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Martin Truex Jr. extends playoff points lead with win in second stage

Charlotte Motor Speedway Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600

CHARLOTTE, NC - MAY 28: Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Toyota, leads a pack of cars during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 28, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)

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CONCORD, N.C. – Martin Truex Jr. extended his lead in the playoff points standings Saturday by winning the second stage of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

With his series-high sixth stage victory of the season, Truex has 16 playoff points, four more than second-ranked Brad Keselowski.

Truex, who led a record 392 of 400 laps in winning this race last year, finished 0.352 seconds ahead of Jimmie Johnson. Matt Kenseth was third, followed by Kyle Busch (who won the first stage) and Kurt Busch.

The rest of the top 10 (scoring stage points): Jamie McMurray, Austin Dillon, Erik Jones, Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin.

The second stage was red-flagged for a storm on Lap 143. The stoppage lasted nearly one hour and 40 minutes.

Danica Patrick brought out a yellow on Lap 173 after scraping the wall with a tire problem.

Ryan Blaney fell five laps off the pace because of a broken axle in his No. 21 Ford.