Harvick blasts way to opening Kansas stage win

Pole sitter Kevin Harvick came through the field twice to win the opening stage of the Digital Ally 400 at the Kansas Speedway.

Harvick showed some muscle early leading Stewart Haas Racing teammate Clint Bowyer and the Team Penske Ford of Brad Keselowski.

While Harvick held the lead, Joey Logano diced his way through traffic after starting the race 30th when his No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang failed technical inspection. By lap 14 the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion was running in 14th.

Harvick stretched out to a 2.457s second lead over Bowyer come lap 20 while Keselowski hung onto the third spot and William Byron, Paul Menard and Erik Jones rode out positions four through six.

Byron and Keselowski closed the gap on Bowyer while battling tooth and nail for third place from laps 25-27 before overtaking him just before a competition caution on Lap 30.

Several drivers took two-tires led by Byron take the lead trailed by Bowyer, Alex Bowman, Kurt Busch and Erik Jones. Harvick fell to tenth by taking four tires.

Bowyer dispatched bowman on the Lap 36 restart as Harvick charged from 10th to fourth in less than half a lap. Bowman's Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman moved into second only to be passed by Kurt Busch and Harvick on Lap 38 while Bowyer held the lead.

Harvick overtook Busch for second on Lap 45 and chipped away at his teammate's lead. He retook the lead on Lap 49 by using the lapped car of Cody Ware as a pick coming off Turn 4. He stretched out to a 2.542-second margin when Denny Hamlin spun on Lap 59 and brought out the caution flag.

The leaders pitted and a quick four-tire stop brought Harvick back onto the track in the lead. Shadowing him off pit lane was teammate Aric Almirola, Byron, Truex Jr and Daniel Hemric. Byron dropped to the rear for removing equipment from his pit stall.

A handful of drivers stayed out which put Chase Elliott in the lead ahead of Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman, Ryan Blaney and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.

Elliott fended off a brief challenge from Busch while Harvick wasted no time picking his way through traffic and moved into second on Lap 68.

He stalked Elliott for five laps before retaking the lead on Lap 73 and kept it until the end of the stage.

Elliott held on for second ahead of Stenhouse, Jr while the Chip Ganassi Racing duo of Kyle Larson and Kurt Busch completed the top five.

Also collecting stage points were Chris Buescher, Keselowski, Bower, Jones and Logano.