# 2021 Food City Dirt Race

The 2021 Food City Dirt Race was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on March 29, 2021, at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. Contested over 250 laps on the 0.533 miles (0.858 km) short track, it was the seventh race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season. The normal concrete racing surface at Bristol was covered with 2,300 truckloads of red clay, reducing the banking from 28 to 19 degrees, and making for the Cup Series' first race on dirt since 1970.

## Report
### Background

Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway, is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961. Despite its short length, Bristol is among the most popular tracks on the NASCAR schedule because of its distinct features, which include extraordinarily steep banking, an all concrete surface, two pit roads, and stadium-like seating.
In 2021, the race shifted to a dirt surface version of the track and was renamed the Food City Dirt Race. On January 25, 2021, NASCAR announced the stage lengths of all events in all three series. According to the stage lengths, it states the race will consist of 250 laps.

#### Entry list

* (R) denotes rookie driver.
* (i) denotes driver who are ineligible for series driver points.
| No. | 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 | Chris Windom | 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 | Rick Ware Racing | Ford |
| 53 | J. J. Yeley (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet |
| 66 | Mike Marlar | MBM Motorsports | Toyota |
| 77 | Stewart Friesen (i) | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 78 | Shane Golobic | Live Fast Motorsports | Ford |
| 96 | Ty Dillon (i) | Gaunt Brothers Racing | Toyota |
| 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing Team | Chevrolet |
| Official entry list ||||

## Practice
### First practice

Alex Bowman was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 20.155 seconds and a speed of 89.308 mph (143.727 km/h).
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
| 1 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 20.155 | 89.308 |
| 2 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 20.225 | 88.999 |
| 3 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 20.248 | 88.898 |
| Official first practice results |||||||

### Final practice

Ryan Blaney was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 20.172 seconds and a speed of 89.233 mph (143.607 km/h).
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
| 1 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 20.172 | 89.233 |
| 2 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 20.194 | 89.135 |
| 3 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 20.228 | 88.986 |
| Official final practice results |||||||

## Qualifying heat races

Qualifying heat races were cancelled due to weather. As a result, NASCAR used the standard competition-based formula used in races where practice and qualifying are not being conducted for pandemic safety reasons. Denny Hamlin will start first as the control car, as Kyle Larson, who had the top score under the competition-based formula from the previous week, was penalised for an engine change in Friday practice over concerns of overheating in second practice.

### Starting Lineup

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer |
| 1 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 2 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 3 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford |
| 4 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 5 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 6 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 7 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 8 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 9 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 10 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford |
| 11 | 17 | Chris Buescher | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford |
| 12 | 21 | Matt DiBenedetto | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford |
| 13 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet |
| 14 | 6 | Ryan Newman | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford |
| 15 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 16 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 17 | 42 | Ross Chastain | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet |
| 18 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing Team | Chevrolet |
| 19 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
| 20 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford |
| 21 | 41 | Cole Custer | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 22 | 37 | Ryan Preece | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet |
| 23 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 24 | 43 | Erik Jones | Richard Petty Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 25 | 14 | Chase Briscoe (R) | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 26 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 27 | 8 | Tyler Reddick | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 28 | 1 | Kurt Busch | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet |
| 29 | 38 | Anthony Alfredo (R) | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 30 | 7 | Corey LaJoie | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 31 | 51 | Cody Ware (i) | Petty Ware Racing | Chevrolet |
| 32 | 77 | Stewart Friesen (i) | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 33 | 00 | Quin Houff | StarCom Racing | Chevrolet |
| 34 | 53 | J. J. Yeley (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet |
| 35 | 78 | Shane Golobic | Live Fast Motorsports | Ford |
| 36 | 15 | Chris Windom | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet |
| 37 | 52 | Josh Bilicki | Rick Ware Racing | Ford |
| 38 | 66 | Mike Marlar | MBM Motorsports | Toyota |
| 39 | 96 | Ty Dillon (i) | Gaunt Brothers Racing | Toyota |
| Official starting lineup |||||

## Race

The race was delayed to Monday after rain caused flooding in the area. Logano won the race. There were some visibility problems because of dust and mud. Larson and Bell were the pre-race favorites but crashed out. Truex won the first stage and Suárez led in the second before being passed by Logano. The race was extended following a late caution-period. Hamlin was slow at the final restart and Truex had a flat tire, allowing Stenhouse to come second. Suárez was fourth behind Hamlin and ahead of Newman. During the race it was announced that the race would again be held on dirt during the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series.

### Stage Results

Stage One Laps: 100
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 10 |
| 2 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 9 |
| 3 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 8 |
| 4 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing Team | Chevrolet | 7 |
| 5 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 6 |
| 6 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 5 |
| 7 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 4 |
| 8 | 6 | Ryan Newman | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 3 |
| 9 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 2 |
| 10 | 17 | Chris Buescher | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 1 |
| Official stage one results ||||||
Stage Two Laps: 100
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 10 |
| 2 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing Team | Chevrolet | 9 |
| 3 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 8 |
| 4 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 7 |
| 5 | 6 | Ryan Newman | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 6 |
| 6 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 5 |
| 7 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 4 |
| 8 | 43 | Erik Jones | Richard Petty Motorsports | Chevrolet | 3 |
| 9 | 8 | Tyler Reddick | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 2 |
| 10 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 1 |
| Official stage two results ||||||

