The 2021 GEICO 500 was a NASCAR Cup Series race was held on April 25, 2021, at Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. Contested over 191 laps – extended from 188 laps due to an overtime finish, on the 2.66 mile (4.28 km) superspeedway, it was the 10th race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, as well as the second of the four crown jewel races. Brad Keselowski won the race, his 35th career victory, sixth win at Talladega (which tied Jeff Gordon for the second-most victories at the track), and his last win with Team Penske in the No. 2 as he moved to co-own RFK Racing, as well as drive the No. 6 in 2022.
Report
Background
Talladega Superspeedway, formerly known as Alabama International Motor Speedway, is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base in the small city of Lincoln. A tri-oval, the track was constructed in 1969 by the International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France family. Talladega is most known for its steep banking. The track currently hosts NASCAR's Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series. Talladega is the longest NASCAR oval with a length of 2.66-mile-long (4.28 km) tri-oval like the Daytona International Speedway, which is 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km).
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 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 16 Kaz Grala Kaulig 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 28 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 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 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Ford 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 96 Harrison Burton (i) Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 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 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 4 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 5 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 7 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 8 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 9 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 10 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 11 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 12 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 13 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 14 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 15 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 16 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 17 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 18 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 19 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 20 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 21 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 22 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 23 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 24 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 25 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 26 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 27 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 28 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 29 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 30 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 31 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 32 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 33 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 34 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 35 28 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 36 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 37 15 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 38 16 Kaz Grala Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 39 96 Harrison Burton (i) Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 40 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports FordOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 60
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 102 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 93 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 84 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 75 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 57 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 48 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 39 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 210 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 60
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 102 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 93 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 84 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 75 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 66 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 57 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 48 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 39 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 210 96 Harrison Burton (i) Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 0Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 68
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 10 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 191 492 4 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 191 413 23 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 191 454 16 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 191 355 13 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 191 426 38 16 Kaz Grala Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 191 317 20 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 191 308 11 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 191 299 7 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 191 4210 27 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 191 2711 25 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 191 2612 30 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 191 2513 28 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 191 2414 29 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 191 2915 14 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 191 2216 18 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 191 2117 6 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 191 2318 9 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 191 2619 24 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 191 2820 39 96 Harrison Burton (i) Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 191 021 21 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 191 2522 26 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 191 1523 19 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 191 1424 8 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 191 2125 31 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 191 026 37 15 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 191 027 22 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 190 1028 33 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 190 029 40 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Ford 190 030 34 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 190 031 3 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 189 632 1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 188 1233 17 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 186 734 35 28 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 186 035 15 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 185 236 36 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 180 137 32 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 168 138 5 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 123 539 2 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 59 140 12 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 3 1Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 35 among 17 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 7 for 34 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 3 hours, 26 minutes and 30 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television Fox Sports covered their 21st race at the Talladega Superspeedway. Mike Joy, six-time Talladega winner – and all-time restrictor plate race wins record holder – Jeff Gordon and two-time Talladega 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.
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 race in the booth when the field raced through the tri-oval. Dave Moody called the race from the Sunoco spotters stand outside turn 2 when the field raced through turns 1 and 2. Mike Bagley called the race from a platform inside the backstretch when the field raced down the backstretch. Kurt Becker called the race from the Sunoco spotters stand outside turn 4 when the field races through turns 3 and 4. Steve Post, Dillon Welch and Kim Coon worked pit road for the radio side.
MRN RadioBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Jeff Striegle Turns 1 & 2: Dave MoodyBackstretch: Mike BagleyTurns 3 & 4: Kurt Becker Steve PostKim CoonDillon Welch
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Denny Hamlin 446 2 Martin Truex Jr. 359 (−87) 3 Joey Logano 353 (−93) 4 William Byron 351 (−95) 5 Ryan Blaney 346 (−100) 3 6 Brad Keselowski 318 (−128) 1 7 Kevin Harvick 308 (−138) 1 8 Chase Elliott 306 (−140) 3 9 Kyle Larson 300 (−146) 10 Christopher Bell 280 (−166) 11 Kyle Busch 271 (−175) 12 Austin Dillon 268 (−178) 4 13 Michael McDowell 244 (−202) 1 14 Alex Bowman 241 (−205) 1 15 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 229 (−217) 16 Chris Buescher 229 (−217)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 1 Ford 362 1 2 Chevrolet 360 (−2) 3 Toyota 342 (−20)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings. . – Driver has clinched a position in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
References