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Brad Keselowski wins first stage of Talladega Cup race

Brad Keselowski won Stage 1 at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday by 0.144-seconds over Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Brad Keselowski, Team Penske Ford

Brad Keselowski, Team Penske Ford

John Harrelson / NKP / Motorsport Images

Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Trevor Bayne, Joey Logano, Paul Menard, Danica Patrick, Ryan Blaney and Erik Jones rounded out the top 10.

The debris is so heavy, you’re dodging mind fields,” Keselowski said. “But I want to be up front either way.”

Stenhouse led the field to green in the Geico 500. His 13 laps led were the most time he’s spent at the point in 2017. Prior to Sunday’s race, Stenhouse had not led a lap.

Brad Keselowski took the lead on Lap 14 after Stenhouse’s car began overheating. He radioed to his crew that the oil temperature had escalated to 270-degrees. Prior to completing the lap, Kyle Larson, who was running in the eighth position, slammed into the wall on the backstretch. Larson cut a tire before completing the next lap to trigger the first caution on the race on Lap 16.

Keselowski led the field to pit road followed by Kevin Harvick, Logano, Elliott, Kyle Busch, Ryan Blaney, Clint Bowyer, Erik Jones, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Aric Almirola.

Bowyer was first off of pit road with Harvick, Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Logano, Blaney, Elliott, Truex, Kurt Busch, Bayne, Jones, Kenseth, Daniel Suarez, Earnhardt and Austin Dillon rounding out the top 20. The No. 10 team worked on Danica Patrick’s car after she sustained damage from running into the back of David Ragan.

Stenhouse restarted 21st out of the 36 cars remaining on the lead lap when the race returned to green on Lap 21. Three laps later, Harvick took the lead for one circuit before Bowyer passed him again. With a push from Truex, Kyle Busch to the lead on Lap 28. Blaney lined up with Keselowski to move Keselowski back to the point on Lap 34.

With 10 laps remaining in the segment, Fords held the top-six positions: Keselowski led followed by Blaney, Kurt Busch, Bowyer, Stenhouse, Logano, Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and Jimmie Johnson.

Keselowski continued to lead with five laps remaining with Logano, Stenhouse, Austin Dillion and Blaney behind.

On Lap 52, Denny Hamlin came to pit road service. One lap later, Suarez and Kenseth pitted ahead of the pack. Keselowski’s 26 laps were the most led in the first segment but said his handling went away at the end of the run.

NASCAR penalized Kenseth and Suarez for pitting when the pit road was closed (Lap 53, two laps prior to the end of the stage). The drivers will start at the rear of the field.

Kenseth lost one lap, coming in under caution with a flat tire.

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