The 2021 Pocono Organics CBD 325 was a NASCAR Cup Series race that was held on June 26, 2021, at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. Contested over 130 laps on the triangular racecourse, it was the 18th race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.
This was the final time the Cup Series had a second race at Pocono, as the track lost its second race in 2022.
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 Kyle Larson was awarded the pole for the race as determined by competition-based formula.
Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 2 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 3 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 4 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 5 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 6 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 7 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 8 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 9 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 10 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 11 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 12 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 13 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 14 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 15 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 16 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 17 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 18 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 19 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 20 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 21 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 23 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 24 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 25 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 26 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 27 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 28 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 29 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 30 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 31 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 32 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 33 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 34 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 35 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 36 15 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 37 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 38 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports ToyotaOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 25
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 93 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 84 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 75 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 66 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 48 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 39 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 210 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 52
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 102 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 93 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 84 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 75 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 66 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 48 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 210 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 53
On the final lap, Kyle Larson, who had passed Alex Bowman for the lead with four laps to go, cut a left front tire entering the final corner at turn three and would hit the wall. Bowman would go on to take the victory from Kyle Busch, who led the most laps, William Byron, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Blaney. Larson was credited with a ninth place finish, crossing the line with a badly damaged car.
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 13 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 130 432 5 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 130 473 2 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 130 504 10 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 130 435 27 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 130 386 8 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 130 457 4 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 130 458 3 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 130 359 1 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 130 4510 18 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 130 2811 16 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 130 2712 29 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 130 2513 14 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 130 2714 20 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 130 2315 7 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 130 2216 11 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 130 2117 9 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 130 2018 15 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 130 2319 17 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 130 1820 25 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 130 1721 12 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 130 1822 22 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 130 1523 31 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 130 1424 28 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 130 1325 35 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 130 026 24 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 130 1127 34 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 130 028 36 15 James Davison Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 130 929 30 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 130 030 32 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 130 031 37 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 130 632 21 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 129 533 6 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 129 434 33 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 128 335 38 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 126 036 23 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 125 137 19 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 96 138 26 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 13 1Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 14 among 9 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 8 for 25 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 2 hours, 30 minutes and 38 seconds Average speed:
Race recap For pre-race ceremonies, Monty Self of Motor Racing Outreach gave out the invocation. Ellen Kane would sing the national anthem. A singular USAF C-17 Globemaster III would perform a flyover at the end of the national anthem. Jeff Moyer, CEO of Rodale Institute, would give the starting command.
Kyle Larson would lead the first 5 laps before being passed by William Byron on lap 6. On lap 10, a caution was called for debris in Turn 2. On the restart, Byron would pull away but a lap later, Brad Keselowski, in an attempt to go under Cole Custer, hit Custer in the back and sent Custer into the outside wall, sending cars scattering as Custer slid down into the inside wall. Custer would retire from the race. After pit stops, Kyle Busch would assume the lead. Kyle Busch would pull away from William Byron on the restart and go on to win Stage 1.
On the final lap, Larson would blow a tire on the final turn, hitting the Turn 3 wall. Bowman, who was second at the time would pass Larson and win the race. Larson would eventually crawl to the line, finishing ninth.
Media
Television NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt Jr. called the race from the broadcast booth. Dave Burns, Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast handled the pit road duties from pit lane. Jac Collinsworth handled the features from the track.
NBCSNBooth announcersPit reportersFeatures reporter Lap-by-lap: Rick AllenColor-commentator: Jeff BurtonColor-commentator: Steve LetarteColor-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dave BurnsMarty SniderKelli Stavast Jac Collinsworth
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. Kyle Rickey called the race from the Sunoco spotters stand outside turn 3 when the field raced through turn 3. Steve Post 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 BagleyTurn 3: Kyle Rickey Steve PostKim Coon
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Denny Hamlin 729 2 Kyle Larson 721 (–8) 3 William Byron 655 (–74) 1 4 Joey Logano 623 (–106) 1 5 Chase Elliott 617 (–112) 6 Kyle Busch 606 (–123) 7 Martin Truex Jr. 565 (–164) 8 Kevin Harvick 552 (–177) 9 Ryan Blaney 548 (–181) 10 Brad Keselowski 519 (–210) 1 11 Alex Bowman 513 (–216) 1 12 Austin Dillon 494 (–235) 13 Tyler Reddick 444 (–285) 3 14 Kurt Busch 413 (–316) 1 15 Christopher Bell 412 (–317) 1 16 Chris Buescher 409 (–320)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 667 2 Ford 621 (–46) 3 Toyota 610 (–57)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings. . – Driver has clinched a position in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
References