The 2021 Toyota Owners 400 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on April 18, 2021, at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. Contested over 400 laps on the 0.75 mile (1.2 km) asphalt short track, it was the ninth race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Report
Background
Richmond Raceway is a 3/4-mile (1.2 km), D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series. Known as "America's premier short track", it formerly hosted a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, an IndyCar Series race, and two USAC sprint car races.
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 James Davison 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 33 Austin Cindric (i) Team Penske Ford 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 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team ChevroletOfficial entry list
Qualifying Martin Truex Jr. was awarded the pole for the race as determined by competition-based formula.
Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 2 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 3 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 4 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 5 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 6 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 7 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 8 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 9 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 10 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 11 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 12 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 13 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 14 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 15 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 16 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 17 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 18 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 19 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 20 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 21 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 22 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 23 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 24 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 25 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 26 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 27 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 28 15 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 29 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 30 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 31 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 32 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 33 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 34 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 35 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 36 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 37 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 38 33 Austin Cindric (i) Team Penske FordOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 80
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 84 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 75 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 66 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 48 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 39 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 210 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 155
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 84 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 75 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 66 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 57 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 48 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 210 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 165
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 24 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 400 512 2 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 400 553 5 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 400 504 8 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 400 405 1 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 400 506 22 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 400 327 4 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 400 408 10 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 400 339 16 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 400 3310 11 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 400 3011 7 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 400 3212 3 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 400 2513 17 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 400 2414 20 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 400 2515 18 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 399 2216 27 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 399 2117 14 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 399 2018 6 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 398 1919 30 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 398 1820 13 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 398 1721 36 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 398 1622 26 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 398 1523 21 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 398 1424 9 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 397 2025 12 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 397 1226 15 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 397 1127 23 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 396 1028 38 33 Austin Cindric (i) Team Penske Ford 396 029 25 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 396 830 19 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 395 731 29 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 395 632 35 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 393 033 28 15 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 390 434 32 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 390 335 37 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 389 036 33 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 385 037 31 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 384 138 34 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 1 0Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 20 among 7 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 5 for 39 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 3 hours, 6 minutes and 57 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television Fox Sports covered their 20th race at the Richmond Raceway. Mike Joy, two-time Richmond winners Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer called the race from the broadcast booth. Jamie Little and Regan Smith handled pit road 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 Smith Larry McReynolds
Radio MRN had the radio call for the race which was simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle and Rusty Wallace called the race in the booth when the field raced down the frontstretch. Dave Moody called the race from a platform inside the backstretch when the field races down the backstretch. Steve Post and Jason Toy worked pit road for the radio side.
MRNBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Jeff StriegleAnnouncer: Rusty Wallace Backstretch: Dave Moody Steve PostJason Toy
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Denny Hamlin 434 2 Martin Truex Jr. 353 (–81) 3 Joey Logano 352 (–82) 2 4 William Byron 310 (–124) 5 Ryan Blaney 304 (–130) 2 6 Kyle Larson 299 (–135) 7 Chase Elliott 285 (–149) 8 Kevin Harvick 273 (–161) 9 Brad Keselowski 269 (–165) 10 Christopher Bell 257 (–177) 11 Kyle Busch 245 (–189) 12 Austin Dillon 239 (–195) 4 13 Alex Bowman 236 (–198) 1 14 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 222 (–212) 15 Kurt Busch 214 (–220) 2 16 Chris Buescher 204 (–230)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 2 1 Chevrolet 325 1 2 Ford 322 (–3) 1 3 Toyota 322 (–3)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings. . – Driver has clinched a position in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
References