| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 28 of 33 of the2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series | |||
 | |||
| Date | September 29, 2018 | ||
| Official name | 37th Annual Drive for the Cure 200 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina | ||
| Location | Concord, North Carolina,Charlotte Motor Speedway | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 2.28 miles (3.67 km) | ||
| Distance | 55 laps, 125.4 mi (201.812 km) | ||
| Scheduled distance | 55 laps, 125.4 mi (201.812 km) | ||
| Average speed | 81.267 miles per hour (130.787 km/h) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Team Penske | ||
| Time | 1:17.781 | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing withBiagi-DenBeste | |
| Laps | 33 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 98 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing withBiagi-DenBeste | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | NBCSN | ||
| Announcers | Rick Allen,Jeff Burton,Steve Letarte,Dale Earnhardt Jr. | ||
| Radio in the United States | |||
| Radio | Performance Racing Network | ||
The2018 Drive for the Cure 200 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina was the 28thstock car race of the2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, the second race in the Round of 12, and the 37th iteration of theevent. The race was held on Saturday, September 29, 2018, inConcord, North Carolina at theCharlotte Motor Speedway roval, a permanent 2.28 miles (3.67 km) road course, using part of the oval and part of the infield road course. The race took the scheduled 55 laps to complete. At race's end,Chase Briscoe ofStewart-Haas Racing withBiagi-DenBeste would dominate the late stages of the race to win his first ever careerNASCAR Xfinity Series win and his first and only win of the season.[1] To fill out the podium,Justin Marks ofChip Ganassi Racing andAustin Cindric ofTeam Penske would finish second and third, respectively.
For 2018, deviating from past NASCAR events at Charlotte, the race would utilize a road course configuration of Charlotte Motor Speedway, promoted andtrademarked as the "Roval". The course is 2.28 miles (3.67 km) in length and features 17 turns, utilizing the infield road course and portions of the oval track. The race would be contested over a scheduled distance of 55 laps, 201.812 kilometres (125.400 mi).[2][3][4]
During July 2018 tests on the road course, concerns were raised over drivers "cheating" designatedchicanes on the course. The chicanes were modified with additional tire barriers and rumble strips in order to encourage drivers to properly drive through them, and NASCAR will enforce drive-through penalties on drivers who illegally "short-cut" parts of the course. The chicanes will not be used during pace laps, nor will they be used during restarts.[5][6]
The first practice session would occur on Thursday, September 27, at 11:00 AMEST and would last for two hours.[7]Austin Cindric ofTeam Penske would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 1:19.998 and an average speed of 102.603 miles per hour (165.124 km/h).[8]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 1:19.998 | 102.603 |
| 2 | 21 | Daniel Hemric | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 1:20.871 | 101.495 |
| 3 | 11 | Ryan Truex | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 1:21.156 | 101.139 |
| Full first practice results | ||||||
The second practice session would occur on Thursday, September 27, at 2:00 PMEST and would last for two hours.[7]Cole Custer ofStewart-Haas Racing withBiagi-DenBeste would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 1:19.517 and an average speed of 103.223 miles per hour (166.121 km/h).[8]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 00 | Cole Custer | Stewart-Haas Racing withBiagi-DenBeste | Ford | 1:19.517 | 103.223 |
| 2 | 22 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 1:19.770 | 102.896 |
| 3 | 9 | Tyler Reddick | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 1:19.771 | 102.895 |
| Full second practice results | ||||||
The third practice session would occur on Friday, September 28, at 1:05 PMEST and would last for 50 minutes.[7]Austin Cindric ofTeam Penske would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 1:18.443 and an average speed of 104.636 miles per hour (168.395 km/h).[9]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 1:18.443 | 104.636 |
| 2 | 21 | Daniel Hemric | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 1:18.561 | 104.479 |
| 3 | 36 | Alex Labbé | DGM Racing | Chevrolet | 1:18.885 | 104.050 |
| Official third practice results | ||||||
The fourth and final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, would occur on Friday, September 28, at 3:05 PMEST and would last for 50 minutes.[7]Daniel Hemric ofRichard Childress Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 1:18.197 and an average speed of 104.966 miles per hour (168.926 km/h).[9]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 | Daniel Hemric | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 1:18.197 | 104.966 |
| 2 | 11 | Ryan Truex | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 1:19.184 | 103.657 |
| 3 | 00 | Cole Custer | Stewart-Haas Racing withBiagi-DenBeste | Ford | 1:19.458 | 103.300 |
| Official Happy Hour practice results | ||||||
Qualifying would occur on Saturday, September 29, at 12:10 PMEST. Since theCharlotte Motor Speedway Roval is a road course, the qualifying system was a multi-car system that included two rounds. The first round was 25 minutes, where every driver would be able to set a lap within the 25 minutes. Then, the second round would consist of the fastest 12 cars in Round 1, and drivers would have 10 minutes to set a lap. Whoever set the fastest time in Round 2 would win the pole.[10]
Austin Cindric ofTeam Penske would win the pole, setting a time of 1:17.781 and an average speed of 105.527 miles per hour (169.829 km/h) in the second round.[11]
Tanner Berryhill ofObaika Racing would be the only driver to fail to qualify, not making a lap in the qualifying session.
Stage 1 Laps: 15
Stage 2 Laps: 15
Stage 3 Laps: 20
| Previous race: 2018 Go Bowling 250 | NASCAR Xfinity Series 2018 season | Next race: 2018 Bar Harbor 200 |