Larson takes opening stage in Atlanta

A quick pitstop propelled Kyle Larson to an opening stage win in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Pole-sitter Aric Almirola held the dominant car early, only surrendering the lead once to Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. on the opening lap.

The driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang was uncontested during the race’s opening 35 laps.

A competition yellow on lap 35 brought the field down pit road. It was Larson who emerged ahead of Almirola as the leader with a quick pitstop from his Chip Ganassi Racing crew under the yellow. Larson entered the pits in third.

The driver of the No. 42 McDonalds Chevrolet Camaro cleared Almirola on the Lap 41 restart and drove uncontested for the duration of the stint, crossing the line nearly four seconds ahead of Kevin Harvick at the end of the 85-lap stage.

Harvick, who started 18th, was one of the biggest movers of the stage. He moved up to eighth by the competition yellow and a quick pit stop moved him up to fifth on the restart. The driver of the No. 4 Busch Beer Ford Mustang continued his march in the second stint and passed teammate Almirola for second on Lap 69.

Almirola ended the stage third, followed by Kurt Busch in fourth while Martin Truex, JR. completed the top five. Ryan Blaney finished stage 1 in sixth after starting 26th, followed by Team Penske teammate Joey Logano in seventh, Denny Hamlin in eighth, Stenhouse, JR. in ninth and Clint Bowyer in tenth.

Kyle Busch, who started at the rear due to crashing his primary car in practice yesterday, wasted no time in the back and was running 12th at the Lap 35 competition yellow. He restarted fifth but battled handling issues thought the final 44 laps and fell to 12th the by the end of the stage.