The 2021 Dixie Vodka 400 was a NASCAR Cup Series race that was held on February 28, 2021 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida. Contested over 267 laps on the 1.5 mile (2.4 km) oval, it was the third race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Report
Background
Homestead-Miami Speedway is a motor racing track located in Homestead, Florida. The track, which has several configurations, has promoted several series of racing, including NASCAR, the NTT IndyCar Series and the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
From 2002 to 2019, Homestead-Miami Speedway hosted the final race of the season in all three of NASCAR's series: the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series.
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 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 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
Qualifying Denny Hamlin was awarded the pole for the race as determined by competition-based formula.
Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 2 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 3 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 4 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 5 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 6 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 7 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 8 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 9 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 10 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 11 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 12 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 13 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 14 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 15 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 16 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 17 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 18 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 19 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 20 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 21 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 22 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 23 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 24 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 25 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 26 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 27 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 28 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 29 15 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 30 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 31 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 32 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 33 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 34 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 35 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 36 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 37 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 38 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing ChevroletOfficial starting lineup
Race William Byron took his second Cup Series win, driving a Chevrolet for the Hendrick Motorsports team. Tyler Reddick overtook other drivers after sunset and finished in second. Martin Truex Jr. finished third after he made a pit stop for new tires at the end of the second stage. Kyle Larson had his best result in nearly a year by finishing fourth. Kevin Harvick finished fifth, which was the best result for a Ford driver. Michael McDowell took his third top ten finish in a row by coming sixth. Ryan Newman was seventh, while the two Busch brothers finished eighth and tenth to sandwich ninth-placed Alex Bowman. Kurt Busch recovered to eighth after losing positions to a loose wheel.
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 80
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 102 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 93 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 75 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 57 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 48 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 210 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 80
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 102 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 84 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 75 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 57 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 48 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 39 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 210 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 107
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 31 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 572 35 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 267 353 9 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 494 17 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 445 4 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 267 366 6 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 267 317 23 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 267 308 5 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 267 399 13 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 3610 24 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 2711 1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 3512 22 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 267 2613 15 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 267 2414 11 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 2615 21 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 267 2216 7 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 267 3117 32 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 267 2018 30 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 267 1919 12 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 267 3320 3 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 1721 8 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 267 1622 19 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 267 1523 10 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 267 1424 27 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 267 1325 2 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 267 1626 20 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 266 027 18 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 266 1028 37 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 266 929 14 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 266 1130 16 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 264 731 28 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 263 032 26 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 261 033 36 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 259 434 34 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 258 035 38 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 258 236 25 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 151 137 29 15 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 61 138 33 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 21 0Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 20 among 9 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 6 for 36 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 3 hours, 12 minutes and 45 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television The Dixie Vodka 400 was carried by Fox in the United States. Mike Joy, 2012 Homestead winner 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 also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden and Jeff Striegle called the action of the race for MRN when the field raced down the front straightaway. Dave Moody covered the action for MRN in turns 1 & 2, and Mike Bagley had the call of the action from turns 3 & 4. Steve Post and Kim Coon covered the action of the race for MRN on pit road.
MRN RadioBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Jeff Striegle Turns 1 & 2: Dave MoodyTurns 3 & 4: Mike Bagley Steve PostKim Coon
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Denny Hamlin 139 1 2 Kevin Harvick 119 (–20) 1 3 Joey Logano 108 (–31) 2 4 Michael McDowell 106 (–33) 5 Chase Elliott 105 (–34) 2 6 Kurt Busch 104 (–35) 3 7 Christopher Bell 99 (–40) 4 8 Kyle Larson 97 (–42) 5 9 Martin Truex Jr. 96 (–43) 10 Brad Keselowski 95 (–44) 2 11 Austin Dillon 90 (–49) 5 12 Ryan Preece 90 (–49) 16 13 William Byron 76 (–63) 3 14 Cole Custer 68 (–71) 3 15 Chris Buescher 67 (–72) 3 16 Bubba Wallace 67 (–72)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 2 1 Chevrolet 108 1 2 Ford 107 (–1) 1 3 Toyota 106 (–2)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
References