Kevin Harvick took the lead late after the leaders hit the wall and went on to win Sunday’s Southern 500, the opening race of the Cup playoffs.

Austin Dillon finished second and was followed by Joey Logano, Erik Jones and William Byron, who scored his third consecutive top-five finish. Sixth through 10th: Alex Bowman, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Aric Almirola and Clint Bowyer.

Harvick’s victory is his eighth of the season but he wouldn’t have gotten it without help from the leaders.

Martin Truex Jr. passed Chase Elliott for the lead with 14 laps to go but did not clear Elliott and both hit the wall in Turn 1. Truex pitted a few laps later when he had a right rear tire go down after the contact. Elliott fell back in the field, allowing Harvick to take the lead.

“Sorry guys, hell of a car,” Truex said on his team’s radio after finishing 22nd. “Sorry, man, I was going for it. I guess I shouldn’t have.”

The victory is Harvick’s 57th in his career and moves him past Kyle Busch on the all-time wins list. It is Harvick’s second win at Darlington this year. He won the first Cup race in May when the season resumed after a 10-week break because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Almirola holds the final transfer spot to the second round. He is tied with Bowyer but owns the tiebreaker of a better finish in this round.

Dillon scored his best finish since his win at Texas.

“Man, it would have been nice to get that win and lock us into the next round,” he told NBCSN.

STAGE 1 WINNER: Martin Truex Jr.

STAGE 2 WINNER: Martin Truex Jr.

WHO HAD A GOOD RACE: Austin Dillon had to start at the rear because of unapproved adjustments before the race and went on to finish second. … Joey Logano overcame a flat right front tire at one point and then damage when he was hit from behind by Corey LaJoie on a restart and finished third.

NEXT: The series races at 7:30 p.m. ET Sept. 12 at Richmond Raceway on NBCSN. The is second race in the opening round of the playoffs.