2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series facts for kids

The 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series was a super exciting year for stock car racing! It was the 70th time this big racing series happened. The season kicked off with thrilling races like the Daytona 500 and wrapped up with the Ford EcoBoost 400 in November.

One cool change in 2018 was the Bank of America Roval 400. Instead of racing on a regular oval track, this race used a special road course inside the track.

What is the NASCAR Cup Series?

The NASCAR Cup Series is the top level of professional stock car racing in the United States. Drivers compete in powerful cars on different types of tracks. These include oval tracks, which are the most common, and sometimes road courses. Each season is a long journey with many races. Drivers earn points based on how well they finish.

The 2018 Racing Season

The 2018 season was a busy one, filled with speed and competition. It started in February and ended in November. Drivers raced all over the United States. The goal was to win races and collect enough points to make it to the championship playoffs.

Regular Season Races

The first part of the season was called the "regular season." It included 26 races. These races helped drivers earn points. Some races, like the Advance Auto Parts Clash and Can-Am Duel, were special exhibition events. They were exciting but did not count for championship points. The regular season ended with the Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard race.

The Playoff Challenge

After the regular season, the top drivers entered the "Cup Championship playoffs." This is where the competition got even more intense! Only the best drivers continued to race for the championship title. The playoffs had several rounds, with drivers getting eliminated after each one.

Round of 16

The playoffs began with 16 drivers. They competed in three races. The first playoff race was the South Point 400 in Las Vegas. After these three races, some drivers were eliminated. Only 12 drivers moved on to the next round.

Round of 12

The remaining 12 drivers then battled it out in three more races. These included races at tracks like Dover International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. After these races, the field was cut down again. Only 8 drivers were left to continue their championship quest.

Round of 8

With just 8 drivers left, the pressure was really on! They raced in three more events. These races were crucial for making it to the final round. Drivers pushed their cars to the limit at tracks such as Martinsville Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. By the end of this round, only four drivers remained.

Championship 4

The final four drivers competed in one last race: the Ford EcoBoost 400 in Homestead, Florida. The driver who finished highest among these four in that race became the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion! Joey Logano won the championship in 2018.

Images for kids

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  Joey Logano, the 2018 champion

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  Martin Truex Jr. finished 5 points behind Joey Logano, in second place.

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  Kevin Harvick finished 6 points behind Joey Logano, in third place.

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  Kyle Busch finished 7 points behind Joey Logano, in fourth place. Busch won the 2018 Regular Season title.

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  Kyle Busch leading late in the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway in April, a race he won.

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  Kevin Harvick leading on the first lap of the AAA 400 Drive for Autism at Dover International Speedway in May, a race he won.

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  Clint Bowyer leading during the final stage of the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway in July

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  Kyle Larson leading during the second stage of the Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in September

See also

In Spanish: Temporada 2018 de la Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series para niños