Kyle Larson takes Stage 2 win at Texas

Larson led 57 laps in the stage and beat Kevin Harvick to the line by 4.572-seconds. 

Ryan Blaney, Martin Truex Jr., Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth, Erik Jones and Austin Dillon completed the top 10. 

Brad Keselowski finished 14th. Playoff drivers Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson pitted late in the stage and finished 25th and 31st.

Hamlin led the field to green on Lap 91, but coming through Turns 3 and 4 the No. 11 Toyota slid up the track at Harvick took the lead. Larson, Logano, Truex, Blaney, Kurt Busch, Elliott, Kenseth, Hamlin and Austin Dillon rounded out the top 10. Before Harvick came through the backstretch, Suarez slid sideways out of Turn 2 and made contact with Kahne to trigger the second caution. 

The top 10 remained the same, Keselowski and Busch pitted during the caution and lined up 24th and 30th, respectively. 

Leader Harvick selected the inside lane when the race returned to green on Lap 99 but Larson cruised to the point by the third turn. Logano ran second followed by Blaney, Kurt Busch, A. Dillon, Truex, Hamlin, Elliott and Jones. Keselowski ran 23rd, Busch 28th and Johnson 31st.

After 10 laps with the lead, Larson’s advantage grew to 1.014-seconds over Harvick. Logano, Blaney, Kurt Busch, Dillon, Truex, Hamlin, Elliott, Jones, Kenseth, McMurray, Earnhardt, Bowyer and Almirola rounded out the top 15. 

Keselowski passed Michael McDowell to climb back in the top 20 on Lap 116. By Lap 120, Larson’s lead was 1.221-seconds over Harvick. Logano, Blaney, Kurt Busch, Truex, A.Dillon, Hamlin, Elliott and Jones completed the top10. Blaney passed Logano for third on Lap 123. Two laps later, Kurt Busch moved by Logano for fourth. 

On Lap 130, Larson put seven-time Texas winner Johnson down three laps, while enjoying a two-second lead over Harvick. Blaney ran third followed by Kurt Busch, Logano, Truex, Hamlin, Elliott, Kenseth and Dillon. Truex passed Logano for fifth on Lap 137. Dillon fell out of the top 10. 

Larson’s lead over Harvick was nearly 3.4-seconds when pits stops began on Lap 141. Logano came first followed by Hamlin, Truex, Bowyer. Logano received a speeding penalty and dropped to 27th. Larson pitted on Lap 144 with Jones, Blaney, Keselowski, Kurt Busch and Elliott. 

By Lap 150, Kenseth had led seven laps with Earnhardt, Kahne, Buescher and Larson in tow. Harvick ran sixth followed by McDowell, Blaney, Elliott, Truex, Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, A. Dillon and McMurray. On Lap 154, Larson and Harvick moved up to fourth and fifth, respectively after Buescher pitted. Kenseth relinquished the lead to Earnhardt on Lap 155 to pit.

Larson cycled back to the point on Lap 161 after Kahne pitted. Harvick, Blaney, Elliott, Truex Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Kenseth and Dillon rounded out the top 10. Keselowski ran 16th. Jimmie Johnson was mired two laps down in 28th. Kyle Busch pitted from eighth on Lap 164. Johnson pit on Lap 165 for fuel only.