The 2018 NASCAR year in review

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup series season kicked off in February with a bang at Daytona, as Austin Dillon held off Darrell Wallace Jr., who was making his first start in the famed Florida race. Dillon needed overtime  to win Daytona for the first time , and he paid homage to idol and family friend Dale Earnhardt when it was done. However, this would be the only 2018 victory for the grandson of Richard Childress.

It wasn't a long one. Danica Patrick's final NASCAR race came in this year's Daytona 500 but was over by the 102nd lap when she was involved in a multicar crash. It obviously was not the way to end a stock car career for Partrick, who earned seven top-10 finishes and won the love of Aaron Rodgers.

Nor rain, nor snow — yes, snow — could keep Clint Bowyer from finally returning to Victory Lane. Bowyer snapped a 190-race winless drought by holding off Kyle Busch to win March's STP 500 at Martinsville. The race was postponed to Monday because of heavy snow in the area of the Virginia track. 

It took two days to finish, but one of the more exciting races of the early Cup season came at the famed Bristol track in mid-April. Rain halted action for good on Sunday, but things picked up a day later in one of the more competitive races of the campaign. Kyle Busch would eventually get by Kyle Larson late in the race en route to his second consecutive victory.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. traded in his racing gloves for baby wipes following the April 30 birth of daughter Isla Rose. Earnhardt, who officially retired from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup series after the 2017 season, spoke openly about his excitement and eagerness to be a father. Isla was born the day after what would have been her late grandpa Dale Earnhardt's 67th birthday.

NASCAR stars Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick could not have gotten off to better starts in 2018. They probably could have, but we'd like to see it. Beginning in late February at Atlanta, Harvick won three straight races. Not to be outdone, Busch earned his own trifecta during an impressive April run of his own. Through the first 13 races of the season, Busch and Harvick combined to win nine times.

One of the most anticipated storylines heading into the 2018 season was NASCAR and premier Cup series sponsor Monster Energy coming together on a contract extension. That happened in early April when NASCAR announced it renewed Monster Energy's deal as Cup sponsor through the 2019 season. Whether ME has a good chance to remain in that position following 2019 remains uncertain.

It was a long time coming for Joey Logano, who was in the midst of a 36-race winless drought when it was time for the GEICO 500 at Talladega in late April. It was not one of the cleanest races of the season, with plenty of penalties and wrecks to make for a frustrating event. However, when the dust settled, Logano was back in Victory Lane after holding off Kurt Busch.

After A.J. Allmendinger won the Monster Energy Open exhibition and Chase Elliott was once again the fans' choice, Kevin Harvick continued his hot start by winning the always popular All-Star Race in May at Charlotte. Harvick bested Daniel Suarez in a two-lap shootout for his second All-Star victory.

Kyle Busch's victory at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte in late May was not only his fourth of the season, but it also had some historical significance. With the win, Busch became the first driver to claim a title at every track he's raced in during the Cup series. At the time, it was Busch's 47th Cup victory on 23 different tracks.

NASCAR still seems like a fan-friendly sport, and dedication to a driver is something that should be witnessed firsthand. However, 2018 — at least the first half — continued to tell the story of the sport's decline in attendance and viewership. According to ESPN in August, there was a revenue decrease of almost 15 percent in admissions for the 14 races following the Daytona 500. There was a reported 20 percent drop in television ratings for the first 16 events.

We know stock car racing is losing fans at a somewhat steady rate, and Brian France did not help matters when he was arrested in the Hamptons for DWI in early August. The NASCAR CEO and chairman announced he would take a leave of absence from his role after driving while intoxicated and in possession of several oxycodone pills.  

Hours after Brian France announced his leave following a DWI arrest, his uncle Jim France stepped in as NASCAR CEO and chairman on an interim basis. One of the more popular members of the famed France family when it comes to his relationship with the drivers, France is a co-owner of NASCAR with niece Lisa France Kennedy.

Near the end of August, Front Row Motorsports, home to Cup drivers David Ragan and Michael McDowell, bought a majority of the assets from bankrupt BK Racing. Front Row paid $2.08 million, reportedly besting GMS Racing for the opportunity to field a third car.

In one of the most headline-grabbing stories off the track, Furniture Row Racing announced in early September that it would cease operation following the 2018 season. That means NASCAR star and 2017 Cup champion Martin Truex Jr. needs a new ride for next season. The loss of 5-Hour Energy as a sponsor didn't help matters for FRR.  

While Brad Keselowski rode a dramatic finish at the Brickyard to claim his first victory at the legendary Indianapolis-area track, Kyle Busch was also celebrating following the conclusion of September's Big Machine Vodka 400. Busch finished eighth, but he won the regular-season championship over Kevin Harvick.

Kasey Kahne knew this summer his NASCAR career was nearing an end, though not as soon as he originally intended. The 38-year-old Kahne, who in August said he'd retire following this season, announced in October that his retirement would come immediately due to health issues that included a bout with severe dehydration. The 2004 Rookie of the Year won 18 races during his career. 

In a move that became official earlier this month but had been expected for some time, Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Martin Truex Jr. and his crew chief, Cole Pearn, will join one of NASCAR's top teams. Truex and Pearn make up one of the most successful duos in the sport, having won more than 15 races since their relationship began in 2015.

Kevin Harvick's push toward a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup title took a severe hit following his playoff victory at the AAA Texas 500 on Nov. 4. After a postrace inspection, it was discovered that the spoiler on Harvick's car had been altered. Harvick was docked 40 points in the chase and crew chief Rodney Childers received a two-race suspension. It was the beginning of what would become a disappointing month for the Harvick camp. 

Stepping away from the big boys for a moment, Brett Moffitt capped a stellar season with his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship. Moffitt won six times in 2018, including the final two races of the playoffs, to give Hattori Racing Enterprises a  historic first NASCAR title of any kind.

Tyler Reddick opened the NASCAR Xfinity Series with a victory and ended the campaign the same way — and with a bigger prize. In his first full season racing in the series, the 22-year-old Reddick won the opener at Daytona but struggled at times during the season before taking the playoff finale at Miami to claim the 2018 championship. 

While all the attention was focused on NASCAR's Big Three of Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr., it was Joey Logano who was crowned champion of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup series when all was said and done. One year after missing the playoffs and winning just once during the regular season, Logano claimed a seemingly improbable series title over the weekend with a victory at the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Miami. 

Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch finished second, third, and fourth, respectively, at Sunday's Monster Energy NASCAR Cup season finale. In the end the trio had nothing to show for their strong seasons, as Joey Logano won at Miami to claim the overall championship. Busch and Harvick each won eight races this season and were dominant early. Defending champion Truex, meanwhile, led Sunday's race late before being overtaken by Logano.

It was a rough season for both Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin. When the book closed on the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup season Sunday in Miami, Johnson and Hamlin each ended their respective campaigns without a victory for the first time ever. Johnson hasn't won since June 2017, while Hamlin's last triumph came in September of the same year.

With Sunday's 14th-place finish at Homestead, clean-shaven Jimmie Johnson's disappointing season finally came to an end. So, too, was the end of Johnson's 17-year run with crew chief Chad Knaus. The seven-time NASCAR champ will remain with Hendrick Motorsports, as will Knaus, who will take on 2018 Rookie of the Year William Byron as his driver next season. With Lowe's no longer a NASCAR sponsor, Johnson will turn to Ally Financial in 2019.