Truex wins hectic first stage at Martinsville

Truex led 37 of 130 laps. Denny Hamlin was second followed by Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Jimmie Johnson, Austin Dillon and Clint Bowyer.

Polesitter Larson led the field to the green. He began lapping traffic on Lap 21. Two laps later, Keselowski passed Larson for the point. Martin Truex Jr. moved to second on Lap 29. Logano moved to third on the next lap with Jamie McMurray and Larson rounding out the top five.

At 30 laps, Keselowski led followed by Truex, Logano, Jamie McMurray, Larson, Blaney, Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick, Hamlin and Bowyer.

The first caution was called on Lap 70 when Ricky Stenhouse Jr. spun entering Turn 4 after contact with Paul Menard.

“He pulled down in front of me and checked up,” Menard said.

Keselowski led the cars into the pits on Lap 72, but the line up changed dramatically following pit stops. Penalties included speeding for Keselowski, Trevor Bayne and Michael McDowell, crewmen over the wall too soon for Logano.

When the race restarted on Lap 75, Truex had inherited the lead followed by Hamlin, Elliott, Harvick, Johnson, Kyle Busch, Kasey Kahne, McMurray, Larson, Bowyer and Kurt Busch. Keselowski, who had led 48 laps, restarted at the rear of the field.

NASCAR warned of a left-rear tire rub on McMurray’s car on Lap 100, however he stayed out but paid the price on Lap 106 when he spun into the Turn 3 wall. Hamlin was out front at the time followed by Kyle Busch, Truex, Elliott, Blaney, Johnson, Harvick, Bowyer and Earnhardt.

On the Lap 117 restart, Truex, Johnson, Keselowski and Ty Dillon stayed out while the other lead lappers pitted. Five laps later, contact between the Nos. 21 and 88 cars sent Earnhardt spinning on the back stretch — and ignited the third caution. Truex led at the restart followed by Keselowski, Hamlin, Johnson and Kyle Busch. Hamlin passed Keselowski for second two laps later. Busch moved to third before the segment ended.

Twenty-seven cars remained on the lead lap when the race returned to green on Lap 141.