The 2021 YellaWood 500 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on October 4, 2021, at Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. Originally scheduled for 188 laps on the asphalt superspeedway, the race was shortened to 117 laps by rain. It was the 31st race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, the fifth race of the Playoffs, and the second race of the Round of 12. The race was postponed from Sunday, October 3 to Monday, October 4, due to rain. Bubba Wallace took his first victory in the NASCAR Cup Series. It was the first time since the development of the 2014 NASCAR Playoffs format that a driver not in either level of playoffs had won a race, and the first non-playoff driver to win a race since the 2013 Talladega playoff race, as well the first win for an African-American driver in the Cup Series since Wendell Scott's win in 1963.
It was the shortest Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway, and only the fourth Cup Series race to be shortened at Talladega (the May 1974 race was shortened to 170 laps due to the Energy Crisis, the May 1987 race was shortened to 178 laps by darkness after catch fencing had to be repaired, and the July 1996 race was shortened to 129 laps because of a long rain delay and subsequent darkness). It was the third of five national series races to be shortened in 2021 at Talladega.
Report
Background
Talladega Superspeedway, originally known as Alabama International Motor Superspeedway (AIMS), 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. The track is a tri-oval and was constructed in the 1960s by the International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France family. Talladega is most known for its steep banking and the unique location of the start/finish line that's located just past the exit to pit road. The track currently hosts the NASCAR series such as the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and the Camping World Truck Series. Talladega is the longest NASCAR oval with a length of tri-oval like the Daytona International Speedway, which also is a tri-oval.
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 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 16 Justin Haley (i) 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 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 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 66 James Davison MBM Motorsports Ford 77 Justin Allgaier (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 96 Landon Cassill (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 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 3 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 4 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 5 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 7 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 8 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 9 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 10 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 11 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 12 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 13 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 14 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 15 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 16 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 17 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 18 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 19 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 20 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 21 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 22 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 23 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 24 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 25 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 26 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 27 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 28 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 29 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 30 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 31 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 32 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 33 77 Justin Allgaier (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 34 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 35 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 36 53 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 37 15 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 38 16 Justin Haley (i) Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 39 66 James Davison MBM Motorsports Ford 40 96 Landon Cassill (i) Gaunt Brothers Racing ToyotaOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 60
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 102 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 93 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 84 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 75 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 66 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 57 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 48 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 39 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 210 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 57
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 19 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 117 502 7 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 117 523 8 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 117 514 14 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 117 425 12 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 117 386 24 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 117 467 1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 117 348 9 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 117 399 26 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 117 3010 30 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 117 2811 16 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 117 2612 6 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 117 2513 28 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 117 2414 17 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 117 2315 4 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 117 2716 21 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 117 2117 22 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 117 2018 3 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 117 2319 35 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 117 1820 38 16 Justin Haley (i) Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 117 021 25 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 117 1622 29 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 117 1523 18 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 117 1424 40 96 Landon Cassill (i) Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota 117 025 36 53 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 117 026 20 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 117 1127 2 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 117 1028 31 51 Cody Ware Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 117 029 37 15 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 117 030 32 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 117 031 34 52 Josh Bilicki Rick Ware Racing Ford 117 632 27 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 116 533 23 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 116 734 39 66 James Davison MBM Motorsports Ford 116 335 15 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 115 236 10 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 115 137 5 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 113 138 11 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 97 239 13 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 97 140 33 77 Justin Allgaier (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 55 0Official race results
NOTE: The final stage was cancelled. By NASCAR rule, the top ten earned stage points at the point the race was terminated late in the second stage.
Race statistics Lead changes: 35 among 19 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 5 for 27 Red flags: 2 (1 for weather, 1 for 18 minutes and 20 seconds) Time of race: 2 hours, 23 minutes and 24 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and six-time Talladega winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. called the race from the broadcast booth. Dave Burns, Parker Kligerman, Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast handled the pit road duties from pit lane. Rutledge Wood 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 BurnsParker KligermanMarty SniderKelli Stavast Rutledge Wood
Radio MRN had the radio call for the race, which was also simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle and Rusty Wallace called the race for MRN when the field races thru the tri-oval. Dave Moody called the action from turn 1, Mike Bagley called the action for MRN when the field races down the backstraightaway, and Kyle Rickey called the race from the Sunoco tower just outside of turn 4. Steve Post, Kim Coon, and Hannah Newhouse called the action for MRN from pit lane.
MRN Booth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Jeff StriegleAnnouncer: Rusty Wallace Turns 1 & 2: Dave MoodyBackstretch: Mike BagleyTurns 3 & 4: Kyle Rickey Steve PostKim CoonHannah Newhouse
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 1 Denny Hamlin 3,116 1 2 Kyle Larson 3,097 (–19) 4 3 Joey Logano 3,096 (–20) 4 4 Brad Keselowski 3,095 (–21) 1 5 Martin Truex Jr. 3,095 (–21) 1 6 Ryan Blaney 3,090 (–26) 1 7 Chase Elliott 3,084 (–32) 1 8 Kyle Busch 3,084 (–32) 1 9 Kevin Harvick 3,075 (–41) 2 10 Christopher Bell 3,056 (–60) 2 11 William Byron 3,040 (–76) 1 12 Alex Bowman 3,032 (–84) 1 13 Kurt Busch 2,146 (–970) 1 14 Tyler Reddick 2,125 (–991) 15 Aric Almirola 2,104 (–1,012) 16 Michael McDowell 2,064 (–1,052)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 1,136 1 2 Toyota 1,070 (–66) 1 3 Ford 1,068 (–68)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
References