Credit: 354800Sean Gardner/Getty Images Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Bass Pro Shops/5-hour ENERGY Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on March 18, 2018 in Fontana, California
Starting from pole Car 78 Martin Truex Jr. Bass Pro Shops/5-hour ENERGY Toyota won the 22nd Annual Auto Club 400, his 16th win in 446 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series races. This is his 1st win & 4th Top 10 finish in 2018. This is his 1st win & 6th Top 10 finish in 18 races at Auto Club Speedway. 2nd Place Car 42 Kyle Larson DC Solar Chevrolet, started from 3rd place posted his 3rd Top 10 finish in 5 races at Auto Club Speedway. It is his 3rd Top 10 finish in 2018. 3rd Place Car 18 Kyle Busch Interstate Batteries Toyota, started from 2nd place posted his 14th Top 10 finish in 20 races at Auto Club Speedway.
Credit: 354796Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Bass Pro Shops/5-hour ENERGY Toyota, takes the checkered flag to win the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on March 18, 2018 in Fontana, California
4th Place Car 2 Brad Keselowski Wurth Ford, started from 11th place followed by 5th place Car 22 Joey Logano Auto Club of Southern California Ford, started from 6th place. 6th Place Car 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota, started from 25th place followed by 7th place Car 20 Erik Jones SiriusXM Toyota, started from 4th place. 8th Place Car 12 Ryan Blaney PPG Ford, started from 8th place
followed by 9th place Car 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s for Pros Chevrolet, started from 33rd place. Lastly in the Top 10 was Car 3 Austin Dillon Dow Coating Chevrolet, in 10th place, started from 5th place. William Byron (15th) was the highest finishing rookie. Martin Truex Jr. leads the point standings by 9 points over Kyle Busch.
Credit: 354792Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Bass Pro Shops/5-hour ENERGY Toyota, leads the field to green to start the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on March 18, 2018 in Fontana, California
The race had 5 Cautions for 21 Laps: 1st Caution on lap 39 for Car 4 Kevin Harvick Busch Beer Ford Crash in Turn 2. 2nd Caution on lap 62 for Stage 1 Conclusion. 3rd Caution on lap 110 for Car 6 Trevor Bayne Perfomance Plus Ford Crash in Turn 4. 4th Caution on lap 122 for Stage 2 Conclusion. 5th Caution on lap 130 for Car 38 David Ragan 1000Bowls.com Ford Crash in Turn 2.
Credit: 354794Sarah Crabill/Getty Images Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s for Pros Chevrolet, pits during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on March 18, 2018 in Fontana, California
The race had 16 Lead Changes among 7 drivers: M. Truex Jr. 1-10; Kyle Busch 11-28; J. McMurray 29; Kyle Busch 30; M. Truex Jr. 31-63; J. Logano 64-72; M. Truex Jr. 73-89; Kyle Busch 90-93; M. Truex Jr. 94-123; Kyle Busch 124-130; K. Kahne 131; W. Byron # 132; Kyle Busch 133-160; M. Truex Jr. 161-163; D. Hamlin 164; Kyle Busch 165-168; M. Truex Jr. 169-200.
Credit: 354795Robert Laberge/Getty Images During the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on March 18, 2018 in Fontana, California
Stages:
Stage 1: 78,18,22,2,48,42,41,20,14,11
Stage 2:78,2,18,11,20,22,48,42,14,24
Credit: 354798Robert Laberge/Getty Images Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Bass Pro Shops/5-hour ENERGY Toyota, celebrates with a burnout after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on March 18, 2018 in Fontana, California
Martin Truex Jr. the race with a Margin of Victory: 11.685 Seconds over Kyle Larson. Kevin Harvick lost his chance for 4 in a row when he & Kyle Larson were side drafting each other which caused 1st Caution on lap 39.