### Final Stage Results

Stage Three Laps: 50
| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Points |
| 1 | 10 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 253 | 55 |
| 2 | 13 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 253 | 42 |
| 3 | 2 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 253 | 50 |
| 4 | 18 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing Team | Chevrolet | 253 | 49 |
| 5 | 14 | 6 | Ryan Newman | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 253 | 41 |
| 6 | 8 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 253 | 40 |
| 7 | 27 | 8 | Tyler Reddick | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 253 | 32 |
| 8 | 3 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 253 | 35 |
| 9 | 24 | 43 | Erik Jones | Richard Petty Motorsports | Chevrolet | 253 | 31 |
| 10 | 26 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 253 | 28 |
| 11 | 20 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford | 253 | 26 |
| 12 | 16 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 253 | 25 |
| 13 | 12 | 21 | Matt DiBenedetto | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 253 | 24 |
| 14 | 11 | 17 | Chris Buescher | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 253 | 24 |
| 15 | 6 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 253 | 22 |
| 16 | 28 | 1 | Kurt Busch | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 253 | 21 |
| 17 | 4 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 253 | 20 |
| 18 | 22 | 37 | Ryan Preece | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 253 | 19 |
| 19 | 5 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 253 | 35 |
| 20 | 25 | 14 | Chase Briscoe (R) | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 252 | 17 |
| 21 | 9 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 252 | 16 |
| 22 | 7 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 252 | 15 |
| 23 | 32 | 77 | Stewart Friesen (i) | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 252 | 0 |
| 24 | 21 | 41 | Cole Custer | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 252 | 13 |
| 25 | 33 | 00 | Quin Houff | StarCom Racing | Chevrolet | 252 | 12 |
| 26 | 39 | 96 | Ty Dillon (i) | Gaunt Bros Racing | Toyota | 252 | 0 |
| 27 | 19 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 251 | 18 |
| 28 | 34 | 53 | J. J. Yeley (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet | 249 | 0 |
| 29 | 1 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 248 | 8 |
| 30 | 37 | 52 | Josh Bilicki | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 247 | 7 |
| 31 | 38 | 66 | Mike Marlar | MBM Motorsports | Toyota | 244 | 6 |
| 32 | 31 | 51 | Cody Ware (i) | Petty Ware Racing | Chevrolet | 242 | 0 |
| 33 | 36 | 15 | Chris Windom | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet | 62 | 4 |
| 34 | 15 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 54 | 3 |
| 35 | 17 | 42 | Ross Chastain | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 52 | 2 |
| 36 | 23 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 39 | 1 |
| 37 | 35 | 78 | Shane Golobic | Live Fast Motorsports | Ford | 39 | 1 |
| 38 | 30 | 7 | Corey LaJoie | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 39 | 1 |
| 39 | 29 | 38 | Anthony Alfredo (R) | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 39 | 1 |
| Official race results ||||||||

### Race statistics

* Lead changes: 5 among 5 different drivers
* Cautions/Laps: 10 for 37
* Red flags: 1 for 6 minutes and 30 seconds
* Time of race: 2 hours, 43 minutes and 53 seconds
* Average speed: 46.313 miles per hour (74.534 km/h)

## Media
### Television

The Food City Dirt Race was carried by Fox in the United States. Mike Joy, five-time Bristol winner Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer called the race from the broadcast booth. Jamie Little, Regan Smith and Vince Welch handled pit road duties for the television side. Larry McReynolds provided insight from the Fox Sports studio in Charlotte.
Fox :
| Booth announcers | Pit reporters | In-race analyst |
| Lap-by-lap: Mike Joy Color-commentator: Jeff Gordon Color-commentator: Clint Bowyer | Jamie Little Regan Smith Vince Welch | Larry McReynolds |

### Radio

PRN had the radio call for the race which was simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Doug Rice and Mark Garrow called the race in the booth when the field raced down the frontstretch. Rob Albright called the race from atop the turn 3 suites when the field raced down the backstretch. Brad Gillie, Brett McMillan, Lenny Batycki and Wendy Venturini covered the action on pit lane for PRN.
PRN :
| Booth announcers | Turn announcers | Pit reporters |
| Lead announcer: Doug Rice Announcer: Mark Garrow | Backstretch: Rob Albright | Brad Gillie Brett McMillan Lenny Batycki Wendy Venturini |

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| | 1 | Denny Hamlin | 327 |
| 1 | 2 | Joey Logano | 269 (–58) |
| 1 | 3 | Martin Truex Jr. | 247 (–80) |
| 2 | 4 | Kyle Larson | 242 (–85) |
| | 5 | Brad Keselowski | 232 (–95) |
| 2 | 6 | William Byron | 228 (–99) |
| | 7 | Ryan Blaney | 226 (–101) |
| 2 | 8 | Kevin Harvick | 225 (–102) |
| 1 | 9 | Chase Elliott | 211 (–116) |
| 1 | 10 | Christopher Bell | 186 (–141) |
| | 11 | Austin Dillon | 186 (–141) |
| 1 | 12 | Michael McDowell | 183 (–144) |
| 1 | 13 | Kyle Busch | 183 (–144) |
| 3 | 14 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 180 (–147) |
| | 15 | Kurt Busch | 173 (–154) |
| 2 | 16 | Alex Bowman | 172 (–155) |
| Official driver's standings ||||
| Pos | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1 | Ford | 257 |
| 2 | Chevrolet | 250 (–7) |
| 3 | Toyota | 247 (–10) |