The 2021 Sparks 300 was a NASCAR Xfinity Series race held on October 2, 2021, at Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. Contested over 107 laps—shortened from 113 laps due to darkness, on the asphalt superspeedway, it was the 28th race of the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, the second race of the Playoffs, and the second race of the Round of 12. After "The Big One" occurred late, Brandon Brown was determined as the leader at the time of caution. The race was then called due to darkness, leading to his first career Xfinity series victory.
After the race, Brown unwittingly became associated with politics when NBC Sports reporter Kelli Stavast's misstating of a crowd chant led to "Let's Go Brandon" becoming a political slogan used against U.S. President Joe Biden.
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 is ineligible for series driver points.
DriverTeamMake0Jeffrey EarnhardtJD MotorsportsChevrolet1Josh Berry (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet2Myatt SniderRichard Childress RacingChevrolet02Brett MoffittOur MotorsportsChevrolet4Landon Cassill JD MotorsportsChevrolet5Matt MillsB. J. McLeod MotorsportsToyota6Ryan Vargas (R)JD MotorsportsChevrolet7Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet07Joe Graf Jr.SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet8Sam Mayer (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet9Noah GragsonJR MotorsportsChevrolet10Jeb BurtonKaulig RacingChevrolet11Justin HaleyKaulig RacingChevrolet13Timmy Hill (i)MBM MotorsportsToyota15Bayley CurreyJD MotorsportsChevrolet16A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet17Garrett SmithleySS-Green Light Racing with Rick Ware RacingChevrolet18Daniel HemricJoe Gibbs RacingToyota19Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota20Harrison BurtonJoe Gibbs RacingToyota22Austin CindricTeam PenskeFord23Blaine PerkinsOur MotorsportsChevrolet26Santino Ferrucci Sam Hunt RacingToyota31Jordan Anderson (i)Jordan Anderson RacingChevrolet36Alex LabbéDGM RacingChevrolet39Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord44Tommy Joe MartinsMartins MotorsportsChevrolet47Kyle WeathermanMike Harmon RacingChevrolet48Jade Buford (R)Big Machine Racing TeamChevrolet51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet52Joey GaseMeans RacingChevrolet54John Hunter Nemechek (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota61David Starr Hattori Racing EnterprisesToyota66Jason White MBM MotorsportsToyota68Brandon BrownBrandonbilt MotorsportsChevrolet74C. J. McLaughlin Mike Harmon RacingChevrolet78Mason MasseyB. J. McLeod MotorsportsToyota90Caesar BacarellaDGM RacingChevrolet92Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet98Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord99J. J. YeleyB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevyOfficial entry list
Qualifying Justin Allgaier was awarded the pole for the race as determined by competition-based formula. Timmy Hill did not have enough points to qualify for the race.
Starting lineup PosDriverTeamManufacturer17Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet222Austin CindricTeam PenskeFord31Josh Berry (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet49Noah GragsonJR MotorsportsChevrolet516A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet618Daniel Hemric Joe Gibbs RacingToyota719Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota811Justin HaleyKaulig RacingChevrolet920Harrison BurtonJoe Gibbs RacingToyota102Myatt SniderRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1154John Hunter Nemechek (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota128Sam Mayer (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet1398Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord1410Jeb Burton Kaulig RacingChevrolet1551Jeremy Clements Jeremy Clements RacingChevrolet1602Brett MoffittOur MotorsportsChevrolet1739Ryan Sieg RSS RacingFord1844Tommy Joe MartinsMartins MotorsportsChevrolet1968Brandon Brown Brandonbilt MotorsportsChevrolet2015Bayley Currey (i)JD MotorsportsChevrolet214Landon CassillJD MotorsportsChevrolet226Ryan Vargas (R) JD MotorsportsChevrolet2323Blaine Perkins Our MotorsportsChevrolet2492Josh Williams DGM RacingChevrolet2547Kyle WeathermanMike Harmon RacingChevrolet2648Jade Buford (R)Big Machine Racing TeamChevrolet2778Mason MasseyB. J. McLeod MotorsportsToyota2861David Starr Hattori Racing EnterprisesToyota2931Jordan Anderson (i)Jordan Anderson RacingChevrolet305Matt Mills B. J. McLeod MotorsportsToyota310Jeffrey Earnhardt JR MotorsportsChevrolet3236Alex LabbéDGM RacingChevrolet3326Santino Ferrucci Sam Hunt RacingToyota3466Jason White MBM MotorsportsToyota3517Garrett SmithleySS-Green Light Racing with Rick Ware RacingChevrolet3674C. J. McLaughlinMike Harmon RacingChevrolet3790Caesar BacarellaDGM RacingChevrolet3899J. J. Yeley B. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet3952Joey GaseMeans MotorsportsChevrolet4007Joe Graf Jr.SS-Green Light RacingChevroletFailed to qualify4113Timmy Hill (i)MBM MotorsportsToyota Official qualifying results
