2021 Cook Out Southern 500

{{short description|NASCAR Cup Series race}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}

{{Infobox NASCAR race report

| Type = CUST

| Description = Race 27 of 36 in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series

| Race Name = Cook Out Southern 500

| Details ref = {{cite web |title=2021 schedule |url=https://www.jayski.com/nascar-cup-series/2021-nascar-cup-series-schedule/ |website=Jayski.com|publisher=Jayski's Silly Season Site |accessdate=August 7, 2021}}{{cite web |title=Darlington Raceway |url=http://www.nascar.com/en_us/nascar-tracks/darlington-raceway.html |website=NASCAR.com |publisher=NASCAR Media Group, LLC. |access-date=August 7, 2021 |archive-date=April 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170430210206/http://www.nascar.com/en_us/nascar-tracks/darlington-raceway.html |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|title=Entry List|url=https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2021/9/1/2021-27cup-entry-1.pdf|website=Jayski.com|publisher=Jayski's Silly Season Site|access-date=August 30, 2021|date=August 30, 2021}}{{cite web|title=Starting Lineup|url=https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2021/09/01/ryan-blaney-nabs-busch-pole-award-for-darlington-playoff-race/|website=NASCAR.com|publisher=NASCAR Media Group, LLC.|access-date=September 1, 2021|date=September 1, 2021}}{{cite web|title=Cook Out Southern 500 Results|url=https://www.nascar.com/results/racecenter/2021/nascar-cup-series/cook-out-southern-500/stn/results/|website=NASCAR.com|publisher=NASCAR|access-date=September 5, 2021|date=September 5, 2021}}{{cite web|title=Points standings|url=https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2021/9/5/2021-27cup-points.pdf|website=Jayski.com|publisher=Jayski's Silly Season Site|access-date=September 5, 2021|date=September 5, 2021}}

| Fulldate = {{Start date|2021|09|05}}

| Year = 2021

| Image = 2021 Cook Out Southern 500 program cover.jpeg

| Caption = The 2021 Cook Out Southern 500 program cover.

| Location = Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina

| Course_mi = 1.366

| Course_km = 2.198

| Distance_laps = 367

| Distance_mi = 501.322

| Distance_km = 806.666

| Weather =

| Avg = {{convert|121.279|mph|km/h}}

| Pole_Driver = Ryan Blaney

| Pole_Team = Team Penske

| Grid_from_prev_perf = yes

| Most_Driver = Kyle Larson

| Most_Team = Hendrick Motorsports

| Most_laps = 156

| Car = 11

| First_Driver = Denny Hamlin

| First_Team = Joe Gibbs Racing

| Network = NBCSN

| Announcers = Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Dale Jarrett and Kyle Petty

| Ratings =

| Radio = MRN

| Booth_Ann = Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle and Rusty Wallace

| Turn_Ann = Dave Moody (1 & 2) and Mike Bagley (3 & 4)

}}

The 2021 Cook Out Southern 500, the 72nd running of the event, was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on September 5, 2021 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. Contested over 367 laps on the {{convert|1.366|mi|km|adj=on}} egg-shaped oval, it was the 27th race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, first race of the Playoffs, and the first race of the Round of 16. Denny Hamlin took his first victory of the season and clinched a spot in the round of 12.

Report

=Background=

File:Darlington raceway.svg where the race was held.]]

Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed "The Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition." It is of a unique, somewhat egg-shaped design, an oval with the ends of very different configurations, a condition which supposedly arose from the proximity of one end of the track to a minnow pond the owner refused to relocate. This situation makes it very challenging for the crews to set up their cars' handling in a way that is effective at both ends.

==Surface issues==

Darlington Raceway was last repaved following the May 2007 meeting (from 2005 to 2019, there was only one meeting; the second meeting was reinstated in 2020), and from 2008 to 2019, there was one night race. In 2020, a day race returned to the schedule, and instead of two races (one Xfinity and one Cup) during the entire year, the track hosted six races (three Cup, two Xfinity, and one Truck). The circuit kept repairing the circuit with patches during each summer before the annual Cup race in September. The circuit's narrow Turn 2 rapidly deteriorated with cracks in the tarmac allowing water to seep in the circuit. In July 2021, the circuit repaved a six hundred foot section at the entrance of Turn 2 and ending at the exit of the turn to repair the tarmac and resolve the issue for safety and to reduce the threat of weepers and surface issues in that section of the circuit.{{cite web |last1=Long |first1=Dustin |title=Darlington Raceway repaves Turn 2 ahead of Cook Out Southern 500 |url=https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2021/08/13/darlington-raceway-repaves-turn-2-ahead-of-southern-500/ |website=NBCSports.com |publisher=Comcast |access-date=2021-08-20 |ref=DarlRepave}}

The 2021 race also marked the addition of an athletics event as part of the Southern 500 weekend, the Terrence Carraway Memorial 5K athletics event, held around the circuit. The Darlington Raceway 5k was first held in November for 2018 and 2019 in memory of a local policeman killed in the line of duty. After taking a year off in 2020, the event moved to the Southern 500 weekend for 2021.{{cite web |title=Darlington Raceway to Host Terrence Carraway Memorial 5K on Sept. 2 |url=https://www.darlingtonraceway.com/2021/03/09/5k/ |website=Darlington Raceway |publisher=NASCAR |access-date=2024-02-27 |ref=DRCarray}}

{{clear}}

==Entry list==

  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
  • (i) denotes driver who are ineligible for series driver points.

