ISM Raceway results from March 11, 2018 featuring the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Today, NASCAR takes the green at ISM Raceway. The 1 mile race track isn’t technically a short track but it sure drives like one.
View full ISM Raceway results below.
Martin Truex Jr and Kyle Larson lead the field to the green flag. 75 laps in stage 1, another 75 in stage 2 and 162 will complete stage 3 and the 312 lap event.
Stage 1 Report
Green flag, Martin Truex Jr gets the jump on the outside. Larson lifts early and gives Truex the inside into turn 1. Larson gets back in the gas early, he’s under Truex off turn 2. Larson completes the pass in turn 3 and leads lap 1.
Lap 24, the caution is out for Corey Lajoie. His engine expired right in front of the leaders. A competition caution was scheduled for lap 35, this caution eliminates that. Kahne and Bayne have been penalized and sent to the tail for pit stop violations.
Green, Larson selects the outside. He gets the jump and he’s clear out of turn 2. Kyle Busch is tracking on the outside line. He’s run down Larson from 2 seconds back. Busch looks low for the lead as Larson is content with the outside line. Busch pokes the throttle in the middle of turn 3, he noses ahead and takes the lead.
10 to go in stage 1, Kevin Harvick has climbed to 2nd. He started in 10th, but he had the fastest car in 10-lap runs during final practice.
Stage 1 Results: 1. Kyle Busch; 2. Kevin Harvick; 3. Kyle Larson; 4. Denny Hamlin; 5. Martin Truex Jr; 6. Chase Elliott; 7. Brad Keselowski; 8. Kurt Busch; 9. Joey Logano; 10. Erik Jones;
Stage 2 Report
The field hits the pit lane. A pair of 15.1’s for Harvick and Busch. Kyle Busch noses ahead on the exit. He’ll lead them back to green.
Green flag, Busch and Harvick are nearly even into turn 1. Busch gets the power down on the outside of turn 2, he’s clear of Harvick.
Lap 122, Kyle Larson is around in turn 2! He’s complaining of brake issues. He wheel hoped on entry, as soon as his left front dipped below the yellow line, he went around.
The field hits the pit lane. Brad Keselowski takes 2 tires for the second pit stop in a row. Keselowski leads them off the pit lane.
Green, Keselowski gets the jump! He leads by two car lengths into turn 1. Laps later, Kyle Busch has run down Keselowski. He’s glued to his bumper on the exit. Kyle Busch has a nose under him off turn 4, he wins the race to turn 1. Kyle Busch back to the lead.
4 to go in stage 2, Chris Buescher has lost a right front tire. He’s in the wall off turn 4. The caution is out. They’ll go back green for a quick shootout to the stage conclusion. Pit stops, Hamlin slides into his stall, he’s too close to the wall on the left side, the car falls off the jack. Kurt Busch, Keselowski, Kurt Busch and more remain on the track.
Green, on lap remains in stage 2. Busch gets the jump! He leads on the outside into turn 1.
Kurt Busch wins stage 2!
Stage 2 Results: 1. Kurt Busch; 2. Brad Keselowski; 3. Ricky Stenhouse Jr; 4. Kyle Busch; 5. Ty Dillon; 6. Michael McDowell; 7. Kevin Harvick; 8. Martin Truex Jr; 9. Clint Bowyer; 10. Kasey Kahne;
Stage 3 Report
The cars that stayed on track now hit the pit lane. Kyle Busch cycles back to the lead for the restart in stage 2.
Harvick on the inside and Busch on the outside. Green, Busch gets the jump as Harvick spun his tires. Busch leads out of turn 2.
Logano slides up the banking in turn 1-2. Larson was looking low, thinking about making it 3 wide. Logano likely pushed it a little harder into turn 1 to close the door on the bottom. Bayne, on the outside, might have pinched him a little. Logano slid up into Bayne, everyone continues.
135 to go, Kevin Harvick has a run off turn 2. He’s looking low through the dogleg, low in 3-4, Busch holds him off on the highside. Busch drives way up the hill in turn 3, he might have over shot the corner. Or he just let Harvick go. Either way, Harvick is the new leader.