Race
Race results
Stage Results Stage One Laps: 25
PosDriverTeamManufacturerPoints154John Hunter Nemechek (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota0210Jeb BurtonKaulig RacingChevrolet9398Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord8422Austin CindricTeam PenskeFord7520Harrison BurtonJoe Gibbs RacingToyota662Myatt SniderRichard Childress RacingChevrolet577Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet4819Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota3923Blaine PerkinsOur MotorsportsChevrolet21018Daniel HemricJoe Gibbs RacingToyota1
Stage Two Laps: 25
PosDriverTeamManufacturerPoints123Blaine PerkinsOur MotorsportsChevrolet10202Brett MoffittOur MotorsportsChevrolet9354John Hunter Nemechek (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota0498Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord757Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet6610Jeb BurtonKaulig RacingChevrolet5720Harrison BurtonJoe Gibbs RacingToyota4811Justin HaleyKaulig RacingChevrolet3922Austin CindricTeam PenskeFord2109Noah GragsonJR MotorsportsChevrolet1
Final Stage Results
Laps:
PosGridDriverTeamManufacturerLapsPointsStatus11968Brandon BrownBrandonbilt MotorsportsChevrolet10740Running2719Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota10738Running317Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet10744Running4618Daniel HemricJoe Gibbs RacingToyota10734Running52931Jordan Anderson (i)Jordan Anderson RacingChevrolet1070Running6811Justin HaleyKaulig RacingChevrolet10734Running71410Jeb BurtonKaulig RacingChevrolet10744Running8222Austin CindricTeam PenskeFord10738Running931Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet10728Running104007Joe Graf Jr.SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet10727Running111739Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord10726Running122648Jade BufordBig Machine Racing TeamChevrolet10725Running132323Blaine PerkinsOur MotorsportsChevrolet10736Running142492Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet10723Running153952Joey GaseJimmy Means RacingFord10722Running163817J. J. YeleyB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet10721Running173326Santino FerrucciSam Hunt RacingToyota10720Running181844Tommy Joe MartinsMartins MotorsportsChevrolet10719Running193517Garrett SmithleySS-Green Light Racing with Rick Ware RacingChevrolet10718Running202547Kyle WeathermanMike Harmon RacingChevrolet10717Running213236Alex LabbéDGM RacingChevrolet10716Running221154John Hunter Nemechek (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota1070Running23305Matt MillsB. J. McLeod MotorsportsToyota10614Running241551Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet10413Running25920Harrison BurtonJoe Gibbs RacingToyota10122Accident261602Brett MoffittOur MotorsportsChevrolet10120Accident271398Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord10125Accident283466Jason WhiteMBM MotorsportsFord1019Accident29310Jeffrey EarnhardtJD MotorsportsChevrolet938Accident3049Noah GragsonJR MotorsportsChevrolet888Accident31102Myatt SniderRichard Childress RacingChevrolet8811Accident323790Caesar BacarellaDGM RacingChevrolet885Accident33226Ryan VargasJD MotorsportsChevrolet884Accident343674C. J. McLaughlinMike Harmon RacingChevrolet883Accident352778Mason MasseyB. J. McLeod MotorsportsToyota882Accident362015Bayley Currey (i)JD MotorsportsChevrolet730Driveshaft37214Landon CassillJD MotorsportsChevrolet501Engine38128Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet241Accident39516A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet241Accident402861David StarrHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota201Engine Official race results
Race statistics
Lead changes: 33 among 17 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 5 for 21 Time of race: 2 hours, 4 minutes, and 55 seconds Average speed:
References