MORE: Full Stage 2 results
Defending race winner Martin Truex Jr. won his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series-leading 17th stage of the season when his No. 78 Furnture Row Racing Toyota led after Stage 2 ended on Lap 200 in the Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.
Truex Jr. took the lead on Lap 179 and was not challenged for the lead the remainder of the stage. Stage 2 ended under caution when the yellow flag came out on Lap 196 for a spin by the No. 83 Toyota of Gray Gaulding.
Denny Hamlin finished second in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Kevin Harvick, Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch rounded out the top five.
Daniel Suarez’s No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota suffered damage when the right front tire went down on Lap 124. He did not return to the race.
Another caution came on Lap 155 when the No. 47 Chevrolet of AJ Allmendinger and the No. 32 Ford of Matt DiBenedetto collided in Turn 1. Cody Ware’s No. 51 Chevrolet also suffered damage.
Stage 3 is scheduled to end on Lap 367.
MORE: Full Stage 1 results
Martin Truex Jr. won his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series-leading 16th stage of the season when his No. 78 Furnture Row Racing Toyota led after Stage 1 ended on Lap 100 in the Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.
Truex Jr. zoomed past Kyle Larson’s No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet at the start/finish line to secure the stage win.
Larson finished second. Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top five.
Trouble from “The Lady in Black” hit several cars early, most significantly knocking Clint Bowyer out of the race on Lap 20 after his No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford suffered mechanical problems that necessitated it being towed to the garage.
Additionally, Ryan Blaney went down two laps early when he smacked into the outside wall with his No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford and had to come to pit road on Lap 7 to fix a tire rub.
Two cautions were from damage to the No. 6 Ford of Trevor Bayne, the No. 47 Chevrolet of AJ Allmendinger and the No. 17 Ford of Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Stage 2 ends on Lap 200. Stage 3 is scheduled to end on Lap 367.
