Harvick remains untouchable in Stage 2 at Atlanta

Ryan Newman, Martin Truex Jr and Kyle Larson rounded out the top five.

Harvick led the field to the line and relinquished the point just twice — to Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski. The race smoothed out to single file in the early laps.

On Lap 116, Keselowski pitted from second-place with Harvick in the lead. Harvick had extended his advantage to 1.5-seconds when the No. 2 Ford pit. Keselowski dropped to 17th.

Two laps later, Joey Logano pitted from fifth-place. He received a drive-thru penalty for speeding and cycled out to 26th, two laps down.

Truex pitted on Lap 125 along with Clint Bowyer and Danica Patrick. One Lap later, Larson, Newman, Bayne and Stenhouse came to pit road. Austin Dillon led the next group of pit stops on Lap 127, along with Jamie McMurray, Kasey Kahne, Denny Hamlin, Jamie McMurray and Kurt Busch.

Kevin Harvick pitted from the lead on Lap 128 along with Matt Kensth and Kyle Busch. Jimmie Johnson led his first circuit on Lap 128 then pitted on Lap 130. He received a speeding penalty in Section 14 — and was black-flagged. Johnson dropped to 18th, one lap down.

Keselowski assumed the point on Lap 130. When the cars cycled out from pit stops, Harvick moved up to second followed by Chase Elliott, Newman, Truex and Larson. Austin Dillon, Denny Hamlin, Erik Jones and Trevor Bayne rounded out the top 10.

Keselowski pitted from the lead on Lap 143. He was the second car, one lap down, in 17th-place. He moved into the lucky dog on Lap 149 and raced Harvick for his lap back at the line on Lap 150. He was 15th. Keselowski passed Joey Logano for 14th.

Harvick lapped Joey Logano on Lap 155 and extended his lead over Elliott by nearly five seconds. On fresh tires, Keselowski moved up through the field finally reaching eighth on Lap 160 when Hamlin pitted. Hamlin fell to 21st, two laps down. He reported a broken track bar mount, then retired to the garage at the end of the segment. Hamlin was scored 37th after completing 168 laps.

On Lap 161, Harvick’s lead was 5.1-seconds over Elliott followed by Newman, Truex, McMurray, Austin Dillon, Erik Jones and Keselowski.

With two laps remaining in the segment, Harvick lapped Ricky Stenhouse Jr., to leave 12 cars on the lead lap.

Austin Dillon, Keselowski, Jones, Clint Bowyer, Trevor Bayne, Jamie McMurray and Kurt Busch rounded out the top 12 drivers.