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Denny Hamlin takes Stage 2 win in one-lap shootout at Kansas

Denny Hamlin gambled and won the second stage in the Hollywood Casino 400 on Sunday.

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Images

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Jimmie Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

A late-stage caution with five to go in the segment set up for a one-lap shoot out with 10-points on the line at Kansas Speedway. Hamlin stayed out on the track and held the point by .640-seconds over Kevin Harvick for his third stage win of the season.

Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Erik Jones, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott and Jimmie Johnson completed the top 10.

Kyle Busch retained the lead out of the pits to start the second stage on Lap 87. Harvick ran second followed by Blaney, Kenseth, Hamlin, Johnson, Elliott, Mcmurray, Truex, Kahne, Keselowski, Bowyer, Newman, Austin Dillon, Aric Almirola, Trevor Bayne, Erik Jones, Joey Logano, Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Busch pulled out with Harvick in tow. Hamlin dropped to eighth after two laps. McMurray passed Elliott for sixth.

Truex was running ninth when he developed a vibration on Lap 90 and was forced to pit with a loose right front wheel. The No. 78 Toyota dropped to 32nd, one lap down. On Lap 95, Busch’s lead was .537-seconds over Harvick. Blaney ran third followed by Kenseth, Johnson, McMurray, Elliott, Hamlin, Bowyer and Kahne.

Busch extended his lead to a second over Harvick after 100 laps. Blaney, Kenseth, McMurray, Johnson, Elliott, Hamlin, Bowyer and Kahne completed the top 10. Keselowski passed Kahne to return to the top 10.

Busch held a 1.5-second lead by Lap 110. Harvick continued in second followed by Blaney, Kenseth, McMurray, Elliott, Hamlin, Johnson, Bowyer and Keselowski. Stenhouse ran 17th. Truex remained 31st, but lost the lucky dog.

Hamlin moved passed Elliott for sixth by Lap 120. Johnson ran eight followed by Keselowski and Jones as green flag stops began. Earnhardt was the first to pit on Lap 124 followed by Bowyer and Newman on the next circuit. Bayne, Suarez. Kyle Busch handed the lead to McMurray on lap 128, then Keselowski took the point when the No. 1 pit on the next lap.

Keselowski continued to lead on Lap 130 followed by Kurt Busch, Danica Patrick, Paul Menard, Michael McDowell, Kyle Busch, Harvick, Blaney, Kenseth and Landon Cassill.

Harvick reported a loose wheel while running fourth on Lap 136. Paul Menard and Kurt Busch pitted on Lap 139. Keselowski held the point with an 18.738-second lead over Kyle Busch, Harvick, Patrick, Blaney, Kenseth, McDowell, Bowyer, McMurray, Elliott, Hamlin, Johnson, Truex, Jones, Newman and Earnhardt.

Keselowski finally pitted on Lap 143 and Kyle Busch cycled out to the lead. Harvick continued to run second followed by Blaney, Kenseth, Mcmurray, Bowyer, Elliott, Hamlin, Johnson, Jones, Newman, Earnhardt, Austin Dillon, Truex, Kahne, Suarez, Stenhouse, Keselowski, Almirola and Kurt Busch. Jones passed Johnson for ninth on Lap 147.

With 10 laps to decide the stage, Busch’s lead was 1.189-second over Harvick. Blaney, Kenseth, McMurray, Bowyer, Elliott, Hamlin, Jones and Johnson completed the top 10. Earnhardt ran 11th with Newman, Austin Dillon, Kahne, Keselowski, Truex, Suarez, Stenhouse, Kurt Busch and Almirola in tow.

With five laps remaining, Brett Moffitt blew a tire and hit the Turn 2 wall to trigger the fourth caution. Hamlin, Johnson, Keselowski and Stenhouse remained on the track while Kyle Busch, Harvick, Kenseth, Blaney, Jones, McMurray, Elliott, Austin Dillon, Clint Bowyer, Kahne, Earnhardt and Truex pitted.

The race returned to green with one lap to decide the stage. Hamlin shot out to the lead with Keselowski down low. Harvick swept around to the outside to pick up second as Hamlin won the stage.

“We had a good chance to get a lot of points there,” Hamlin said before finding out he was busted for speeding while pitting on Lap 163. Keselowski was also penalized.

“We got a speeding penalty here, so we’ll have to restart a little further back than we thought.

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