The 2021 Cook Out Southern 500, the 72nd running of the event, was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on September 5, 2021, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. Contested over 367 laps on the egg-shaped oval, it was the 27th race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, first race of the Playoffs, and the first race of the Round of 16. Denny Hamlin took his first victory of the season and clinched a spot in the round of 12.
Report
Background
Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed "The Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition." It is of a unique, somewhat egg-shaped design, an oval with the ends of very different configurations, a condition which supposedly arose from the proximity of one end of the track to a minnow pond the owner refused to relocate. This situation makes it very challenging for the crews to set up their cars' handling in a way that is effective at both ends.
Surface issues Darlington Raceway was last repaved following the May 2007 meeting (from 2005 to 2019, there was only one meeting; the second meeting was reinstated in 2020), and from 2008 to 2019, there was one night race. In 2020, a day race returned to the schedule, and instead of two races (one Xfinity and one Cup) during the entire year, the track hosted six races (three Cup, two Xfinity, and one Truck). The circuit kept repairing the circuit with patches during each summer before the annual Cup race in September. The circuit's narrow Turn 2 rapidly deteriorated with cracks in the tarmac allowing water to seep in the circuit. In July 2021, the circuit repaved a six hundred foot section at the entrance of Turn 2 and ending at the exit of the turn to repair the tarmac and resolve the issue for safety and to reduce the threat of weepers and surface issues in that section of the circuit.
The 2021 race also marked the addition of an athletics event as part of the Southern 500 weekend, the Terrence Carraway Memorial 5K athletics event, held around the circuit. The Darlington Raceway 5k was first held in November for 2018 and 2019 in memory of a local policeman killed in the line of duty. After taking a year off in 2020, the event moved to the Southern 500 weekend for 2021.
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 Joey Gase (i) 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 James Davison 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 Ryan Blaney was awarded the pole for the race as determined by competition-based formula.
Starting lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 2 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 3 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 4 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 5 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 7 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 8 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 9 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 10 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 11 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 12 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 13 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 14 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 15 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 16 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 17 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 18 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 19 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 20 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 21 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 22 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 23 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 24 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 25 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 26 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 27 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 28 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 29 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 30 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 31 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 32 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 33 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 34 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 35 15 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 36 53 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 37 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing ChevroletOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage results
Stage One Laps: 115
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 93 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 84 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 75 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet 66 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 48 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 39 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 210 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 115
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 102 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 84 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 75 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 66 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 57 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 48 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 210 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 1Official stage two results
Final stage results
Stage Three Laps: 137
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 2 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 367 572 6 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 367 543 23 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 367 444 10 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 367 385 9 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 367 446 3 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 367 447 16 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 367 308 11 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 367 349 34 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 367 2810 21 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 367 2711 31 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 367 2612 18 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 367 2513 26 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 367 2414 19 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 367 2315 25 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 367 2316 8 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 366 2417 29 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 366 2018 7 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 366 2319 24 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 366 1820 13 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 366 2621 17 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 366 1622 1 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 366 2423 30 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 365 1424 32 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 364 1325 20 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 364 026 5 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 363 1127 27 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 359 028 28 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 359 929 35 15 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 357 030 37 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 355 731 4 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 327 932 22 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 264 533 33 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 209 034 14 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 199 335 12 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 125 236 36 53 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 50 137 15 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 30 1Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 18 among 10 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 11 for 52 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 4 hours, 8 minutes and 1 second Average speed:
Media
Television NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, two–time Darlington winner Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt Jr. called Stages 1 and 3 of the race from the broadcast booth. Earnhardt Jr., Dale Jarrett and Kyle Petty called Stage 2 of the race from the broadcast booth. Dave Burns, Parker Kligerman and Marty Snider handled the pit road duties from pit lane.
NBCSNBooth announcersPit reporters Lap-by-lap: Rick AllenColor-commentator: Jeff BurtonColor-commentator: Steve LetarteColor-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Throwback commentator: Dale JarrettThrowback commentator: Kyle Petty Dave BurnsParker KligermanMarty Snider
Radio MRN had the radio call for the race, which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
MRN RadioBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Jeff StriegleAnnouncer: Rusty Wallace Turns 1 & 2: Dave MoodyTurns 3 & 4: Mike Bagley Steve PostKim Coon
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Kyle Larson 2,106 5 2 Denny Hamlin 2,072 (–34) 3 Martin Truex Jr. 2,062 (–44) 6 4 Kurt Busch 2,052 (–54) 3 5 Ryan Blaney 2,048 (–58) 3 6 Joey Logano 2,047 (–59) 9 7 Kevin Harvick 2,046 (–60) 2 8 Brad Keselowski 2,038 (–68) 3 9 Christopher Bell 2,031 (–75) 5 10 Chase Elliott 2,030 (–76) 3 11 Aric Almirola 2,029 (–77) 3 12 Tyler Reddick 2,026 (–80) 7 13 Alex Bowman 2,026 (–80) 10 14 Kyle Busch 2,024 (–82) 7 15 William Byron 2,017 (–89) 3 16 Michael McDowell 2,006 (–100)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 995 2 Ford 934 (–61) 3 Toyota 920 (–75)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
References