The 2021 Food City Dirt Race was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on March 29, 2021, at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. Contested over 250 laps on the short track, it was the seventh race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season. The normal concrete racing surface at Bristol was covered with 2,300 truckloads of red clay, reducing the banking from 28 to 19 degrees, and making for the Cup Series' first race on dirt since 1970.
Report
Background
Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway, is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961. Despite its short length, Bristol is among the most popular tracks on the NASCAR schedule because of its distinct features, which include extraordinarily steep banking, an all concrete surface, two pit roads, and stadium-like seating.
In 2021, the race shifted to a dirt surface version of the track and was renamed the Food City Dirt Race. On January 25, 2021, NASCAR announced the stage lengths of all events in all three series. According to the stage lengths, it states the race will consist of 250 laps.
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who are ineligible for series driver points.
Driver Team Manufacturer 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 15 Chris Windom Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 53 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 66 Mike Marlar MBM Motorsports Toyota 77 Stewart Friesen (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 78 Shane Golobic Live Fast Motorsports Ford 96 Ty Dillon (i) Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team ChevroletOfficial entry list
Practice
First practice Alex Bowman was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 20.155 seconds and a speed of .
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 20.155 89.308 2 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20.225 88.999 3 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20.248 88.898Official first practice results
Final practice Ryan Blaney was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 20.172 seconds and a speed of .
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 20.172 89.233 2 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 20.194 89.135 3 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20.228 88.986Official final practice results
Qualifying heat races Qualifying heat races were cancelled due to weather. As a result, NASCAR used the standard competition-based formula used in races where practice and qualifying are not being conducted for pandemic safety reasons. Denny Hamlin will start first as the control car, as Kyle Larson, who had the top score under the competition-based formula from the previous week, was penalised for an engine change in Friday practice over concerns of overheating in second practice.
Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 2 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 3 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 4 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 5 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 6 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 7 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 8 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 9 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 10 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 11 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 12 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 13 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 14 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 15 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 16 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 17 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 18 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 19 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 20 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 21 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 22 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 23 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 24 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 25 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 26 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 27 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 28 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 29 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 30 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 31 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 32 77 Stewart Friesen (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 33 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 34 53 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 35 78 Shane Golobic Live Fast Motorsports Ford 36 15 Chris Windom Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 37 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 38 66 Mike Marlar MBM Motorsports Toyota 39 96 Ty Dillon (i) Gaunt Brothers Racing ToyotaOfficial starting lineup
Race The race was delayed to Monday after rain caused flooding in the area. Logano won the race. There were some visibility problems because of dust and mud. Larson and Bell were the pre-race favorites but crashed out. Truex won the first stage and Suárez led in the second before being passed by Logano. The race was extended following a late caution-period. Hamlin was slow at the final restart and Truex had a flat tire, allowing Stenhouse to come second. Suárez was fourth behind Hamlin and ahead of Newman. During the race it was announced that the race would again be held on dirt during the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series.
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 100
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 93 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 75 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 66 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 57 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 48 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 39 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 210 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 100
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 102 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 93 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 75 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 66 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 57 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 48 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 39 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 210 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 50
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 10 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 253 55 2 13 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 253 423 2 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 253 504 18 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 253 495 14 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 253 416 8 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 253 407 27 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 253 328 3 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 253 359 24 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 253 3110 26 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 253 2811 20 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 253 2612 16 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 253 2513 12 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 253 2414 11 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 253 2415 6 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 253 2216 28 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 253 2117 4 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 253 2018 22 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 253 1919 5 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 253 3520 25 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 252 1721 9 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 252 1622 7 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 252 1523 32 77 Stewart Friesen (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 252 024 21 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 252 1325 33 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 252 1226 39 96 Ty Dillon (i) Gaunt Bros Racing Toyota 252 027 19 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 251 1828 34 53 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 249 029 1 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 248 830 37 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 247 731 38 66 Mike Marlar MBM Motorsports Toyota 244 632 31 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 242 033 36 15 Chris Windom Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 62 434 15 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 54 335 17 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 52 236 23 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 39 137 35 78 Shane Golobic Live Fast Motorsports Ford 39 138 30 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 39 139 29 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 39 1Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 5 among 5 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 10 for 37 Red flags: 1 for 6 minutes and 30 seconds Time of race: 2 hours, 43 minutes and 53 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television The Food City Dirt Race was carried by Fox in the United States. Mike Joy, five-time Bristol winner Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer called the race from the broadcast booth. Jamie Little, Regan Smith and Vince Welch handled pit road duties for the television side. Larry McReynolds provided insight from the Fox Sports studio in Charlotte.
FoxBooth announcersPit reportersIn-race analyst Lap-by-lap: Mike JoyColor-commentator: Jeff GordonColor-commentator: Clint Bowyer Jamie LittleRegan SmithVince Welch Larry McReynolds
Radio PRN had the radio call for the race which was simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Doug Rice and Mark Garrow called the race in the booth when the field raced down the frontstretch. Rob Albright called the race from atop the turn 3 suites when the field raced down the backstretch. Brad Gillie, Brett McMillan, Lenny Batycki and Wendy Venturini covered the action on pit lane for PRN.
PRNBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Doug RiceAnnouncer: Mark Garrow Backstretch: Rob Albright Brad GillieBrett McMillanLenny BatyckiWendy Venturini
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Denny Hamlin 327 1 2 Joey Logano 269 (–58) 1 3 Martin Truex Jr. 247 (–80) 2 4 Kyle Larson 242 (–85) 5 Brad Keselowski 232 (–95) 2 6 William Byron 228 (–99) 7 Ryan Blaney 226 (–101) 2 8 Kevin Harvick 225 (–102) 1 9 Chase Elliott 211 (–116) 1 10 Christopher Bell 186 (–141) 11 Austin Dillon 186 (–141) 1 12 Michael McDowell 183 (–144) 1 13 Kyle Busch 183 (–144) 3 14 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 180 (–147) 15 Kurt Busch 173 (–154) 2 16 Alex Bowman 172 (–155)Official driver's standings