The 2021 Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on September 11, 2021 at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. Contested over 400 laps on the D-shaped short track, it was the 28th race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, second race of the Playoffs and second race of the Round of 16.
Martin Truex Jr. overcame an early drive-through penalty for jumping the start to win the race. Kyle Larson's sixth place ensured he would join Truex and Denny Hamlin in the round of 12.
Report
Background
Richmond Raceway (RR), formerly known as Richmond International Raceway (RIR), is a 3/4-mile (1.2 km), D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Cup Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the IndyCar series. Known as "America's premier short track", it formerly hosted two USAC sprint car races.
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 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 Garrett Smithley (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 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 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 3 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 4 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 5 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 6 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 7 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 8 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 9 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 10 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 11 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 12 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 13 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 14 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 15 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 16 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 17 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 18 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 19 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 20 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 21 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 22 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 23 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 24 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 25 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 26 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 27 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 28 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 29 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 30 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 31 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 32 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 33 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 34 15 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 35 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 36 51 Garrett Smithley (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 37 53 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing ChevroletOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 80
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 93 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 84 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 75 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 66 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 57 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 48 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 39 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 210 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 155
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 75 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 66 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 48 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 39 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 210 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 165
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 3 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 400 512 2 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 400 553 10 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 400 394 13 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 400 425 6 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 400 466 1 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 400 457 17 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 400 398 5 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 400 329 15 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 400 3710 8 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 399 3311 19 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 399 2612 12 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 399 2713 7 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 399 2814 9 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 399 2715 11 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 398 2216 26 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 398 2117 22 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 398 2018 28 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 398 1919 14 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 398 1820 24 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 398 1721 31 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 398 1622 21 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 397 1523 23 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 397 1424 18 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 396 1325 20 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 396 1226 30 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 396 1127 29 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 396 028 16 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 395 929 25 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 395 830 32 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 393 031 36 51 Garrett Smithley (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 389 032 27 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 388 533 34 15 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 387 034 37 53 J. J. Yeley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 386 035 35 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 386 236 33 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 385 137 4 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 40 1Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 21 among 8 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 5 for 30 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 3 hours, 3 minutes and 6 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and three-time Richmond winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. called the race from the broadcast booth. Parker Kligerman, Marty Snider and Dillon Welch handled the pit road duties from pit lane.
NBCSNBooth announcersPit reporters Lap-by-lap: Rick AllenColor-commentator: Jeff BurtonColor-commentator: Steve LetarteColor-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Parker KligermanMarty SniderDillon Welch
Radio The Motor Racing Network had the radio call for the race, which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle and Rusty Wallace called the race from the broadcast booth for MRN when the field races through the front straightaway. Dave Moody called the race from a platform when the field races down the backstraightaway. Steve Post and Kim Coon called the action for MRN from pit lane.
MRN RadioBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Jeff StriegleAnnouncer: Rusty Wallace Backstretch: Dave Moody Steve PostKim Coon
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Kyle Larson 2,151 2 Denny Hamlin 2,127 (–24) 3 Martin Truex Jr. 2,113 (–38) 2 4 Joey Logano 2,093 (–58) 5 Ryan Blaney 2,081 (–70) 1 6 Kevin Harvick 2,078 (–73) 3 7 Chase Elliott 2,072 (–79) 1 8 Christopher Bell 2,070 (–81) 1 9 Brad Keselowski 2,066 (–85) 4 10 Kyle Busch 2,061 (–90) 11 Aric Almirola 2,056 (–95) 8 12 Kurt Busch 2,053 (–98) 13 Alex Bowman 2,053 (–98) 2 14 Tyler Reddick 2,048 (–103) 15 William Byron 2,035 (–116) 16 Michael McDowell 2,015 (–136)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 1,028 2 Ford 966 (–62) 3 Toyota 960 (–68)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
References