For the first time this season it was road course racing as drivers were at the road course in Sonoma. This was also the first time for stages in a road course race as well.
The race started off with Kyle Larson leading laps as Martin Truex Jr. got hot and took the lead late on lap 5. At lap 11 we get the first caution of the day in turn 11 as Dale Earnhardt Jr. spins right out. Danica
Patrick took some damage from this. The caution brought in a while bunch of cars up front for service.
When the race continued it was Chris Buescher in the race lead as A.J. Allmendinger quickly moved up through the field and had the race in a couple laps. With 3 laps left in the 25 lap first stage a bunch of cars pitted. On the next lap though Martin Truex Jr. was able to get the race lead and then took the stage win. Cars up front pitted with Martin Truex Jr. keeping the race lead.
The race continued and at lap 31 Danica Patrick gets spun out as cars were trying to go three wide and with nowhere to go was Ricky Stenhouse Jr. who gets some major front end damage to his car. As the green flag racing continued A.J. Allmendinger in the back of the field spins out in turn 11 and somehow does not bring out the caution. At lap 38 we get a debris caution. This brought in some cars down pit road for service.
The race restarted with Jimmie Johnson leading laps. At lap 56 cars were starting to make some pit stops. Jimmie Johnson then had an over 5 second lead on the field and easily took the second stage win. Some cars pit under the caution.
Stage 3 started with Denny Hamlin in the race lead and at lap 66 it was Martin Truex Jr. back into the race lead. With around 40 laps left in the race cars start to pit. This did leave Brad Keselowksi in the race lead for a bunch of laps. With 24 laps left Martin Truex Jr. pits and then his cars winds up stalling big time at the end of pit road. With 22 laps left Kevin Harvick takes the race lead. With 16 laps left some cars pit. With 12 laps left Matt Kenseth spins out, but does not bring out the caution. Kevin Harvick
“We have a lot of room to grow,” said Kevin Harvick. “Worth the wait.”
Clint Bowyer stated that he just could never get the track position.
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