The 2021 Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on March 7, 2021 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas. Contested over 267 laps on the asphalt intermediate speedway, it was the fourth race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Report
Background
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada outside the Las Vegas city limits and about 15 miles northeast of the Las Vegas Strip, is a complex of multiple tracks for motorsports racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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 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 Kevin Harvick was awarded the pole for the race as determined by competition-based formula.
Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 2 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 3 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 4 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 5 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 6 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 7 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 8 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 9 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 11 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 12 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 13 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 14 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 15 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 16 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 17 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 18 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 19 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 20 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 21 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 22 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 23 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 24 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 25 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 26 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 27 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 28 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 29 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 30 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 31 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 32 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 33 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 34 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 35 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 36 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 37 15 Joey Gase Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 38 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports ToyotaOfficial starting lineup
Race Kyle Larson won the race for Hendrick Motorsports, driving the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet. It was his first win since he was sacked by Chip Ganassi Racing in 2020 after he said a racial slur. He also won stage two. Brad Keselowski finished second after winning stage one. Kyle Busch finished third after he passed Denny Hamlin, who was followed by Ryan Blaney.
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 80
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 102 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 93 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 84 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 75 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 48 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 39 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 210 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 80
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 102 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 93 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 75 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 66 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 57 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 48 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 39 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 210 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 107
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 3 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 502 10 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 267 543 14 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 364 6 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 485 26 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 267 466 4 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 357 16 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 398 2 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 409 15 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 267 3010 29 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 267 2711 17 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 267 2612 12 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 267 2513 8 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 3414 18 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 267 2315 19 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 266 2216 30 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 266 2417 5 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 266 2018 13 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 266 1919 7 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 266 1820 1 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 266 1721 24 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 266 1622 11 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 266 1523 21 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 266 1424 27 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 266 1325 20 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 266 1226 22 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 265 1127 9 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 265 2128 23 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 262 929 25 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 262 030 34 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 260 031 31 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 259 032 32 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 259 033 36 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 256 434 37 15 Joey Gase Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 255 335 35 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 252 236 38 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 246 037 33 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 188 138 28 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 178 1Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 27 among 12 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 6 for 30 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 2 hours, 52 minutes and 7 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television Fox Sports covered their 21st race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Mike Joy, 2001 race 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 PRN covered the radio call for the race which was also simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Doug Rice and Mark Garrow called the race in the booth where the field raced through the tri-oval. Rob Albright called the race from a billboard in turn 2 where the field raced through turns 1 and 2. Pat Patterson called the race from a billboard outside of turn 3 where the field raced through turns 3 and 4. Brad Gillie, Brett McMillan and Wendy Venturini worked pit road for the radio side.
PRN Booth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Doug RiceAnnouncer: Mark Garrow Turns 1 & 2: Rob AlbrightTurns 3 & 4: Pat Patterson Brad GillieBrett McMillanWendy Venturini
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Denny Hamlin 187 8 2 Brad Keselowski 149 (–38) 5 3 Kyle Larson 147 (–40) 1 4 Chase Elliott 139 (–48) 2 5 Christopher Bell 138 (–49) 3 6 Joey Logano 138 (–49) 5 7 Kevin Harvick 136 (–51) 1 8 Martin Truex Jr. 131 (–56) 5 9 Michael McDowell 126 (–61) 4 10 Kurt Busch 122 (–65) 2 11 William Byron 116 (–71) 1 12 Austin Dillon 115 (–72) 1 13 Ryan Preece 112 (–75) 4 14 Kyle Busch 98 (–89) 9 15 Ryan Blaney 91 (–96) 1 16 Chris Buescher 90 (–97)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 148 2 Ford 142 (–6) 3 Toyota 140 (–8)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
References