The 2021 Instacart 500 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on March 14, 2021, at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona. Contested over 312 laps on the oval, it was the fifth race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Report Background
Phoenix Raceway, is a , low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. The motorsport track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the IndyCar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series. The raceway is currently owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation.
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 Brad Keselowski was awarded the pole for the race as determined by competition-based formula.
Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 2 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 3 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 4 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 5 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 6 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 7 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 8 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 9 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 10 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 11 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 12 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 13 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 14 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 15 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 16 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 17 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 18 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 19 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 20 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 21 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 22 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 23 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 24 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 25 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 26 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 27 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 28 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 29 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 30 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 31 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 32 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 33 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 34 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 35 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 36 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 37 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 38 15 James Davison Rick Ware Racing ChevroletOfficial starting lineup
Race Martin Truex Jr. won the race, driving a Toyota. It was his first Cup Series win since the race at Martinsville Speedway in June 2020. He finished 1.698 seconds ahead of Ford driver Joey Logano. It was Truex's 28th Cup Series win and his first at Phoenix.
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 75
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 102 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 93 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 84 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 75 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 48 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 210 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 115
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 102 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 75 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 66 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 57 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 48 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 39 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 210 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 122
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 5 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 312 492 9 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 312 543 3 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 312 494 1 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 312 485 6 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 312 406 18 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 312 407 2 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 312 328 10 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 312 369 4 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 312 2910 8 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 312 4311 32 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 312 2912 11 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 312 2513 21 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 312 2414 20 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 312 2415 12 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 312 2216 25 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 312 2117 13 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 312 2018 17 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 312 1919 22 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 312 1820 14 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 312 1721 27 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 312 1622 26 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 312 1523 16 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 312 1424 29 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 312 025 7 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 311 1726 15 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 311 1127 33 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 311 1028 19 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 311 929 23 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 310 830 30 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 309 031 24 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 308 632 35 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 305 533 38 15 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 303 434 34 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 300 035 36 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 258 236 31 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 101 037 28 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 87 138 37 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 15 0Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 22 among 9 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 7 for 45 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 3 hours, 0 minutes and 20 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television Fox Sports covered their 16th race at the Phoenix Raceway. Mike Joy, two-time Phoenix 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 covered the radio action for the race which was also simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden and Jeff Striegle called the race when the field raced past the start/finish line. Dan Hubbard called the action from turns 1 & 2 and Kyle Rickey called the action from turns 3 & 4. Pit lane was manned by Steve Post and Dillon Welch.
MRN Booth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Jeff Striegle Turns 1 & 2: Dan HubbardTurns 3 & 4: Kyle Rickey Steve PostDillon Welch
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Denny Hamlin 235 2 Brad Keselowski 197 (–38) 3 3 Joey Logano 192 (–43) 4 4 Martin Truex Jr. 180 (–55) 2 5 Kyle Larson 179 (–56) 2 6 Chase Elliott 179 (–56) 7 Kevin Harvick 176 (–59) 3 8 Christopher Bell 167 (–68) 2 9 William Byron 152 (–83) 10 Kurt Busch 144 (–91) 2 11 Michael McDowell 140 (–95) 12 Austin Dillon 135 (–100) 2 13 Ryan Blaney 134 (–101) 1 14 Ryan Preece 123 (–112) 1 15 Kyle Busch 115 (–120) 1 16 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 113 (–123)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 180 1 2 Toyota 180 (–0) 1 3 Ford 177 (–3)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
References