Chase Elliott has a knack for getting it done in the opening Stage of races so far in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season. Elliott took his second-consecutive Stage 1 win in Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, after getting around Kevin Harvick, who dominated the Stage, with 15 laps left.
Martin Truex Jr., who has had a long-run No. 19 Toyota Camry, moved to second by the end of Stage 1.
Harvick would fade to third by the end of the Stage, despite leading 59 of the 80 laps in the opening Stage of the race.
Team Penske teammates Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano would round out the top-five in Stage 1.
Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron finished Stage 1 in sixth and he was followed by fellow Chevrolets driven by Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman and Jimmie Johnson.
Ross Chastain, who is filling in for the injured Ryan Newman, finished 10th in Stage 1 in Roush Fenway Racing’s No. 6 For Mustang.
Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell — who were sent to the back of the pack after illegal body modifications were found in inspection — have fought back a little bit.
Busch was 15th at the end of Stage 1, while Bell was 21st and Hamlin 22nd.
Daniel Suarez has an issue where his No. 96 Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota Camry would not power up on the initial start of the race. Suarez would lose two laps getting the issue corrected. Suarez, who missed the Daytona 500 ended the Stage in 32nd, three laps off the pace.
Michael McDowell had a scary moment when his throttle hung on the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford Mustang. Luckily, for McDowell he was able to get his car off the track without much incident and he spent almost 20 laps in the garage getting the throttle fixed. McDowell sits last after Stage 1.
