Chase Elliott has given a great effort in defense of his win from a season ago at Watkins Glen International so far.
The driver of the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet started from the pole and got a great boost on the initial start of the race. Elliott wouldn’t look back and led all 20 laps in the opening frame of Sunday’s GoBowling.com at the Glen.
Denny Hamlin, who won a week ago in Pocono, finished the Stage in second.
Martin Truex Jr., Hamlin’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, ended the Stage in third.
Kyle Busch was battling for second place on lap two, when he went around in turn one. Busch recovered to finish fourth in Stage 1.
William Byron rounded out the top-five, after he was nudged on the final lap of the Stage by Busch, who was unhappy with the lap two spin.
Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Larson, Erik Jones, Kurt Busch and Aric Almirola finished off the top-10 in Stage 1 and also received Stage points for their efforts.
