To the aggressor go the spoils? Apparently, as Denny Hamlin took the Stage 1 win in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Hamlin had a fevered battle with Team Penske teammates Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney for the lead for the majority of the Stage. Hamlin even put the bumper to both drivers at different points in the Stage.
However, in the end it was Hamlin who scooted through the field to take the Stage win on fresh tires after a late-Stage caution for Jimmie Johnson spinning.
Martin Truex Jr. ended up runner-up and he was followed by Kevin Harvick, Christopher Bell and Keselowski in the top-five.
Blaney faded to sixth after his older tires proved to be much slower on the final restart of the Stage.
Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano, Ryan Preece and Aric Almirola rounded out the top-10 finishers in Stage 1.
Stage and Playoff Points Awarded in Stage 1:
| Finish | Driver | Stage Points | Playoff Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denny Hamlin | 10 | 1 |
| 2 | Martin Truex Jr. | 9 | 0 |
| 3 | Kevin Harvick | 8 | 0 |
| 4 | Christopher Bell | 7 | 0 |
| 5 | Brad Keselowski | 6 | 0 |
| 6 | Ryan Blaney | 5 | 0 |
| 7 | Clint Bowyer | 4 | 0 |
| 8 | Joey Logano | 3 | 0 |
| 9 | Ryan Preece | 2 | 0 |
| 10 | Aric Almirola | 1 | 0 |
