Truex cruises to Stage 1 win at Richmond
Martin Truex Jr., looking for his second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series playoff win, took the Stage 1 win at Richmond (Va.) Raceway.
Truex led 47 of the 100 laps and easily held off Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch by more than three seconds at the finish.
Brad Keselowski ended up third, Denny Hamlin was fourth and Kevin Harvick was fifth.
Keselowski, who started on the pole, ran out to an early advantage and after the first 20 laps he held a steady half-a-second lead over Harvick as Chase Elliott continued to run in third.
On Lap 22, Hamlin made his way around Elliott to take the third spot.
Hamlin went to the inside of Harvick and claimed the second position on Lap 29 as Harvick dropped to third.
With 60 laps remaining in the first stage, Keselowski was working furiously to hold off Hamlin while Truex had moved to third. Harvick was fourth and Kyle Busch ran fifth.
On Lap 45, Truex ran down and passed Hamlin in Turn 4 to move into the second position.
Truex went inside of a lapped car and passed Keselowski for the lead off Turn 2 on Lap 53.
After 60 laps, Truex had moved out to a 1.3-second lead over Keselowski as Hamlin ran third. Kyle Busch was fourth and Harvick fifth.
With 30 to go before the end of the stage, Truex’s lead over Keselowski had expanded to 2.4 seconds as Kyle Busch moved into third.
On Lap 72, Truex passed playoff contender Joey Logano and put him a lap down.
Kyle Busch passed Keselowski for second in Turn 3 of Lap 83.
With 10 laps remaining in the stage, Truex maintained a 4.9-second lead over Kyle Busch as Keselowski remained in third.
Bubba Wallace and J.J. Yeley both had to start the race from the rear of the field after both failed pre-race inspection on Saturday. Quin Houff also started from the rear for unapproved adjustments.
Previous article
Keselowski tops Harvick for Richmond Cup pole
Next article
Kyle Busch wins Stage 2 at Richmond; JGR sweeps top four
About this article
| Series | NASCAR Cup |
| Event | Richmond |
| Drivers | Martin Truex Jr. |
| Teams | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| Author | Jim Utter |
From the archive: Dale Earnhardt’s final Autosport interview
The death of Dale Earnhardt in the 2001 Daytona 500 shocked NASCAR to the core. At the Daytona 24 Hours, two weeks before his fatal accident, ‘The Intimidator’ shared his expectations of challenging for an eighth Cup title with JONATHAN INGRAM, in an article first published in the 15 February 2001 issue of Autosport magazine. Little did we know then what tragedy would unfold…
The lasting NASCAR legacy after Dale Earnhardt’s death
On February 18, 2001, seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Dale Earnhardt – the fearless ‘Intimidator’ – was in his element at Daytona International Speedway. While his own DEI team’s cars ran 1-2 towards the finish line, his famed #3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo was playing rear gunner to block any late runs from the chasing pack. As the cars tore through Turns 3 and 4 on that fateful final lap, Earnhardt maintained the strongarm tactics that encapsulated his persona… but his actions in those moments sadly proved to be his last.
Inspired by Pitbull, the “revolution” sweeping through NASCAR
The NASCAR Cup Series is changing. Whether it be the gradual morphing out the seasoned drivers of yesterday as the next generation step up, a radical calendar shake-up featuring more road courses than ever before and the prospect of an all-new car on the horizon, stock car racing’s highest level is nearing the end of a huge facelift.
The NASCAR storylines to watch out for in 2021
This weekend's Daytona 500 kickstarts a NASCAR Cup season that promises plenty of intrigue courtesy of new owners and a refreshed calendar. Here's what you need to know ahead of the new season…
Why Kyle Larson can't blow his big shot at redemption
From a disgraced NASCAR exile, Kyle Larson has been given a chance of redemption by the powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports squad. Effectively replacing seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson is no easy billing, but Larson has every intention of repaying the team's faith...
Why Roger Penske is an American motorsport icon
In this exclusive one-on-one interview, Roger Penske reveals the inner drive that has made him not only a hugely successful team owner and businessman but also the owner of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar. He spoke to David Malsher-Lopez.
Why NASCAR's latest second-generation champion is just getting started
Chase Elliott's late charge to the 2020 NASCAR Cup title defied predictions that it would be a Kevin Harvick versus Denny Hamlin showdown. While the two veterans are showing no signs of slowing down, Elliott's triumph was a window into NASCAR's future…
Why Kyle Larson deserves his second chance in a cancel culture
“You can’t hear me? Hey n*****” Those fateful words uttered by Kyle Larson, spoken into his esports headset on April 12, were directed at his sim racing spotter – but instead they quickly became amplified around the world via social media, including his own Twitch stream.
