NASCAR Cup race at Richmond live updates: Denny Hamlin wins first two stages

NASCAR’s Cup Series race at Richmond is today. The Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders starts today at 7:30 p.m. on NBCSN.

The race is 300 miles (400 laps) with stages ending on laps 80, 235 and 400. All times are Eastern.

Follow NASCAR reporter Alex Andrejev on Twitter at @AndrejevAlex.

Final stage

10:31, Lap 345: Kyle Busch pits from the lead, but gets a speeding penalty on pit road in section nine! He owes a pass through. Martin Truex Jr. becomes the leader, followed by Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell.

10:28 p.m., Lap 339: Kyle Busch continues to lead the field followed by Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell. The JGR cars are mopping the field with other cars as green flag pit stops start. Twelve cars are on the lead lap as Alex Bowman goes a lap down.

10:21 p.m., Lap 320: Denny Hamlin moves by Ross Chastain, the only non-playoff driver in the top-nine, for third place. Kyle Busch leads with a two second gap on teammate Martin Truex Jr.

10:16 p.m., Lap 308: Aric Alimora makes another stop to tighten a loose wheel and goes a lap down. Tyler Reddick, William Byron, Almirola and McDowell are all a lap down. Kyle Busch leads Martin Truex Jr., Ross Chastain and Denny Hamlin.

10:06 p.m., Lap 285: The Gibbs cars continue to lead, but Ross Chastain has moved into the top five before green flag pits stops start. The leader stay out as some Fords and Chevrolets pit. Then Kyle Busch comes in, followed by Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Larson. Christopher Bell stays out longer. Michael McDowell gets another speeding, then gets a penalty while serving his penalty, so that’s three penalties for McDowell tonight.

10 p.m., Lap 267: Martin Truex Jr. moves under teammate Denny Hamlin and we have a new leader. Kyle Busch and Christopher Bell ride in the top four still. Kyle Larson is in fifth , as Ross Chastain and Joey Logano battle for spots behind them.

Story continues

9:56 p.m., Lap 262: Contact between Christopher Bell and Kyle Busch in the top four! Bell takes the spot and Busch’s team eyes for tire damage but says it looks OK. Bubba Wallace has met minimum speed but looks slow on the track after earlier hit.

9:53 p.m., Lap 253: The caution comes out for Bubba Wallace hitting the wall. He pits as JGR cars make up the top four spots. Per NASCAR, Kyle Larson has clinched a spot in the round of 12.

9:46 p.m., Lap 243: Denny Hamlin comes off pit road first and leads the field with all JGR cars in the top five. Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch follow. Ross Chastain received a speeding penalty when entering pit road and drops to the back for the restart.

Stage 2

9:41 p.m., Lap 237: Denny Hamlin sweeps stages at Richmond, leading 166 laps so far tonight. Kyle Busch, Martin Truex, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Christopher Bell, Ross Chastain, Aric Almirola, Alex Bowman and Kevin Harvick finish in the top 10. Chase Elliott gets the free pass.

9:35 p.m., Lap 228: Denny Hamlin is slicing through the field, putting Chase Elliott a lap down again and working on William Byron in 13th. Hamlin gets it a few laps later, and Chase Elliott follows, meaning Elliott is in free pass position.

9:28 p.m., Lap 209: The running order is Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr, Joey Logano and Kyle Larson.

9:15 p.m., Lap 185: Trouble for Chase Elliott! He backs up in his pit box, not realizing the jack was already under his car. And the crew orchestrates a long stop as they try to free it. Elliott goes lap down, but is able to pretty quickly unlap himself. He’s in 15th.

9:11 p.m., Lap 179: As for other playoffs drivers, Tyler Reddick goes down a lap in 18th as Kevin Harvick rides in 18th saying that it’s like he’s driving “on ice.” Denny Hamlin takes the lead then comes to pit road. Kyle Larson stays out for a few more laps, but then pits. Hamlin goes back to the lead.

9:08 p.m., Lap 162: Chase Elliott takes the lead from Denny Hamlin, trying his outside around Turn 1, then pivoting low and slipping by him. “I cannot get into the corner with the speed,” Hamlin tells his team.

