LONG POND, Pa. – Stage 2 at Pocono Raceway is complete and Kasey Kahne led his teammates to the green-checkered flag with a top-10 finish.
Kahne started the segment in 18th place, picking up 12 positions for a sixth-place Stage 2 finish.
Chase Elliott started the stage in 11th and wasted no time breaking into the top 10. He made a pit stop just before the conclusion of Stage 2 to set himself up for the final segment and finished in 18th.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. returned to the lead lap after the third caution of the race, when the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet SS received the free pass. Similar to his teammate Elliott, Earnhardt made a pit stop just before the end of Stage 2 and finished in 26th.
Shortly after the start of Stage 2, Jimmie Johnson made contact with the wall and the damage ended his day at the “Tricky Triangle” early. He was scored 35th at the end of Stage 2.
“It’s just hard racing,” Johnson said. “It’s just a bummer day for this whole Lowe’s team and we’ll get our Chevy ready for next week and go do it again.”
Clint Boyer won the stage.
The race will conclude with a final 60-lap segment.