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Chase Elliott wins Stage 2 as loose wheel puts Kyle Busch behind

Chase Elliott won Stage 2 at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday.

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Barry Cantrell / NKP / Motorsport Images

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

The No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports pit crew offered an assist for Elliott to capture his third stage win of 2017. He led 36 laps and established a .706-second lead over Kevin Harvick at the line.

“It’s still early, so we’ll see,” Elliott said. “That was a good pit stop by the guys. Hopefully, we’ll be there when it counts.”

Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth and Jamie McMurray rounded out the top 10 with 13 drivers on the lead lap.

The leaders pitted on Lap 83 between the stages. Kyle Busch — who started the playoffs with the No. 19 pit crew — exited first followed by Harvick, Hamlin, Elliott, Logano, Keselowski, Kenseth, Larson, Suarez, McMurray, Johnson, Busch, Truex and Bowyer. Paul Menard and Landon Cassill remained on the track and returned to the lead lap.

Truex returned to pit road on Lap 84 with loose lug nuts.

The race returned to green on Lap 88. Harvick, who told the No. 4 crew he found something at the end of the stage, motored around Kyle Busch on the first lap to take the lead. Elliott, Keselowski, Hamlin, Larson, Logano, Kurt Busch, McMurray, Suarez, Kenseth, Johnson, Truex, Bowyer, Menard and Cassill followed.

After five laps, Harvick held a one-second lead over Busch with Elliott, Keselowski, Hamlin, Larson, Logano, Kurt Busch, McMurray and Suarez in tow.

Kyle Busch reported a loose tire on Lap 94 and actually had a right rear going flat. He pit on Lap 96, but the pit crew (gasman) came over the wall too soon and Busch was forced to return to pit road again, on Lap 102. Erik Jones, who slapped the wall, also came in for service. Busch lost two laps and dropped to 30th.

Meanwhile, Harvick’s lead over Elliott was 2.14-seconds on Lap 100. Keselowski ran third followed by Keselowski, Hamlin, Larson, Logano, Kurt Busch, McMurray, Suarez, Kenseth, Truex, Johnson, Bowyer, Menard and Cassill.

Harvick’s lead was cut to 1.6 seconds by Elliott over the next 10 laps. Keselowski ran 4.476-seconds back. Hamlin was fourth followed by Larson, Logano, Kurt Busch, McMurray, Suarez, Truex, Kenseth, Johnson, Bowyer and Cassill. Menard pitted one lap earlier and dropped to 27th, two laps off the pace. On fresh tires, Kyle Busch was able to gain a lap and ran 26th.

Elliott closes in to .361-seconds over Harvick by Lap 120. Kenseth started the next round of stops. He pitted on Lap 122 with Bowyer and Aric Almirola. Truex, Kasey Kahne and Allmendinger came for service on the next lap.

Harvick led the next group on pit road on Lap 123 after leading 35 laps. Elliott, Larson, Logano, McMurray, Blaney and Suarez followed. Elliott passed Harvick off of pit road.

Keselowski led a lap then pitted on Lap 124 with Hamlin took the point then relinquished the lead to come to pit road.

Elliott gained the lead on Lap 125 followed by Harvick, Larson, Keselowski, Truex, Logano, Hamllin, Kurt Busch, Kenseth, McMurray, Suarez, Johnson and Bowyer after the field cycled out.

With 20 laps remaining, Elliott’s lead was 1.287-seconds over Harvick. Larson ran third, Keselowski and Truex rounded out the top five. On Lap 147, Truex passed Keselowski for fourth. Hamlin ran sixth followed by Logano, Kurt Busch, Kenseth and McMurray.

On Lap 150, Harvick cut Elliott’s lead to .828-seconds. Larson, Truex and Keselowski completed the top five with 13 cars on the lead lap. Truex moved by Larson on Lap 152. With five laps to decide the stage, Elliott extended his lead by 1.3-seconds over Harvick.

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