Martin Truex Jr. completed the sweep of stage wins in Sunday’s First Data 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 8 opener at Martinsville Speedway.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver dominated the opening stage and once again took the green and white checkered flag in Stage 2 for his eighth stage win of the season. He led a total of 224 of 260 laps through two stages.
Right behind him was Kyle Larson in the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet, after Larson had stayed out during a late caution to assume the lead and go for stage points. Truex passed him in the final turn to re-take his lead.
RELATED: Stage 2 results
Rounding out the top five were Ryan Blaney in the No. 12 Team Penske Ford, defending winner Joey Logano in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford and Aric Almirola in the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford.
With a tire going down, Clint Bowyer came down pit road on Lap 247 while running second, but his team swapped out his left sides. The only problem? It was a right-side tire going down. Bowyer quickly brought out a caution shortly after getting back on track, as his tire eventually went flat and sparks flew. He fell all the way to 29th.
The big news from the stage came after Chase Elliott’s No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was forced to the garage with a broken axle discovered during a pit stop during the stage’s first caution (for a Ty Dillon spin.) Elliott, one of eight remaining playoff drivers, had started from the rear and worked his way into the top 10 before the issues.
RELATED: Car trouble derails Elliott
Elliott returned to the race on Lap 236, 53 laps down. He’ll look to work his way out of a massive hole at next week’s Texas Motors Speedway and the elimination race at ISM Raceway near Phoenix.
Series points leader Kyle Busch placed seventh.
| Place | Driver | Team | Pts |
| 1 | Martin Truex Jr. (P) | Joe Gibbs Racing | 10 |
| 2 | Kyle Larson (P) | Chip Ganassi Racing | 9 |
| 3 | Ryan Blaney (P) | Team Penske | 8 |
| 4 | Joey Logano (P) | Team Penske | 7 |
| 5 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | 6 |
| 6 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | 5 |
| 7 | Kyle Busch (P) | Joe Gibbs Racing | 4 |
| 8 | Denny Hamlin (P) | Joe Gibbs Racing | 3 |
| 9 | Erik Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | 2 |
| 10 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | 1 |
STAGE 1
Martin Truex Jr. led 100 of 130 laps en route to winning Stage 1 in Sunday’s First Data 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 8 opener at Martinsville Speedway.
It was the driver of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota’s seventh stage win of the season.
Truex took the lead from teammate and pole-sitter Denny Hamlin early in the stage after getting off pit road first during the stage’s only caution for debris on Lap 27. Hamlin lost four spots on pit road but worked his way back up to finish second.
RELATED: Stage 1 results
Rounding out the top five were Ryan Blaney in the No. 12 Team Penske Ford, Clint Bowyer in the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford and defending race-winner Joey Logano in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford.
Series points leader Kyle Busch placed ninth. Chase Elliott started in the rear with a backup No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, but worked his way to eighth by stage end.
Just over 10 laps in, playoff drivers Kevin Harvick and Kyle Larson made contact, with the No. 42 Chevrolet of the latter getting sideways. Each recovered well to finish 12th and 17th, respectively, though Larson went a lap down just before the stage ended.
| Place | Driver | Team | Pts |
| 1 | Martin Truex Jr. (P) | Joe Gibbs Racing | 10 |
| 2 | Denny Hamlin (P) | Joe Gibbs Racing | 9 |
| 3 | Ryan Blaney (P) | Team Penske | 8 |
| 4 | Clint Bowyer | Stewart-Haas Racing | 7 |
| 5 | Joey Logano (P) | Team Penske | 6 |
| 6 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | 5 |
| 7 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | 4 |
| 8 | Chase Elliott (P) | Hendrick Motorsports | 3 |
| 9 | Kyle Busch (P) | Joe Gibbs Racing | 2 |
| 10 | Daniel Suarez | Stewart-Haas Racing | 1 |