Credit: 354799Sarah Crabill/Getty Images Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Bass Pro Shops/5-hour ENERGY Toyota, places the winner’s decal on his car after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on March 18, 2018 in Fontana, California
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Race Number 5
Unofficial Race Results for the 22Nd Annual Auto Club 400 – Sunday, March 18, 2018
Auto Club Speedway – Fontana, CA – 2 Mile Paved Total Race Length – 200 Laps – 400 Miles
Finish Start Car Driver Team Laps Status
1. 1. Car 78 Martin Truex Jr. Bass Pro Shops/5-hour ENERGY Toyota 200 Running
2. 3. Car 42 Kyle Larson DC Solar Chevrolet 200 Running
3. 2. Car 18 Kyle Busch Interstate Batteries Toyota 200 Running
4. 11. Car 2 Brad Keselowski Wurth Ford 200 Running
5. 6. Car 22 Joey Logano Auto Club of Southern California Ford 200 Running
6. 25. Car 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota 200 Running
7. 4. Car 20 Erik Jones SiriusXM Toyota 200 Running
8. 8. Car 12 Ryan Blaney PPG Ford 200 Running
9. 33. Car 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s for Pros Chevrolet 200 Running
10. 5. Car 3 Austin Dillon Dow Coating Chevrolet 200 Running
11. 26. Car 14 Clint Bowyer Rush Truck Centers Ford 199 Running
12. 27. Car 10 Aric Almirola Smithfield Ford 199 Running
13. 28. Car 88 Alex Bowman Nationwide Chevrolet 199 Running
14. 7. Car 41 Kurt Busch Haas Automation/Monster Energy Ford 199 Running
15. 29. Car 24 William Byron # AXALTA Chevrolet 199 Running
16. 31. Car 9 Chase Elliott NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet 199 Running
17. 15. Car 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald’s Chevrolet 199 Running
18. 16. Car 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ford Ford 199 Running
19. 14. Car 21 Paul Menard Menards/FVP Ford 199 Running
20. 19. Car 43 Darrell Wallace Jr. # Farmer John Chevrolet 199 Running
21. 9. Car 31 Ryan Newman Chevrolet Accessories Chevrolet 199 Running
22. 32. Car 47 AJ Allmendinger Kroger ClickList Chevrolet 199 Running
23. 30. Car 19 Daniel Suarez ARRIS Toyota 199 Running
24. 34. Car 95 Kasey Kahne WRL General Contractors Chevrolet 199 Running
25. 21. Car 38 David Ragan 1000Bowls.com Ford 199 Running
26. 22. Car 34 Michael McDowell Love’s Travel Stops Ford 199 Running
27. 17. Car 13 Ty Dillon Twisted Tea Chevrolet 198 Running
28. 37. Car 72 Cole Whitt SoCal Chevy Chevrolet 198 Running
29. 36. Car 15 Ross Chastain(i) LowT Center Chevrolet 198 Running
30. 12. Car 37 Chris Buescher Healthy Choice Power Bowls Chevrolet 197 Running
31. 18. Car 32 Matt DiBenedetto Can-Am/Wholey Ford 196 Running
32. 20. Car 23 Gray Gaulding Earthwater Toyota 194 Running
33. 35. Car 51 Timmy Hill(i) Bubba Burgers Chevrolet 193 Running
34. 24. Car 55 * Reed Sorenson Chevrolet 193 Running
35. 10. Car 4 Kevin Harvick Busch Beer Ford 191 Running
36. 23. Car 00 Jeffrey Earnhardt VRX Simulators Chevrolet 189 Running
37. 13. Car 6 Trevor Bayne Perfomance Plus Ford 108 Accident
Race Comments: Prior to the start of the race, the following cars dropped to the rear of the field under penalty for reasons indicated: #23, 88 ? engine, 19 ? back up car and 34 ? rear gear. Failed to Qualify: N/A. Caution Flags: 5 for 21 laps. Lead Changes: 16 among 7 drivers. Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 42 Mins, 41 Secs. Average Speed: 147.526 MPH. Margin of Victory: 11.685 Seconds.
American Ethanol Green Flag Restart Award: Martin Truex Jr, #78. Fastest Lap: Martin Truex Jr, #78. Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the Race: Toyota Racing Development (TRD), #18. Moog Go the Extra Mile: Denny Hamlin, #11 crew chief Michael Wheeler, -0.202 seconds. Sunoco Rookie of the Race: William Byron, #24.
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series
Next Race: Mar. 25, 2018 – Martinsville Speedway
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