The 2021 Buschy McBusch Race 400 was a NASCAR Cup Series race was held on May 2, 2021, at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. Contested over 267 laps, on the 1.5 mile (2.4 km) asphalt speedway, it was the 11th race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Report
Background
Kansas Speedway is a tri-oval race track in Kansas City, Kansas. It was built in 2001 and hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The NTT IndyCar Series also raced there until 2011. The speedway is owned and operated by the International Speedway Corporation.
Sponsor Anheuser-Busch on their @BuschBeer twitter account asked fans to vote on the title sponsor name for the race. The options were between "The Busch Latte 400", "Nectar of the Cobs 400", "For the Farmers 400", and "Buschy McBusch Race 400" with the last one ultimately winning the fan vote.
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 (i) 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 33 Austin Cindric (i) Team Penske 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 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 55 Matt Mills (i) B. J. McLeod Motorsports Ford 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 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 3 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 4 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 5 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 6 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 7 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 8 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 9 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 10 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 11 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 12 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 13 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 14 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 15 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 16 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 17 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 18 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 19 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 20 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 22 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 23 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 24 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 25 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 26 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 27 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 28 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 29 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 30 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 31 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 32 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 33 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 34 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 35 15 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 36 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 37 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 38 33 Austin Cindric (i) Team Penske Ford 39 55 Matt Mills (i) B. J. McLeod Motorsports FordOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 80
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 93 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 84 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 75 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 57 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 48 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 39 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 210 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 80
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 102 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 75 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 57 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 48 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 39 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 210 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 107
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 9 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 592 4 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 267 403 1 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 267 484 5 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 267 335 17 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 436 15 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 357 11 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 267 418 16 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 267 299 2 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 3410 6 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 267 2711 21 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 267 2612 20 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 3513 3 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 267 2414 24 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 267 2315 28 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 267 2216 14 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 267 2117 29 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 267 2018 25 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 1919 32 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 3720 19 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 267 1721 7 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 267 2422 38 33 Austin Cindric (i) Team Penske Ford 267 023 22 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 266 1424 10 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 266 1325 27 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 266 1226 13 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 266 1127 26 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 265 1028 8 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 265 1229 18 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 264 830 31 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 263 031 30 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 260 032 12 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 259 533 36 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 259 034 23 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 258 335 35 15 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 258 036 33 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 257 037 34 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 256 138 39 55 Matt Mills (i) B. J. McLeod Motorsports Ford 255 039 37 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 250 1Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 18 among 6 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 7 for 36 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 3 hours, 5 minutes and 21 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television Fox Sports covered their 10th race at the Kansas Speedway. Mike Joy, three-time Kansas 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.
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 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 covered the race from the Sunoco spotters stand outside turn 2 when the field was racing through turns 1 and 2. Mike Bagley called the race from a platform outside turn 4. Steve Post and Pete Pistone worked pit road for the radio side.
MRN RadioBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Jeff Striegle Turns 1 & 2: Dave MoodyTurns 3 & 4: Mike Bagley Steve PostPete Pistone
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Denny Hamlin 481 2 Martin Truex Jr. 394 (–87) 1 3 William Byron 385 (–96) 1 4 Joey Logano 373 (–108) 5 Ryan Blaney 370 (–111) 6 Brad Keselowski 366 (–115) 1 7 Chase Elliott 349 (–132) 1 8 Kevin Harvick 348 (–133) 9 Kyle Larson 337 (–144) 1 10 Kyle Busch 330 (–151) 1 11 Austin Dillon 295 (–186) 2 12 Christopher Bell 292 (–189) 13 Michael McDowell 268 (–213) 14 Alex Bowman 260 (–221) 1 15 Chris Buescher 258 (–223) 1 16 Matt DiBenedetto 250 (–231)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Ford 397 2 Chevrolet 392 (–5) 3 Toyota 382 (–15)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings. . – Driver has clinched a position in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
References