Preview: NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway
As NASCAR prepares to race at Kentucky Speedway, will some Cup drivers have a short memory about the last race at Daytona?
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Can Martin Truex Jr. win again? The 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion is already in winning form as the series rolls into the Kentucky Speedway for the Quaker State 400. In 18 starts this season, Truex Jr. has 12 top fives, 12 top-10s, and three stage wins. Also with a trio of race wins this season, he exhibits no signs of letting up after capturing the Busch Pole during qualifying for the Quaker State 400. Last year, he won the race at Kentucky after starting from P2. Will he be able to start from the front and win consecutive races at the Southern track?
The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Schedule:
Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart: (Follow live)
The Place: Kentucky Speedway
The Date: Saturday, July 14, 2018
The Time: Approximately 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN, 7:00 p.m. ET
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Hashtag: #QuakerState400
Distance: 400.5 miles (267 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 80), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 160), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 267)
Live Events (Watch live)
Trackside Live: 4:00 p.m ET
Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race broadcast: 10:45 p.m. ET
NASCAR PODCAST: THE NO. 17
Starting Lineup
(Position, Driver, Manufacturer, Speed)
1. Martin Truex, Jr., Toyota, 188.890
2. Erik Jones, Toyota, 188.739
3. Kevin Harvick, Ford, 188.547
4. Brad Keselowski, Ford, 188.390
5. Kyle Busch, Toyota, 188.206
6. Paul Menard, Ford, 188.121
7. Ryan Blaney, Ford, 187.944
8. Clint Bowyer, Ford, 187.696
9. Kurt Busch, Ford, 187.630
10. Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 187.071
11. Daniel Suarez, Toyota, 187.000
12. Aric Almirola, Ford, 186.884
13. Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 187.169
14. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Ford, 187.071
15. Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 186.625
16. Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 186.548
17. Matt Kenseth, Ford, 186.522
18. Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 186.342
19. Joey Logano, Ford, 186.329
20. Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, 186.181
21. William Byron, Chevrolet, 186.143
22. Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 185.886
23. Michael McDowell, Ford, 185.465
24. David Ragan, Ford, 184.716
25. Bubba Wallace, Chevrolet, 184.533
26. A.J. Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 184.483
27. Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 184.420
28. Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 182.846
29. Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 182.543
30. Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 181.178
31. Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 180.385
32. J.J. Yeley, Toyota, 179.868
33. Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, 179.104
34. B.J. McLeod, Chevrolet, 177.883
35. Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, 176.188
36. Denny Hamlin, Toyota
37. Matt DiBenedetto, Ford
38. Jesse Little, Chevrolet
39. Timmy Hill, Toyota
Past 10 Winners at Kentucky Speedway
(Year, Driver, Manufacturer)
2011, Kyle Busch, Toyota
2012, Brad Keselowski, Dodge
2013, Matt Kenseth, Toyota
2014, Brad Keselowski, Ford
2015, Kyle Busch, Toyota
2016, Brad Keselowski, Ford
2017, Martin Truex, Jr., Toyota
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The NASCAR Cup Series started racing at Kentucky Speedway in 2011. Meanwhile, the Camping World Truck Series has raced there since 2000 and the Xfinity series since 2001.
Kevin Harvick won the first Xfinity race and Greg Biffle won the first truck race at the 1.5-mile tri-oval. Kyle Busch won the inaugural Cup race in Kentucky and he is also a three-time winner in the Xfinity series at the speedway. Like Busch, Brad has multiple wins in the Cup series at Kentucky. Busch, Keselowski, and Joey Logano are all three times Xfinity winners at the track.
Will We Witness Payback?
Tempers and attitudes are at a high as the NASCAR Cup series prepares to race at Kentucky. The Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway was a “wreck-fest” thanks in part to Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Kyle Busch isn’t happy that Stenhouse Jr. hasn’t reached out to apologize. After expressing his disappointment, Busch said, “I can’t worry about people that far back in the field.” Stenhouse Jr. wasn’t pleased with his comments and was clear he thought Busch “ran his mouth enough.” Busch will start from P5 and Stenhouse Jr. from P14. It will be interesting to see what happens if (and when) their paths cross at Kentucky Speedway.