9:02 p.m., Lap 150: Denny Hamlin is back to the lead. Chase Elliott, Ross Chastain, Kyle Busch and Joey Logano are in the top of the running order.

8:56 p.m., Lap 132: Denny Hamlin pits from second, followed shortly after by Chase Elliott from the lead. Green flag pit stops are underway. Michael McDowell gets a speeding penalty on pit road and will have to serve a pass-through.

8:52 p.m., Lap 125: The field bunched near Brad Keselowski, and the pack moves around him with the order settling into Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Ross Chastain, Joey Logano and Kyle Busch. He drops to eighth.

8:48 p.m., Lap 114: Chase Elliott continues to lead this as Ross Chastain moves into third. Kyle Busch has also made gains since his team’s earlier penalty. He’s up to sixth behind Elliot, Denny Hamlin, Chastain, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano.

8:42 p.m., Lap 100: Brad Keselowski is in up to third place behind Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin. Ross Chastain is in fourth and has been sneakily fast lately in these playoff races as a non-playoff driver. Alex Bowman and William Byron are hovering in P12-13.

8:36 p.m., Lap 87: Denny Hamlin is the first off pit road and the order in the top four is the same as the stage finish. But Brad Keselowski gets a spot on his teammate Ryan Blaney. Martin Truex Jr. and Aric Almirola follow. Chase Elliott takes the lead from Hamlin after the restart, working his inside.

Stage 1

8:27 p.m., Lap 80: Denny Hamlin wins stage 1 at Richmond. Chase Elliott works by Joey Logano just before the green-and-white checkered flag. Kyle Larson, who started in the back, finishes the stage fourth. Ryan Blaney is fifth. Ross Chastain, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick and Aric Almirola finish in the top 10.

8:20 p.m., Lap 56: Denny Hamlin leads Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott and Brad Keselowski run in the top five. “Left rear took off wonky, and now we have to dig out of this hole,” Kurt Busch says on NBCSN after being released from the care center. Kyle Larson has cracked the top 10.

8:15 p.m., Lap 45: Kurt Busch hits the wall hard in Turn 1 as his left rear tire goes down. Busch gets a ride from the emergency vehicle, but was talking on the radio. His night is done and he’ll be scored last as a playoff driver. Denny Hamlin leads the field on the restart.

8:06 p.m, Lap 38: Multiple penalties on pit road: Kyle Busch has an equipment interference penalty, Bubba Wallace has a speeding penalty, Cole Custer has an uncontrolled tire penalty.

8 p.m., Lap 25: Denny Hamlin leads the opening laps until the compeition caution. Kurt Busch is second. Joey Logano in third and Martin Truex Jr. does not go a lap down. Busch is able to move ahead of Hamlin with a fast pit stop, though, and gets the top spot coming to the green flag. His pit crew team has

7:48 p.m., Lap 2: Green flag and immediate disaster for Martin Truex Jr. He is penalized for beating the leaders (Denny Hamlin) to the start-finish line. Truex is gets a pass-through penalty and will have to work back up to the front of the field from the back to win now.

Pre-race

7:30 p.m.: The crowd is packed at Richmond. The grandstands are near capacity, which seats around 46,000 to 48,000 people. The track also sold more tickets than it did during the 2019 fall race. Ahead of the green flag, first responders pace the field as fans hold American flags as part of NASCAR’s ceremonies to honor victims and first responders on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

LARSON DROPPING TO THE REAR OF THE FIELD

Championship contender Kyle Larson will be dropping to the rear of the field to start the race at Richmond Saturday for “multiple” inspection failures. So is Cole Custer. Larson was slated to start on the pole, Custer 21st.

That leaves Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. on the front row to begin the second race of the playoffs.

How to watch NASCAR Cup race at Richmond

Race: Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders When: Saturday, Sept. 11 Time: 7:30 p.m. EST TV: NBCSN Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Distance: 300 miles (400 laps) with stages ending on laps 80, 235 and 400

NASCAR Cup race at Richmond lineup

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