Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano split stage wins at Martinsville

Stage 2 stayed green for the 130-lap duration, and Joey Logano led every one of those laps. The Team Penske driver banked a playoff point and 10 race points for winning Stage 2 on Sunday at Martinsville. It was a strong start to the race for the playoff driver, who finished second in Stage 1 by nipping Kyle Busch at the start/finish line.

Logano couldn’t pass Jimmie Johnson to put the Hendrick Motorsports driver one lap down over the final five laps of Stage 2, and their battle allowed Hamlin to catch Logano for a thrilling last-laps duel. Logano took his No. 22 Ford to the outside and barely held off Hamlin for the stage win.

Busch, the polesitter, finished third in the second stage. Martin Truex Jr. (playoffs) and Kurt Busch (playoffs) rounded out the top five. Full Stage 2 results are below.

Truex Jr.’s run to fourth was especially impressive. A failed post-qualifying inspection Sunday morning sent Truex Jr. to the back of the pack to start Sunday’s 500-miler, and he spent the first half of the race chugging his way through the field.

Stewart-Haas Racing teammates and playoff drivers Kevin Harvick and Aric Almirola both slipped outside the top 10 in Stage 2 after earning points in Stage 1.

Hamlin wins Stage 1 with late pass

Denny Hamlin passed polesitter and Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch for the lead with less than 15 laps to go in Stage 1 on Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, and held on to win the opening stage. Busch led 100 laps in Stage 1, but lost the lead to Hamlin on two separate occasions.

Winning Stage 1 earned Hamlin 10 race points; the typical playoff bonus point will not go to Hamlin’s total in the standings, though, because he has been eliminated from the postseason.

RELATED: Stage 1 results

Busch, who was in first place in the standings entering the Round of 8 opener, finished third in the stage to earn eight race points and pad his lead over the cutline. Joey Logano passed Busch for position on the final circuit of the 130-lap stage to finish second.

Playoff drivers Clint Bowyer (Stewart-Haas Racing) and teammate Kurt Busch rounded out the top five. Full results are below.

Martin Truex Jr., who was sent to the rear of the field after failing post-qualifying inspection Sunday morning, appeared to be in jeopardy of finishing outside the top 10 in the opening stage, but rallied late to finish eighth and earn points. Chase Elliott, 11th in Stage 1, was the only playoff driver not in the top 10.

Stage 2 ends on Lap 260; the race is scheduled to end after 500 laps.