3.2 km) D-shaped oval, it is the 23rd race of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.

Report

Background

Michigan International Speedway (MIS) is a two-mile (3.2 km) moderate-banked D-shaped speedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than 1,400 acres (5.7 km²) approximately four miles (6.4 km) south of the village of Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas World Speedway, and was used as the basis of Auto Club Speedway. The track is owned by International Speedway Corporation (ISC). 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). Michigan is the fastest track in NASCAR due to its wide, sweeping corners and long straightaways; typical qualifying speeds are in excess of 200 mph (320 km/h) and corner entry speeds are anywhere from 215 to 220 mph (346 to 354 km/h) after the 2012 repaving of the track.

Entry list

First practice

Denny Hamlin was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 35.603 seconds and a speed of 202.230 mph (325.458 km/h).^[12]

Qualifying

Denny Hamlin scored the pole for the race with a time of 35.504 and a speed of 202.794 mph (326.365 km/h).^[13]

Qualifying results

• Reed Sorenson practiced and qualified the No. 15 for Ross Chastain who was in Ohio for the Xfinity Series race.

Practice (post-qualifying)

Second practice

Erik Jones was the fastest in the second practice session with a time of 35.973 seconds and a speed of 200.150 mph (322.110 km/h).^[14]

Final practice

Joey Logano was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 36.441 seconds and a speed of 197.580 mph (317.974 km/h).^[15]

Race

Stage Results

Stage 1 Laps: 60

Stage 2 Laps: 60

Final Stage Results

Stage 3 Laps: 80

Race statistics

• Lead changes: 9 among different drivers
• Cautions/Laps: 8 for 37
• Red flags: 0
• Time of race: 2 hours, 50 minutes and 51 seconds
• Average speed: 140.474 miles per hour (226.071 km/h)

Media

Television

NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and two-time Michigan 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.

Radio

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

Standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Kyle Busch 986 2 Kevin Harvick 924 (–62) 3 Martin Truex Jr. 842 (–144) 4 Kurt Busch 750 (–236) 5 Clint Bowyer 732 (–254) 6 Joey Logano 723 (–263) 7 Brad Keselowski 709 (–277) 2 8 Ryan Blaney 687 (–299) 9 Denny Hamlin 684 (–302) 2 10 Kyle Larson 681 (–305) 11 Chase Elliott 647 (–339) 12 Aric Almirola 639 (–347) 13 Erik Jones 596 (–390) 14 Jimmie Johnson 572 (–414) 15 Alex Bowman 542 (–444) 16 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 480 (–506) Official driver's standings

Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Toyota 844 2 Ford 815 (–29) 3 Chevrolet 748 (–96) Official manufacturers' standings Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings. . – Driver has clinched a position in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.