Joey Logano seized control of Stage 2 at North Wilkesboro Speedway, pacing the field for more than 160 laps – his most extensive lead since the 2022 season finale.
Stage 2 Drama
Denny Hamlin followed in second, with Chase Briscoe, Bubba Wallace and Shane van Gisbergen rounding out the top five, a result that reflected a tightly contested stage.
The stage was interrupted by two mid‑stage incidents that shuffled the order and left several drivers a lap down, including a caution on lap 40 when Zane Smith made contact with John Hunter Nemechek and a pit‑road clash involving Kyle Larson and Connor Zilisch on lap 45.
A separate crash on lap 183 saw Alex Bowman and Tyler Reddick tangled, while a later collision between Christopher Bell and Josh Berry on lap 199 sent Berry to the garage for repairs.
Stage 1 Recap and Penalties
Stage 1 had been won by Ty Gibbs, and the top five at that point featured Logano, Hamlin and Carson Hocevar, setting the stage for the drama that unfolded later.
Adding to the chaos, Ross Chastain started the stage from the rear after failing inspection and incurring a pass‑through penalty, while Gibbs himself was penalized for speeding on pit road, dropping him further back for the restart.
Multiple cautions and penalties reshaped the running order, illustrating how quickly a stage can swing from dominance to disarray in the NASCAR Cup Series.