RIDGEWAY, Va. -- Stage 2 at Martinsville Speedway is in the books, and all four Hendrick Motorsports drivers are making their way toward the front of the pack.
Once again Chase Elliott led the way to the green checkered flag, just as he did in Stage 1, but this time he did so as the stage winner. It marked his second stage win of the season.
He briefly took the lead early in the stage before settling back into second and maintaining that position until passing for the lead once again just before the finish line.
"It's been a fun afternoon so far in the SunEnergy1 Chevy and hopefully we can finish off strong," Elliott told FOX Sports race analyst Jeff Gordon over the radio during an interview as the stage winner.
Jimmie Johnson followed Elliott in fourth place, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. recovered from damage late in Stage 1 to rebound for a sixth-place finish in Stage 2. Kasey Kahne rounded out the top 10 in 10th.
That means all four drivers earned bonus points in Stage 2, as Elliott took home 10, Johnson seven, Earnhardt five and Kahne one.
Elliott also earned a playoff point for the stage win. He now has two on the season. Playoff points accumulate throughout the campaign and are added to a driver’s total once the postseason starts should he make the playoffs.
With 260 laps down, a final, 240-lap segment remains before the checkered flag waves at Martinsville.