The 2021 Xfinity 500 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on October 31, 2021, at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia. Contested over 501 laps—extended from 500 laps due to an overtime finish, on the short track, it was the 35th race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, the ninth race of the Playoffs, and final race of the Round of 8. Alex Bowman moved Denny Hamlin during the closing laps to earn his fourth win in 2021, as well as his sixth overall.
Report
Background
Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, in Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Cup Series. The track is also one of the first paved oval tracks in NASCAR, being built in 1947 by H. Clay Earles. It is also the only race track that has been on the NASCAR circuit from its beginning in 1948. Along with this, Martinsville is the only NASCAR oval track on the entire NASCAR track circuit to have asphalt surfaces on the straightaways, then concrete to cover the turns.
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 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 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. This was the final round for the single-day race format with no practice or qualifying used since May 2020 in Darlington. Starting in 2022, NASCAR adopted the competition-based formula for determining practice groups and qualifying order, and when weather cancels qualifying.
Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 2 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 3 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 4 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 5 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 6 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 7 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 8 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 9 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 10 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 11 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 12 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 13 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 14 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 15 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 16 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 17 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 18 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 19 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 20 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 21 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 23 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 24 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 25 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 26 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 27 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 28 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 29 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 30 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 31 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 32 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 33 52 Josh Bilicki (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 34 53 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 35 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 36 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 37 15 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 38 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports ToyotaOfficial starting lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 130
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 102 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 93 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 75 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 66 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 48 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 210 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 130
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 102 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 93 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 84 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 75 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 66 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 57 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 48 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 39 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 210 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 240
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 13 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 501 522 7 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 501 423 6 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 501 434 4 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 501 485 11 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 501 476 23 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 501 377 10 1 Kurt Busch Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 501 318 28 43 Erik Jones Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet 501 299 15 17 Chris Buescher Roush Fenway Racing Ford 501 2810 5 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 501 2911 8 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 501 2612 9 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 501 2513 14 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 501 2814 1 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 501 3215 21 21 Matt DiBenedetto Wood Brothers Racing Ford 501 2216 2 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 501 4117 12 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 501 2418 18 8 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 501 1919 25 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 501 1820 32 38 Anthony Alfredo (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford 501 1721 29 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 501 1622 22 14 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 501 1523 24 41 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 501 1424 3 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 501 1925 17 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 501 1226 19 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 499 1127 16 42 Ross Chastain Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 498 1028 20 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet 498 929 30 78 B. J. McLeod (i) Live Fast Motorsports Ford 496 030 31 51 Cody Ware (i) Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet 495 031 35 77 Justin Haley (i) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 492 032 27 6 Ryan Newman Roush Fenway Racing Ford 491 533 37 15 Garrett Smithley (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 490 034 36 00 Quin Houff StarCom Racing Chevrolet 483 335 33 52 Josh Bilicki (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 483 036 26 37 Ryan Preece JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 414 137 38 66 Timmy Hill (i) MBM Motorsports Toyota 206 038 34 53 Joey Gase (i) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 10 0Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 15 among 7 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 15 for 91 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 3 hours, 42 minutes and 48 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, 1997 race winner Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and 2014 race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. called the race from the broadcast booth. Dave Burns, Parker Kligerman, Marty Snider and Dillon Welch handled the pit road duties from pit lane. Rutledge Wood handled the features from the track.
NBCBooth announcersPit reportersFeatures reporter Lap-by-lap: Rick AllenColor-commentator: Jeff BurtonColor-commentator: Steve LetarteColor-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dave BurnsParker KligermanMarty SniderDillon Welch Rutledge Wood
Radio MRN covered the radio call for the race, which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle and 7 time Martinsville winner Rusty Wallace had the call for MRN when the field raced down the front straightaway. Dave Moody covered the action for MRN when the field raced down the backstraightway into turn 3. Steve Post and Kim Coon covered the action for MRN from pit lane.
MRN Booth 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 5,000 2 Chase Elliott 5,000 (–0) 3 3 Martin Truex Jr. 5,000 (–0) 1 4 Denny Hamlin 5,000 (–0) 2 5 Brad Keselowski 2,323 (–2,677) 3 6 Kevin Harvick 2,318 (–2,682) 2 7 Ryan Blaney 2,308 (–2,692) 8 Joey Logano 2,308 (–2,692) 5 9 Kyle Busch 2,285 (–2,715) 1 10 William Byron 2,280 (–2,720) 1 11 Kurt Busch 2,274 (–2,726) 12 Christopher Bell 2,251 (–2,749) 13 Tyler Reddick 2,232 (–2,768) 14 Alex Bowman 2,221 (–2,779) 15 Aric Almirola 2,184 (–2,816) 16 Michael McDowell 2,139 (–2,861)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 1,296 2 Toyota 1,204 (–92) 3 Ford 1,203 (–93)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
References