The 2021 NASCAR All-Star Race (XXXVII) was a NASCAR Cup Series stock car exhibition race held on June 13, 2021, at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. Contested over 100 laps, it was the second exhibition race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Report Background
The All-Star Race is open to race winners from last season through the 2021 Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway, all previous All-Star race winners, NASCAR Cup champions who had attempted to qualify for every race in 2021, the winner of each stage of the All-Star Open, and the winner of the All-Star fan vote are eligible to compete in the All-Star Race.
In 2020, the race was moved to Bristol Motor Speedway in July, as the COVID-19 pandemic prevented Charlotte from accommodating fans. The venue changed again in 2021 to Texas Motor Speedway, which replaced its spring date with the All-Star Race.
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
NASCAR All Star Open Driver Team Manufacturer 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 13 David Starr (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 15 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 33 Austin Cindric (i) Team Penske Ford 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 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
NASCAR All-Star Race Driver Team Manufacturer 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 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports ChevroletOfficial entry list
Qualifying (Open) Tyler Reddick was awarded the pole for the open as it was determined by current driver points.
Open Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 2 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 3 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 4 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 5 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 6 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 7 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 8 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 9 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 10 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 11 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 12 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 13 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 14 15 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 15 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 16 33 Austin Cindric (i) Team Penske Ford 17 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 18 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 19 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 20 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 21 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 22 13 David Starr (i) MBM Motorsports ToyotaOfficial Open starting lineup
Race recap For pre race ceremonies, Brigadier General Lisa M. Craig would give out the command to start engines. Austin Cindric (multiple inspection failures), Ross Chastain (aero duct not conforming to NASCAR regulations), and David Starr (unapproved adjustments) were forced to start at the back.
On the start of the race, Chris Buescher was found to have jumped the restart over Tyler Reddick, and thus was given a pass through penalty. Austin Cindric was also given a pass through penalty because NASCAR determined he had switched lanes before the start-finish line. 6 laps into the 20 lap Round 1, Bubba Wallace would spin in Turn 2, causing the first caution of the day. On the ensuing restart on lap 10, Stenhouse drifted up high in Turn 3, spinning out Chris Buescher, causing the second caution of the day. Once again, on the restart on lap 14, Erik Jones would spin after hitting Chase Briscoe and spinning out, causing a major stackup within the field. Daniel Suarez would hit Jones, causing major damage to both cars. After a hard fought battle, Ross Chastain would win Round 1.
In Round 2, after a relatively less chaotic race, Tyler Reddick would successfully defend against Aric Almirola to win Round 2.
In the final round, Aric Almirola would redeem himself, pulling away to win Round 3.
Matt DiBenedetto would win the fan vote.
Qualifying (All-Star Race) Kyle Larson was awarded the pole for the race as determined by a random draw.
All-Star Race Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 2 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 3 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 4 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 5 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 6 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 7 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 8 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 9 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 10 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 11 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 12 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 13 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 14 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 15 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 16 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 17 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 18 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 19 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 20 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 21 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing FordOfficial All-Star starting lineup
Race recap For driver introductions, Jamie Little and Adam Alexander announced each driver in order of the starting lineup, being accompanied by the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders and music played by local cover band, the Clayton Foghat Band.
For pre race ceremonies, Norm Miller, chairman of Interstate Batteries gave the invocation, and the Side Deal gave an acapella version of the national anthem. Joe Gibbs and Tom Landry, Jr. would give out the command. While cars were doing warm up laps, Sammy Hagar would perform “I Can't Drive 55”.
The race would start with Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson fighting for the lead, but on lap 2 Christopher Bell would lose control of his car in Turn 1, but would save the car. Nevertheless, the first caution was called.
NASCAR All Star Open
NASCAR All Star Open results Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer 1 10 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 502 3 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 503 2 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 504 9 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 505 16 33 Austin Cindric (i) Team Penske Ford 506 6 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 507 19 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 508 12 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 509 4 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 5010 11 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 5011 17 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 5012 18 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 5013 15 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 5014 20 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 5015 13 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 4916 14 15 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 4917 21 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 4918 22 13 David Starr (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 4919 1 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 40 20 5 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 20 21 8 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 1322 7 99 Daniel Suarez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 13 Winner of the second segment. Winner of the first segment.Official NASCAR All Star Open race results
All-Star Race
All-Star Race results Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer 1 1 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 1002 9 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 1003 6 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 1004 7 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 1005 17 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 1006 15 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 1007 8 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 1008 20 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 1009 2 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 10010 13 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 10011 3 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 10012 11 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 10013 10 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 10014 4 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 10015 12 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 10016 19 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 10017 21 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 10018 18 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 10019 5 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 10020 14 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 10021 16 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 100Official NASCAR All-Star Race results
Media
Television Fox Sports was the television broadcaster of the race in the United States. Lap-by-lap announcer, Mike Joy, Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer called the race from the broadcast booth. Jamie Little, Regan Smith and Vince Welch handled pit road for the television side. Larry McReynolds provided insight from the Fox Sports studio in Charlotte. This was also Fox Sports' last Cup race for their portion of the 2021 season as NBC Sports takes over NASCAR broadcasts for the rest of the season.
FS1Booth announcersPit reportersIn-race analyst Lap-by-lap: Mike JoyColor-commentator: Jeff GordonColor-commentator: Clint Bowyer Jamie LittleRegan SmithVince Welch Larry McReynolds
Radio Motor Racing Network (MRN) continued their longstanding relationship with Speedway Motorsports to broadcast the race on radio. The lead announcers for the race's broadcast were Alex Hayden and Jeff Striegle. The network also implemented two announcers on each side of the track: Dave Moody in turns 1 and 2 and Mike Bagley in turns 3 and 4. Steve Post and Kim Coon were the network's pit lane reporters. The network's broadcast was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
MRN RadioBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Jeff Striegle Turns 1 & 2: Dave MoodyTurns 3 & 4: Mike Bagley Steve PostKim Coon
References