The 2021 Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on April 10 and 11th, 2021, at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia. Contested over 500 laps on the paperclip-shaped short track, it was the eighth race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Report
Background
Martinsville Speedway is a NASCAR-owned stock car racing track located in Henry County, in Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved oval tracks in NASCAR, being built in 1947 by H. Clay Earles. It is also the only remaining race track that has been on the NASCAR circuit from its beginning in 1948.
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 J. J. Yeley (i) 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 Joey Logano was awarded the pole for the race as determined by competition-based formula.
Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 2 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 3 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 4 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 5 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 7 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 8 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 9 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 10 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 11 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 12 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 13 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 14 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 15 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 16 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 17 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 18 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 19 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 20 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 21 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 22 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 23 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 24 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 25 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 26 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 27 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 28 53 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 29 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 30 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 31 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 32 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 33 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 34 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 35 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 36 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 37 15 James Davison Rick Ware Racing ChevroletOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 130
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 102 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 75 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 57 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 48 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 39 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 210 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 130
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 102 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 75 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 57 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 48 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 39 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 210 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 240
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 7 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 500 562 5 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 500 493 2 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 500 524 3 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 500 425 19 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 500 386 1 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 500 337 23 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 500 318 13 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 500 329 9 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 500 2810 12 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 500 2911 4 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 500 4612 22 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 500 2513 15 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 500 2414 18 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 500 2315 6 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 500 2216 25 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 500 2117 27 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 500 2018 26 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 500 1919 8 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 499 1820 31 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 499 1721 21 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 498 1722 37 15 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 494 1523 33 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 493 1424 29 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 493 1325 28 53 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 492 026 35 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 492 1127 24 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 491 1028 32 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 490 029 36 78 B. J. McLeod Live Fast Motorsports Ford 478 030 16 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 403 731 14 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 387 632 11 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 386 -533 10 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 385 1234 20 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 384 1335 30 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 383 036 17 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 382 137 34 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 374 1Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 18 among 7 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 15 for 102 Red flags: 2 for 18 hours, 42 minutes and 31 seconds Time of race: 3 hours, 54 minutes and 25 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television Fox Sports covered their 21st race at the Martinsville Speedway. Mike Joy, nine-time Martinsville winner Jeff Gordon and 2018 Martinsville winner 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.
FS1Booth 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 simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden and Jeff Striegle called the race in the booth as the cars raced down the frontstretch. Dave Moody called the race from atop the turn 3 stands as the field raced down the backstretch. Pit lane was manned by Steve Post and Kim Coon.
MRNBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Jeff Striegle Backstretch: Dave Moody Steve PostKim Coon
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Denny Hamlin 379 1 2 Martin Truex Jr. 303 (–76) 1 3 Joey Logano 302 (–77) 4 Kyle Larson 280 (–99) 2 5 Ryan Blaney 272 (–107) 6 William Byron 270 (–109) 2 7 Chase Elliott 260 (–119) 8 Kevin Harvick 253 (–126) 2 9 Brad Keselowski 244 (–135) 10 Christopher Bell 217 (–162) 2 11 Kyle Busch 212 (–167) 1 12 Austin Dillon 209 (–170) 1 13 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 202 (–177) 3 14 Chris Buescher 192 (–187) 15 Kurt Busch 190 (–189) 4 16 Michael McDowell 189 (–190)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Ford 288 1 2 Toyota 287 (–1) 1 3 Chevrolet 285 (–3)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings. . – Driver has clinched a position in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
References