The 2021 South Point 400 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on September 26, 2021, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas. Contested over 267 laps on the asphalt intermediate speedway, it was the 30th race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, the fourth race of the Playoffs, and the first race of the Round of 12.
Report
Background
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada outside the Las Vegas city limits and about 15 miles northeast of the Las Vegas Strip, is a complex of multiple tracks for motorsports racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 66 J. J. Yeley (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 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 3 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 4 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 5 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 6 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 7 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 8 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 9 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 10 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 11 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 12 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 13 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 14 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 15 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 16 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 17 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 18 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 19 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 20 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 21 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 22 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 23 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 24 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 25 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 26 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 27 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 28 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 29 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 30 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 31 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 32 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 33 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 34 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 35 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 36 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 37 15 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 38 66 J. J. Yeley (i) MBM Motorsports ToyotaOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage One 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 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 75 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 57 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 48 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 39 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 210 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 80
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 84 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 75 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 66 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 57 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 48 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 39 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 210 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 107
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 6 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 582 11 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 403 10 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 524 4 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 415 2 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 267 396 13 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 267 437 8 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 267 358 20 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 267 339 5 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 267 3410 1 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 3711 9 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 267 3212 14 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 267 2713 15 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 266 2614 19 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 266 2315 26 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 266 2216 21 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 266 2217 22 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 266 2018 3 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 266 2519 17 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 266 1820 29 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 266 1721 23 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 266 1622 7 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 265 1523 18 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 265 1424 12 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 265 1325 25 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 265 1226 16 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 265 1127 32 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 265 1028 24 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 265 929 28 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 265 830 27 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 264 731 35 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 260 032 33 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 260 033 34 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 257 034 36 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 255 335 30 53 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 254 036 31 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 252 137 37 15 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 84 038 38 66 J. J. Yeley (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 76 0Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 21 among 10 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 4 for 21 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 2 hours, 46 minutes and 8 seconds Average speed:
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 and Kelli Stavast 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. Dave BurnsKelli Stavast
Radio PRN had the radio call for the race, which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Doug Rice and Mark Garrow called the race from the booth when the field raced through the tri-oval. Rob Albright called the race from a billboard in turn 2 when the field raced through turns 1 and 2 & Pat Patterson called the race from a billboard outside of turn 3 when the field raced through turns 3 and 4. Brad Gillie, Brett McMillan and Wendy Venturini handled the duties on pit lane.
PRNBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Doug RiceAnnouncer: Mark Garrow Turns 1 & 2: Rob AlbrightTurns 3 & 4: Pat Patterson Brad GillieBrett McMillanWendy Venturini
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Kyle Larson 3,096 1 2 Denny Hamlin 3,082 (–14) 2 3 Kyle Busch 3,074 (–22) 2 4 Martin Truex Jr. 3,070 (–26) 1 5 Ryan Blaney 3,063 (–33) 6 Chase Elliott 3,061 (–35) 2 7 Joey Logano 3,045 (–51) 2 8 Brad Keselowski 3,043 (–53) 1 9 William Byron 3,039 (–57) 2 10 Kevin Harvick 3,036 (–60) 4 11 Alex Bowman 3,030 (–66) 1 12 Christopher Bell 3,018 (–78) 1 13 Tyler Reddick 2,118 (–978) 1 14 Kurt Busch 2,104 (–992) 2 15 Aric Almirola 2,093 (–1,003) 16 Michael McDowell 2,044 (–1,052)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 1,103 2 Ford 1,033 (–70) 3 Toyota 1,030 (–73)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
References