KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Stage 1 consisted of 80 laps Saturday night at Kansas Speedway, and when the green checkered flag waved to conclude the segment, Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne had worked their way into the top 10.
Johnson led the Hendrick Motorsports teammates in sixth, with Kahne not far behind in ninth.
The two drivers began the race in 29th and 31st, respectively, and wasted little time working their way through the field.
The top-10 finishes earned the teammates extra points for the race, with Johnson adding five points and Kahne earning two.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., who started the race 33rd, also moved through the field in Stage 1, finishing the segment in 23rd.
Chase Elliott was running inside the top five midway through the stage when he made contact with a competitor on pit road while exiting his pit box. The damage required Elliott to make multiple pit stops, putting him multiple laps behind the leaders in 40th at the conclusion of Stage 1.
Stage 2 of the 267-lap event also consists of 80 laps. The race is currently being broadcast on FOX Sports 1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.