2021 FireKeepers Casino 400
Race details[1][2][3][4][5][6]
Race 25 of 36 in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series
Date August 22, 2021 (2021-08-22)
Location Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan
Course Permanent racing facility
2.0 mi (3.2 km)
Distance 200 laps, 400 mi (640 km)
Average speed 142.476 miles per hour (229.293 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Hendrick Motorsports
Grid positions set by competition-based formula
Most laps led
Driver Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports
Laps 71
Winner
No. 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske
Television in the United States
Network NBCSN
Announcers Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Radio in the United States
Radio MRN
Booth Announcers Alex Hayden and Jeff Striegle
Turn Announcers Dave Moody (1–2) and Kyle Rickey (3–4)

The 2021 FireKeepers Casino 400 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on August 22, 2021, at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. Contested over 200 laps on the two-mile (3.2 km) D-shaped oval, it was the 25th race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Report

Background

Michigan International Speedway, the track where the race was held.
The 2021 FireKeepers Casino 400 program cover.

The race was held at Michigan International Speedway, a two-mile (3.2 km) moderate-banked D-shaped speedway located in Brooklyn, Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is known as a "sister track" to Texas World Speedway as MIS's oval design was a direct basis of TWS, with moderate modifications to the banking in the corners, and was used as the basis of Auto Club Speedway. The track is owned by International Speedway Corporation. Michigan International Speedway is recognized as one of motorsports' premier facilities because of its wide racing surface and high banking (by open-wheel standards; the 18-degree banking is modest by stock car standards).

Josh Berry replaced Corey LaJoie for the race due to COVID-19 protocols;[7] LaJoie, then unvaccinated, had been close to a person testing positive for the COVID-19 from his Stacking Pennies podcast a week prior.[8]

Entry list

  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
  • (i) denotes driver who are ineligible for series driver points.
No. Driver Team Manufacturer
00Quin HouffStarCom RacingChevrolet
1Kurt BuschChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet
2Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord
3Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
4Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingFord
5Kyle LarsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
6Ryan NewmanRoush Fenway RacingFord
7Josh Berry (i)Spire MotorsportsChevrolet
8Tyler ReddickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
9Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
10Aric AlmirolaStewart-Haas RacingFord
11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
12Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord
14Chase Briscoe (R)Stewart-Haas RacingFord
15Joey Gase (i)Rick Ware RacingChevrolet
17Chris BuescherRoush Fenway RacingFord
18Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
19Martin Truex Jr.Joe Gibbs RacingToyota
20Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
21Matt DiBenedettoWood Brothers RacingFord
22Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord
23Bubba Wallace23XI RacingToyota
24William ByronHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
34Michael McDowellFront Row MotorsportsFord
37Ryan PreeceJTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet
38Anthony Alfredo (R)Front Row MotorsportsFord
41Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord
42Ross ChastainChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet
43Erik JonesRichard Petty MotorsportsChevrolet
47Ricky Stenhouse Jr.JTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet
48Alex BowmanHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
51Cody Ware (i)Petty Ware RacingChevrolet
52Josh BilickiRick Ware RacingFord
53Garrett Smithley (i)Rick Ware RacingFord
77Justin Haley (i)Spire MotorsportsChevrolet
78B. J. McLeod (i)Live Fast MotorsportsFord
99Daniel SuárezTrackhouse Racing TeamChevrolet
Official entry list

Qualifying

Kyle Larson was awarded the pole for the race as determined by competition-based formula.[4]

Starting Lineup

Pos No. Driver Team Manufacturer
1 5Kyle LarsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
2 9Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
3 12Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord
4 21Matt DiBenedettoWood Brothers RacingFord
5 19Martin Truex Jr.Joe Gibbs RacingToyota
6 1Kurt BuschChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet
7 18Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
8 4Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingFord
9 11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
10 48Alex BowmanHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
11 17Chris BuescherRoush Fenway RacingFord
12 47Ricky Stenhouse Jr.JTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet
13 43Erik JonesRichard Petty MotorsportsChevrolet
14 8Tyler ReddickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
15 23Bubba Wallace23XI RacingToyota
16 6Ryan NewmanRoush Fenway RacingFord
17 77Justin Haley (i)Spire MotorsportsChevrolet
18 24William ByronHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
19 22Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord
20 2Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord
21 14Chase Briscoe (R)Stewart-Haas RacingFord
22 42Ross ChastainChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet
23 10Aric AlmirolaStewart-Haas RacingFord
24 7Josh Berry (i)Spire MotorsportsChevrolet
25 34Michael McDowellFront Row MotorsportsFord
26 3Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
27 41Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord
28 20Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
29 52Josh BilickiRick Ware RacingFord
30 99Daniel SuárezTrackhouse Racing TeamChevrolet
31 00Quin HouffStarCom RacingChevrolet
32 37Ryan PreeceJTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet
33 53Garrett Smithley (i)Rick Ware RacingChevrolet
34 15Joey Gase (i)Rick Ware RacingChevrolet
35 38Anthony Alfredo (R)Front Row MotorsportsFord
36 78B. J. McLeodLive Fast MotorsportsFord
37 51Cody Ware (i)Petty Ware RacingChevrolet
Official starting lineup

Race

Kyle Larson started on pole. Chase Elliott won the first stage while Kyle Busch won the second stage. At the end of the second stage, Brad Keselowski made contact with Austin Dillon and sent Dillon spinning into the wall, ending his race. In the final stage, drivers had different pit strategies, with William Byron gaining the lead. A caution came out for rain with 21 laps to go and for a multicar wreck with 14 laps to go. Following a restart with eight laps to go, Ryan Blaney gained the lead and held off Byron and Kyle Larson to win the race, his second win of the season.