Further back, 21st and 22nd are beating fenders. Bowman put the bumper to Stenhouse for the position. Stenhouse Jr returned the favor and reclaimed the position. Bowman has now regained the position but Stenhouse is still all over his bumper.
119 to go, Big crash! Paul Menard looped it off turn 2. The car came around so fast. It had to have been a tire or broken part. He was nearly out of the corner and on the short straight down the back. It suddenly snapped and he backed it into the fence, bringing out the yellow.
The field hits the pit lane. Byron and Almirola take just 2 tires they lead Kyle Busch at the pit exit. Two of their tires are 32 laps older.
Green, Byron and Almirola battle side by side for the lead. The 4 tires are coming as Byron settles into the lead. Hamlin is around Almirola as Harvick and Busch fight to be the next car around the tail end of the two-tire takers.
105 to go, Hamlin takes a wide entry to turn 3. He takes a late apex and cuts under Byron on the exit. Hamlin runs side by side into turn 1 but they continue to run side by side. Harvick is there, he takes them 3 wide for the lead through the dogleg and into turn 3. Hamlin pokes out of the center to take the lead.
92 to go, Harvick is all over Hamlin for the lead. He can’t complete the pass. 80 to go, Harvick is still fighting but Hamlin is hanging tough on the outside. As they race for the lead, Kyle Busch has joined the battle. It’s a 3 car race for the lead. 74 to go, Chase Elliott is catching them all.
73 to go, Kyle Busch finds lane 3 in turn 3. He gets a huge run on Harvick down the front stretch. Busch looks high in turn 1-2, Harvick leaves him room on the exit. Outside pass for 2nd. Hamlin continues to lead.
70 to go, same move. Kyle Busch takes it high in turn 3. He gets another run down the front stretch. This time, he’s along side Hamlin at the line and looking to the inside in turn 1. Busch completes the pass out of turn 2, new leader.
56 to go, Harvick and Hamlin hit the pit lane. 53 to go, Kyle Busch has run into a pack of lapped cars. He cuts over the apron and heads to pit road.
46 to go, 7 cars remain on the race track. Elliott 6th, Harvick 7th, Hamlin 8th and Busch is 9th. Waiting to stop really took a tole on Busch. They’re all 20 seconds back from the point. Keselowski leads them all. Newman looks to the outside of Keselowski, he’s clear. Ryan Newman to the lead.
38 to go, Harvick slides Elliott for 4th then drives right by Kahne for 3rd. He’s still 17 seconds behind Newman.
27 to go, Keselowski is nearly out of fuel. Possible sputtering, he hits the pit lane from 2nd. Newman still leads Kevin Harvick by 12 seconds.
23 to go, Newman hits the pit lane. Kevin Harvick returns to the point. He leads Kyle Busch by 0.76 seconds.
5 to go, Kevin Harvick leads Kyle Busch by 1.1 seconds.
Kevin Harvick wins his 3rd race in a row! The rear window is steady, in pace and Harvick crosses the line first at ISM Raceway!
ISM Raceway Race Results
NASCAR Cup Series
March 11, 2018
Pos | Driver
1. Kevin Harvick
2. Kyle Busch
3. Chase Elliott
4. Denny Hamlin
5. Martin Truex Jr
6. Clint Bowyer
7. Aric Almirola
8. Daniel Suarez
9. Erik Jones
10. Kurt Busch
11. Ryan Newman
12. William Byron
13. Alex Bowman
14. Jimmie Johnson
15. Brad Keseowski
16. Ryan Blaney
17. Austin Dillon
18. Kyle Larson
19. Joey Logano
20. Trevor Bayne
21. AJ Allmendinger
22. David Ragan
23. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
24. Kasey Kahne
25. Matt DiBenedetto
26. Jamie McMurray
27. Ross Chastain
28. Darrell Wallace Jr
29. Chris Buescher
30. Ty Dillon
31. DJ Kennington
32. Michael McDowell
33. Timmy Hill
34. Gray Gaulding
35. Jeffrey Earnhardt
36. Paul Menard
37. Corey Lajoie
More
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