NASCAR Playoffs at Martinsville: First Data 500 highlights, stage results

The Round of 8 begins from NASCAR’s oldest and shortest track, and we keep you in the loop with live highlights and stage results.

Racing at Martinsville Speedway is always interesting, but how about when the stakes are even higher than normal? That’s definitely the case for the First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway, the opening event of the Round of 8 for the 2018 NASCAR Playoffs.

The eight drivers who remained in contention for the NASCAR Cup Series title started the afternoon scattered all over the field on Sunday afternoon. Kyle Busch won the pole and had Clint Bowyer right beside him, but Kevin Harvick and Chase Elliott were outside the top 10 and Martin Truex Jr., already not known for his short track acumen, had to start near the back thanks to trouble with pre-race inspection.

That could lead to more impatience than usual, though this particular race tends to generate its fair share of hot tempers on its own. Just ask Elliott and Denny Hamlin for a reminder.

Stage 1

Kyle Bush had little trouble shooting off to a nice gap over the rest of the field during the first few laps. Some tight racing between non-playoff drivers was highlighted by a battle between Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson, and it wasn’t long before Kyle Busch, Hamlin and Bowyer were slicing through lapped traffic.

On lap 32, Hamlin got by the 18 to take over the lead, and Bowyer was closing in on the pole-sitter as well.

The first caution flag of the afternoon arrived thanks to a one-car incident as Jeb Burton got into the wall in the 51. Kyle Busch recaptured P1 in the pits, with Joey Logano beside him in second.

A second caution flag flew with just under 60 laps to go in the stage. This time it was Jimmie Johnson going around, luckily not getting into the wall or taking out any other cars in the process.

Most drivers did not return to the pits this time, meaning Kyle Busch and Logano were in the top two spots again on the restart. Elliott quickly made his way into the top 10 as well, making a pass to take over ninth position.

There was a battle up front as well, with Hamlin regaining the lead by passing his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate. He stayed in front the rest of the way, meaning no one gained the bonus playoff point for winning the stage.

Stage 1 results

1. Denny Hamlin
2. Joey Logano
3. Kyle Busch
4. Clint Bowyer
5. Kurt Busch
6. Ryan Newman
7. Martin Truex Jr.
8. Ryan Blaney
9. Kevin Harvick
10. Aric Almirola

At Martinsville, there can be some contact even on pit road, and that was the case for Bowyer, how smacked into William Byron hard and sent the 24 around. The damage to Bowyer’s right-front did not look significant, however.

Stage 2

Logano jumped out in front at the beginning of Stage 2, driving clear of the field within the first few laps. Meanwhile, Truex was in a hurry to continue moving forward, making contact with Bowyer and also hitting the curb a bit as well.

A relatively uneventful stage turned exciting late, with Hamlin closing to within striking distance of Logano in the final three laps. With Jimmie Johnson making their battle even more complicated, Logano barely held off the hard-charging 11 to claim an important stage victory.

Stage 2 results

1. Joey Logano
2. Denny Hamlin
3. Kyle Busch
4. Martin Truex Jr.
5. Kurt Busch
6. Ryan Newman
7. Chase Elliott
8. Clint Bowyer
9. AJ Allmendinger
10. Brad Keselowski

Final Stage

Once again, Logano executed superbly on the restart and opened up a comfortable lead on Hamlin and the Busch brothers.

However, as the race approached the final 150 laps, it was Truex, trying to break his long streak of short track futility, who had moved to within a few tenths of the 22. On lap 360, Truex finally pulled off the pass, though not without a slight bit of bumping to pull it off.

Shortly thereafter, Byron went around to bring out a caution, and the specter of weather approaching also became a looming factor …

Truex and Logano came out of the pits 1-2, and on the restart, Truex got going faster while Logano got a bump in the rear from Aric Almirola. But that was only a temporary setback for Logano, who roared back to the lead and passed the 78 without too much trouble.

Shortly thereafter, the 66 of Timmy Hill burst into flames and the driver had to quickly abandon the car after pulling it over on pit road. Coming so soon after the previous caution, the lead lap cars weren’t expected to return to the pits.

More trouble followed not long after, this time for Kyle Larson. Already eliminated for the playoffs, his miserable fall continued as his No. 42 Chevrolet went up in smoke.

The ensuing round of pit stops brought a new car into the mix: the 2 of Brad Keselowski, which had been consistently improving all day long. He got out to a lead of almost two seconds over Logano, who had his hands full with Kyle Busch.

Even after pulling away from the 18, Logano was under heavy pressure from Hamlin, who raced him side by side on the inside lane for lap after lap. Right after Hamlin worked past Logano, Bowyer went around, bringing out a caution with 44 to go.

That turned out to be a boon for Logano, as his pit crew got him back out in front. Keselowski and Kyle Busch ended up tussling with each other for second, though Brad K. prevailed and set out to hunt down his teammate.

With 10 to go, Truex pulled even with and passed the 2 of Keselowski, and he proceeded to chase Logano through lapped traffic with seven laps remaining. After bumping into the 22 several times, Truex was in front when the white flag flew. But turnabout is fair play, and on the final lap, Logano used a bit if bumper to get Truex turned partially sideways and beat him to the checkered flag in a thrilling finish

With his second win of the season, Logano became the first driver to be locked into the Championship 4, somewhat surprisingly earning a chance to race for the title at Homestead.