The 2018 Gander Outdoors 400 was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held on October 7, 2018 at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware. Contested over 404 laps â extended from 400 laps due to an overtime finish â on the concrete speedway, it was the 30th race of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, fourth race of the Playoffs, and the first race of the Round of 12.
Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott took his 2nd win of the season, taking the race lead when StewartâÂÂHaas Racing's Aric Almirola pitted with 6 laps to go, and maintained the lead through the overtime finish to advance to the Round of 8.
Dover International Speedway (formerly Dover Downs International Speedway) is a race track in Dover, Delaware, United States. Since opening in 1969, it has held at least one NASCAR race a season. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosted USAC and the Verizon IndyCar Series. The track features one layout, a concrete oval, with 24ð banking in the turns and 9ð banking on the straights. The speedway is owned and operated by Dover Motorsports.
The track, nicknamed "The Monster Mile", was built in 1969 by Melvin Joseph of Melvin L. Joseph Construction Company, Inc., with an asphalt surface, but was replaced with concrete in 1995. Six years later in 2001, the track's capacity moved to 135,000 seats, making the track have the largest capacity of sports venue in the mid-Atlantic. In 2002, the name changed to Dover International Speedway from Dover Downs International Speedway after Dover Downs Gaming and Entertainment split, making Dover Motorsports. From 2007 to 2009, the speedway worked on an improvement project called "The Monster Makeover", which expanded facilities at the track and beautified the track. After the 2014 season, the track's capacity was reduced to 95,500 seats.
Kyle Larson was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 21.892 seconds and a speed of .
Qualifying on Friday was cancelled due to rain and Kyle Busch, the point leader, was awarded the pole as a result.
Second practice session scheduled for Saturday was cancelled due to rain.
Kyle Larson was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 22.640 seconds and a speed of .
Kyle Busch led the field to green, and led the opening 15 laps of the race before being passed by Kevin Harvick. Harvick then led the majority of the race, leading a total of 286 laps and won both stages. Having ceded the lead to Busch on lap 321, Harvick dropped further back when he suffered a loose wheel, but he was able to work back up to a sixth-placed finish from a lap down. Aric Almirola took the lead from Busch on lap 323, and despite losing the lead to Brad Keselowski during the pit cycle at the third caution (for debris), Almirola regained the lead on the restart on lap 349. He led the race until the final ten laps, when Clint Bowyer crashed to cause the fourth caution, and Almirola pitted. Chase Elliott assumed the lead, as one of three drivers that did not pit, along with Martin Truex Jr. and Keselowski. On the restart, Elliott cleared Keselowski, who ultimately collided with Almirola, while Ryan Blaney, Truex Jr. and Alex Bowman were also involved, and the race went to a greenâÂÂwhiteâÂÂcheckered finish. With a bump from Erik Jones, Elliott pulled clear on the restart and ultimately closed out the race for his 2nd win of the season to advance to the Round of 8.
Stage 1 Laps: 120
Stage 2 Laps: 120
Stage 3 Laps: 160
NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, 2006 race winner Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and 2001 race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. called the race from the broadcast booth, while Dave Burns, Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast reported from pit lane.
MRN had the radio call for the race, which was simulcast on SiriusXM's NASCAR Radio channel.