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Martin Truex Jr. wins Stage 1 of STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series STP 500 - Practice

MARTINSVILLE, VA - MARCH 31: Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Toyota, practices for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway on March 31, 2017 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

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Martin Truex Jr. won the first stage (Laps 1-130) of Sunday’s STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

It was the ninth NASCAR Cup playoff point for Truex thus far this season, most of any drivers in the first six races.

Denny Hamlin was second, followed by last year’s winner Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Jimmie Johnson, Austin Dillon and Clint Bowyer.

There were two incidents of note:

1) Jamie McMurray made early contact with Jimmie Johnson but remained on track until his left-rear tire blew out late in the stage. He spun and slammed into the wall on Lap 107, ending his day in last place.

2) With six laps left in the stage, Dale Earnhardt Jr. bumped off the left front of Ryan Blaney and spun out. Earnhardt was able to continue on.

Stage 2 is next (Laps 131-260), followed by the final 240-lap streak to the victory on the 0.526-mile paper-clip shaped oval.

There are 26 cars on the lead lap as Stage 2 begins.

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