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Harvick dominates Stage 2 at Charlotte, Kyle Busch crashes

Kevin Harvick made a clean sweep of the first two stages at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday.

Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

Lesley Ann Miller / Motorsport Images

Harvick’s lead was 1.556-seconds over Chase Elliott in the second segment of the Bank of America 500. Matt Kenseth, Martin Truex Jr., Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Blaney and Jamie McMurray completed the top 10. 

This was Harvick’s fifth stage win of 2017. 

“Everyone has done a good job on the Jimmy John’s car to keep it up front,” Harvick said. "We’ve adjusted on it every time."

Harvick led the 28 cars on the lead lap to the pits on Lap 93. McMurray was the first driver off of pit road. He led the field to the start of Stage 2 — leading his first circuits since Sonoma. Kyle Busch was second followed by Harvick, Larson, Kesenth, Elliott, Johnson, Suarez, Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Austin Dillon, Keselowski, Kahne, Blaney, Truex, Allmendinger, Menard, Chris Buescher and Dale Earnhardt Jr. 

Kyle Busch passed the No. 1 Chevy for the lead on Lap 98. Two laps later, Busch led Harvick followed by Larson, McMurray, Elliott, Johnson, Kurt Busch, Hamlin, Austin Dillon, Truex, Suarez, Keselowski, Blaney and Almirola.

Busch’s lead was .416-seconds over Harvick by Lap 110. Larson, Elliott, Kenseth, McMurray, Kurt Busch, Johnson, Hamlin and Truex rounded out the top 10. Busch passed McMurray for sixth on the next lap. Austin Dillon ran 11th followed by Blaney, Keselowski, Suarez, Almirola, Kahne, Stenhouse, Menard, Earnhardt and Allmendinger.

Michael McDowell spun in Turn 2 on Lap 115 to trigger the fourth caution. Busch continued to lead followed by Harvick, Larson, Elliott, Kenseth, Kurt Busch, McMurray, Johnson, Truex, Hamlin, Austin Dillon, Blaney, Keselowski, Patrick, Almirola, Kahne, Stenhouse and Menard. 

After pit stops on Lap 116, Busch exited first followed by Harvick, Kenseth, Larson, Elliott, McMurray, Truex, Johnson, Kurt Busch, Hamlin, Blaney, Keselowski, Austin Dillon, Kahne, Allmendinger, Suarez and Stenhouse. 

The race returned to green on Lap 121, as the leaders came through Turn 2, McMurray became loose and slid up into the wall then dropped to 11th. Harvick regained the lead coming to the line followed by Kyle Busch, Kenseth, Larson, Elliott, Johnson, Kurt Busch, Truex, Blaney and Truex. McMurray passed Keselowski for 10th as Hamlin slid back to 12th. 

Kahne pitted on Lap 124 and dropped to 30th, one lap down.

Busch closed in on Harvick by Lap 131 with just .914-seconds separating the cars. Larson ran third followed by Kenseth, Elliott, Johnson, Kurt Busch, Truex, Blaney, McMurray, Hamlin, Keselowski, Suarez, Austin Dillon and Trevor Bayne, Almirola, Earnhardt, Stenhouse, Allmendinger and Buescher rounded out the top 20.

Kyle Busch hit the wall coming through Turn 4 on Lap 136 while chasing Harvick to ignite the fifth caution. He told his team the sensation felt similar to his practice wreck on Friday. Busch remained second coming to pit road followed by Larson, Kenseth, Elliott, Johnson, Kurt Busch, Truex, Blaney, McMurray, Hamlin, Keselowski, Suarez, Austin Dillon, Trevor Bayne, Almirola, Earnhardt, Stenhouse, Allmendinger and Ty Dillon. 

Harvick retained the lead off of pit road followed by Kenseth, Elliott, Truex, Hamlin, Johnson, Larson, Kurt Busch, McMurray, Blaney, Stenhouse, Austin Dillon, Almirola, Bayne and Allmendinger. Busch lined up 31st, one lap down.

Harvick’s lead was .413-seconds over Elliott after the first circuit following the Lap 141 restart. Kenseth settled into third followed by Truex, Larson, Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Johnson, Blaney and McMurray. 

By Lap 150, Harvick’s lead was 1.234-seconds over Elliott. Kenseth, Truex, Larson, Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Johnson, Blaney and McMurray completed the top 10. Kurt Busch passed Hamlin for sixth on Lap 156. Harvick lapped Kyle Busch on Lap 161 to put the No.18 two laps down (P32). 

Harvick had a two-second lead over Elliott by Lap 164. Kenseth continued in third followed by Truex, Kurt Busch, Larson, Hamlin, Johnson, Blaney and McMurray. Stenhouse, Austin Dillon, Keselowski, Almirola, Menard, Allmendinger, Buescher, Ty Dillon, Kahne and Earnhardt completed the top 20 after Bayne dropped to 22nd after slapping the Turn 4 wall. 

With 10 laps remaining in the stage, Harvick extended his lead to 3.137-seconds over Elliott, Kenseth ran third with Truex and Kurt Busch battling for fourth. Larson was sixth followed by Hamlin, Johnson, Blaney, McMurray, Stenhouse, Austin Dillon, Keselowski, Almirola and Menard.

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