Stage Results

Stage One Laps: 60

Pos No Driver Team Manufacturer Points
19Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet10
25Kyle LarsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet9
33Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet8
411Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota7
524William ByronHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet6
622Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord5
721Matt DiBenedettoWood Brothers RacingFord4
81Kurt BuschChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet3
918Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota2
102Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord1
Official stage one results

Stage Two Laps: 60

Pos No Driver Team Manufacturer Points
118Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota10
220Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota9
35Kyle LarsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet8
49Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet7
511Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota6
63Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet5
72Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord4
88Tyler ReddickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet3
924William ByronHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet2
1021Matt DiBenedettoWood Brothers RacingFord1
Official stage two results

Final Stage Results

Stage Three Laps: 80

Pos Grid No Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points
1312Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord20040
21824William ByronHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet20043
315Kyle LarsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet20051
461Kurt BuschChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet20036
5911Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota20045
6421Matt DiBenedettoWood Brothers RacingFord20036
7718Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota20042
829Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet20046
9202Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord20033
10519Martin Truex Jr.Joe Gibbs RacingToyota20027
112114Chase Briscoe (R)Stewart-Haas RacingFord20026
121247Ricky Stenhouse Jr.JTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet20025
132820Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota20033
1484Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingFord20023
151117Chris BuescherRoush Fenway RacingFord20022
161048Alex BowmanHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet20021
172310Aric AlmirolaStewart-Haas RacingFord20020
181343Erik JonesRichard Petty MotorsportsChevrolet20019
191523Bubba Wallace23XI RacingToyota20018
202534Michael McDowellFront Row MotorsportsFord20017
213237Ryan PreeceJTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet20016
223099Daniel SuárezTrackhouse Racing TeamChevrolet20015
232741Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord20014
24166Ryan NewmanRoush Fenway RacingFord20013
251777Justin Haley (i)Spire MotorsportsChevrolet2000
26247Josh Berry (i)Spire MotorsportsChevrolet2000
273751Cody Ware (i)Petty Ware RacingChevrolet1990
283678B. J. McLeod (i)Live Fast MotorsportsFord1980
29148Tyler ReddickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet19811
303100Quin HouffStarCom RacingChevrolet1967
312952Josh BilickiRick Ware RacingFord1956
323353Garrett Smithley (i)Rick Ware RacingFord1940
331922Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord1889
343538Anthony Alfredo (R)Front Row MotorsportsFord1783
352242Ross ChastainChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet1522
36263Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet12014
373415Joey Gase (i)Rick Ware RacingChevrolet320
Official race results

Race statistics

  • Lead changes: 20 among 11 different drivers
  • Cautions/Laps: 6 for 29
  • Red flags: 0
  • Time of race: 2 hours, 48 minutes and 27 seconds
  • Average speed: 142.476 miles per hour (229.293 km/h)

Media

Television

NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and two-time Michigan winner, Dale Earnhardt Jr. called the race from the broadcast booth. Dave Burns, Parker Kligerman and Marty Snider handled the pit road duties from pit lane.

NBCSN
Booth announcersPit reporters
Lap-by-lap: Rick Allen
Color-commentator: Jeff Burton
Color-commentator: Steve Letarte
Color-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dave Burns
Parker Kligerman
Marty Snider

Radio

Radio coverage of the race was broadcast by Motor Racing Network (MRN) and simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden and Jeff Striegle called the race in the booth while the field was racing on the front stretch. Dave Moody called the race from a billboard outside of turn 2 when the field is racing through turns 1 and 2. Kyle Rickey called the race from a platform outside of turn 3 when the field races through turns 3 and 4. Steve Post and Kim Coon worked pit road for the radio side.

MRN
Booth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters
Lead announcer: Alex Hayden
Announcer: Jeff Striegle
Turns 1 & 2: Dave Moody
Turns 3 & 4: Mike Bagley
Steve Post
Kim Coon

Standings after the race

References

  1. "2021 schedule". Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  2. "Michigan International Speedway". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. January 3, 2013. Archived from the original on April 7, 2017. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  3. "Entry List" (PDF). Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. August 16, 2021. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Starting Lineup". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. August 18, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  5. "FireKeepers Casino 400 Results". NASCAR.com. NASCAR. August 22, 2021. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  6. "Points standings" (PDF). Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. August 22, 2021. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  7. Taranto, Steven (2021-08-19). "Corey LaJoie to miss NASCAR at Michigan due to COVID protocols, Josh Berry to drive No. 7 car, per reports". CBS Sports. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  8. Pockrass, Bob (2021-08-23). "Navigating COVID-19 protocols is tricky for NASCAR, drivers". Fox Sports. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.