The 2021 Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on October 17, 2021, at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. Contested over 334 laps on the 1.5 mile (2.4 km) intermediate quad-oval, it was the 33rd race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, the seventh race of the Playoffs, and first race of the Round of 8.
Report
Background
Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas. The track measures around and is banked 24 degrees in the turns, and is of the oval design, where the front straightaway juts outward slightly. The track layout is similar to Atlanta Motor Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway (formerly Lowe's Motor Speedway). The track is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., the same company that owns Atlanta and Charlotte Motor Speedway, as well as the short-track Bristol Motor Speedway.
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 13 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 15 Garrett Smithley (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 (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 53 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 66 David Starr (i) MBM 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 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 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 4 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 5 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 6 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 7 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 8 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 9 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 10 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 11 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 13 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 14 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 15 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 16 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 17 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 18 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 19 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 20 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 21 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 22 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 23 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 24 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 25 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 26 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 27 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 28 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 29 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 30 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 31 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 32 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 33 52 Josh Bilicki (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 34 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 35 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 36 15 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 37 53 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 38 66 David Starr (i) MBM Motorsports Ford 39 13 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports ToyotaOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 105
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 93 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 84 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 75 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 57 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 48 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 210 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 105
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 102 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 93 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 84 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 75 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 66 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 57 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 48 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 39 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 210 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 124
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 1 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 334 522 12 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 334 503 11 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 334 344 7 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 334 405 24 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 334 396 4 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 334 487 6 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 334 338 3 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 334 409 9 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 334 3210 19 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 334 2711 2 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 334 3412 21 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 334 2513 13 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 334 2414 15 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 334 2315 26 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 334 3016 17 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 332 3317 16 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 332 2018 22 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 331 1919 20 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 330 1820 29 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 329 1721 10 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 327 1622 35 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 324 023 38 66 David Starr (i) MBM Motorsports Ford 323 024 36 15 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 321 025 8 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 320 1226 33 52 Josh Bilicki (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 319 027 39 13 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 317 028 25 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 311 929 28 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 299 830 5 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 298 2531 30 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 59 632 18 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 38 533 14 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 36 434 27 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 31 335 31 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 31 236 23 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 30 137 32 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 30 038 34 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 30 039 37 53 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 29 0Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 8 among 5 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 11 for 55 Red flags: 1 for 11 minutes and 9 seconds Time of race: 3 hours, 42 minutes and 54 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, Two–time Texas winner Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and 2000 Texas winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. called the race from the broadcast booth. Parker Kligerman, Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast handled the pit road duties from pit lane.
NBCBooth announcersPit reporters Lap-by-lap: Rick AllenColor-commentator: Jeff BurtonColor-commentator: Steve LetarteColor-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Parker KligermanMarty SniderKelli Stavast
Radio PRN covered their final 2021 broadcast, which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Doug Rice & Mark Garrow covered the action for PRN when the field raced down the front straightaway. Nick Yeoman covered the action for PRN from a platform outside of Turns 1 & 2, & Pat Patterson covered the action from a platform outside of Turns 3 & 4 for PRN. Brad Gillie, Brett McMillan and Heather DeBeaux had the call from pit lane for PRN.
PRN Booth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Doug RiceAnnouncer: Mark Garrow Turns 1 & 2: Nick YeomanTurns 3 & 4: Pat Patterson Brad GillieBrett McMillanHeather DeBeaux
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Kyle Larson 4,123 2 2 Ryan Blaney 4,072 (–51) 1 3 Denny Hamlin 4,064 (–59) 1 4 Kyle Busch 4,063 (–60) 1 5 Chase Elliott 4,055 (–68) 2 6 Brad Keselowski 4,048 (–75) 4 7 Martin Truex Jr. 4,041 (–82) 1 8 Joey Logano 4,020 (–103) 9 Kevin Harvick 2,248 (–1,875) 10 Christopher Bell 2,198 (–1,925) 11 Kurt Busch 2,196 (–1,927) 12 Tyler Reddick 2,192 (–1,931) 13 William Byron 2,183 (–1,940) 1 14 Aric Almirola 2,136 (–1,987) 1 15 Alex Bowman 2,135 (–1,988) 16 Michael McDowell 2,107 (–2,016)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 1,216 2 Toyota 1,137 (–79) 3 Ford 1,135 (–81)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
References