Chase Elliott leads Hendrick 1-2-3 in Talladega Stage 2

A late surge propelled Chase Elliott to the win in the Geico 500’s second stage.

The race's second 55 lap stage began with Daniel Suarez taking the lead on pit road ahead of Alex Bowman. Bowman took the lead from Suarez with teammates Elliott and Byron rearing him the next seven leps.

Chase Elliott leads Hendrick 1-2-3 in Talladega Stage 2

A late surge propelled Chase Elliott to the win in the Geico 500’s second stage.

The race's second 55 lap stage began with Daniel Suarez taking the lead on pit road ahead of Alex Bowman. Bowman took the lead from Suarez with teammates Elliott and Byron rearing him the next seven leps.

Brad Keselowski pounced on Lap 67 and took the lead for the first time in the stage but soon relinquished it to teammate Joey Logano on Lap 70.

The third Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney joined the fight and swapped the lead with Logano and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch the next seven laps. That opened the door for former Talladega winner Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. to challenge and take the lead on Lap 78.

Stenhouse kept Keselowski and Busch at bay the next 13 laps as the full fleet of Chevrolets opted to pit on Lap 84.

The pit cycle continued Stenhouse bringing a handful of others down pit road with 20 to go. That put Busch back on the point for two laps before he pitted on Lap 92.

Busch's stop moved Stenhouse back to the front with 18 laps remaining in the stage.

Stenhouse only enjoyed two more laps in front as Chase Elliott surged past on Lap 94 with a push from teammate Bowman and Keselowski.

Elliott held the lead for the next 16 laps to take the stage win ahead of Bowman. Completed in the top five were William Byron, Ryan Blaney and Austin Dillon.

Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Kyle Larson and Kurt Busch finished sixth and seventh ahead of Daniel Hemric in eighth and Logano and Busch completed the top five.

Read More