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Kyle Busch dominates Stage 1, title rivals hit with speeding penalties

Kyle Busch led 78 laps en route to his 12th stage win of 2017.

Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Logan Whitton / NKP / Motorsport Images

Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Busch extended his advantage to 3.5-seconds over Kevin Harvick at the line to win Stage 1 of the Tales of the Turtles 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. He lapped all but 13 cars after the first 80 laps.

“It feels really nice,” Busch said. “It feels good to be up front, hopefully we can stay up there….the biggest thing will be keeping up with the race track.”

Chase Elliott finished third followed by Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Larson, Daniel Suarez and Martin Truex Jr.

Three Toyotas — Kyle Busch, Hamlin and Truex led the field to green and blocked out Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski as the polesitter extended his lead at the front followed by Truex and Hamlin.

Erik Jones and Timmy Hill started from the rear of the field due to unapproved tire changes. After four laps, Jones raced up to 28th.

Busch led the first five laps followed by Truex, Hamlin, Harvick, Elliott, Logano, Keselowski, Kenseth, Austin Dillon and Kyle Larson. Harvick passed Hamlin for third on Lap 9. Kenseth and Larson moved by Dillon.

Busch began lapping cars after 13 circuits. He had a two-second advantage over Truex by Lap 15. Harvick, Hamlin, Elliott, Logano, Keselowski, Kenseth, Larson and Dillon completed the top 10.

After 20 laps, the top 10 remained the same with Blaney running 11th after contact with a lapped car. Jimmie Johnson ran 12th followed by Daniel Suarez, Kurt Busch, Jamie McMurray, Clint Bowyer, Danica Patrick, Kasey Kahne, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Stenhouse slid into the Turn 2 wall on Lap 25 and started falling through the field.

By Lap 30, Busch maintained a two-second lead over Truex and had lapped 11 cars. Stenhouse came to pit road and dropped to 36th. Following a commitment line violation — and a second pit stop on Lap 32 — he fell to 40th.

Johnson moved up to 11th by Lap 35 followed by Suarez, Blaney, Kurt Busch, McMurray and Bowyer.

Johnson and Truex were the first two playoff drivers to pit on Lap 38. Truex received a speeding penalty. Kenseth, Harvick, Larson, Earnhardt and Bayne came on the next lap. Keselowski, Kahne, Austin Dillon, McMurray, Kurt Busch, Elliott and Suarez pitted on Lap 40 and 41. Dillon received a speeding penalty and dropped to 26th. Truex served his penalty on Lap 42 and fell to 16th.

Kyle Busch relinquished the lead to Landon Cassill when he and Hamlin pitted on Lap 45.
On Lap 48, Busch cycled back to the lead followed by Harvick, Cassill, Elliott, Hamlin Logano, Keselowski, Kenseth, Larson and Johnson.

Busch held the point on Lap 50 followed by Harvick, Elliott, Hamlin, Cassill, Logano, Keselowski, Kenseth, Larson, Johnson, Suarez, McMurray, Truex, Blaney and Kurt Busch.

With 20 laps remaining, Busch’s lead was 3.389-seconds — and only 16 cars remained in the lead lap — Harvick, Elliott, Hamlin, Logano, Keselowski, Larson, Johnson, Suarez, McMurray, Truex, Kurt Busch, Bowyer, Blaney and Kahne remained on the lead lap. 1

Busch lapped Kahne then Blaney on Lap 66. He moved to a four-second lead over Harvick with 200 laps remaining.

Busch’s advantage was 4.5-seconds with 10 laps to determine the stage. Harvick held onto second followed by Elliott, Hamlin, Logano, Keselowski, Kenseth, Larson, Suarez, Johnson, Truex, McMurray, Busch and Bowyer.

Busch lapped Bowyer on Lap 71 to leave 13 cars on the lead lap.

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