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
{{Tooltip|No.|Car number}}

! 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
7Corey LaJoieSpire 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
53James DavisonRick Ware RacingChevrolet
77Justin Haley (i)Spire MotorsportsChevrolet
78B. J. McLeod (i)Live Fast MotorsportsFord
99Daniel SuárezTrackhouse Racing TeamChevrolet
colspan="4"|[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2021/9/1/2021-27cup-entry-1.pdf Official entry list]

Qualifying

Ryan Blaney was awarded the pole for the race as determined by competition-based formula.

=Starting lineup=

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
Pos

! {{Tooltip|No.|Car number}}

! Driver

! Team

! Manufacturer

1

| 12 || Ryan Blaney || Team Penske || Ford

2

| 11 || Denny Hamlin || Joe Gibbs Racing || Toyota

3

| 1 || Kurt Busch || Chip Ganassi Racing || Chevrolet

4

| 9 || Chase Elliott || Hendrick Motorsports || Chevrolet

5

| 48 || Alex Bowman || Hendrick Motorsports || Chevrolet

6

| 5 || Kyle Larson || Hendrick Motorsports || Chevrolet

7

| 8 || Tyler Reddick || Richard Childress Racing || Chevrolet

8

| 10 || Aric Almirola || Stewart-Haas Racing || Ford

9

| 4 || Kevin Harvick || Stewart-Haas Racing || Ford

10

| 19 || Martin Truex Jr. || Joe Gibbs Racing || Toyota

11

| 22 || Joey Logano || Team Penske || Ford

12

| 18 || Kyle Busch || Joe Gibbs Racing || Toyota

13

| 20 || Christopher Bell || Joe Gibbs Racing || Toyota

14

| 24 || William Byron || Hendrick Motorsports || Chevrolet

15

| 34 || Michael McDowell || Front Row Motorsports || Ford

16

| 2 || Brad Keselowski || Team Penske || Ford

17

| 23 || Bubba Wallace || 23XI Racing || Toyota

18

| 37 || Ryan Preece || JTG Daugherty Racing || Chevrolet

19

| 6 || Ryan Newman || Roush Fenway Racing || Ford

20

| 77 || Justin Haley (i) || Spire Motorsports || Chevrolet

21

| 3 || Austin Dillon || Richard Childress Racing || Chevrolet

22

| 43 || Erik Jones || Richard Petty Motorsports || Chevrolet

23

| 42 || Ross Chastain || Chip Ganassi Racing || Chevrolet

24

| 14 || Chase Briscoe (R) || Stewart-Haas Racing || Ford

25

| 7 || Corey LaJoie || Spire Motorsports || Chevrolet

26

| 99 || Daniel Suárez || Trackhouse Racing Team || Chevrolet

27

| 78 || B. J. McLeod (i) || Live Fast Motorsports || Ford

28

| 52 || Josh Bilicki || Rick Ware Racing || Ford

29

| 47 || Ricky Stenhouse Jr. || JTG Daugherty Racing || Chevrolet

30

| 21 || Matt DiBenedetto || Wood Brothers Racing || Ford

31

| 41 || Cole Custer || Stewart-Haas Racing || Ford

32

| 38 || Anthony Alfredo (R) || Front Row Motorsports || Ford

33

| 51 || Cody Ware (i) || Petty Ware Racing || Chevrolet

34

| 17 || Chris Buescher || Roush Fenway Racing || Ford

35

| 15 || Joey Gase (i) || Rick Ware Racing || Chevrolet

36

| 53 || James Davison || Rick Ware Racing || Chevrolet

37

| 00 || Quin Houff || StarCom Racing || Chevrolet

colspan="7"|[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2021/9/1/2021-27cup-lineup.pdf Official starting lineup]

Race

=Stage results=

Stage One

Laps: 115

class="wikitable" style="font-size:98%"
Pos

! {{Tooltip|No|Car Number}}

! Driver

! Team

! Manufacturer

! Points

111Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota10
25Kyle LarsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet9
31Kurt BuschChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet8
412Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord7
54Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet6
619Martin Truex Jr.Joe Gibbs RacingToyota5
78Tyler ReddickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet4
810Aric AlmirolaStewart-Haas RacingFord3
942Ross ChastainChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet2
1022Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord1
colspan="6"|[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2021/9/5/2021-27cup-results.pdf Official stage one results]

Stage Two

Laps: 115

class="wikitable" style="font-size:98%"
Pos

! {{Tooltip|No|Car Number}}

! Driver

! Team

! Manufacturer

! Points

15Kyle LarsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet10
220Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota9
342Ross ChastainChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet8
411Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota7
54Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingFord6
61Kurt BuschChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet5
722Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord4
89Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3
912Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord2
107Corey LaJoieSpire MotorsportsChevrolet1
colspan="6"|[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2021/9/5/2021-27cup-results.pdf Official stage two results]

=Final stage results=

Stage Three

Laps: 137

class="wikitable" style="font-size:98%"
Pos

! Grid

! {{Tooltip|No|Car Number}}

! Driver

! Team

! Manufacturer

! Laps

! Points

1211Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota36757
265Kyle LarsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet36754
32342Ross ChastainChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet36744
41019Martin Truex Jr.Joe Gibbs RacingToyota36738
594Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingFord36744
631Kurt BuschChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet36744
7162Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord36730
81122Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord36734
93417Chris BuescherRoush Fenway RacingFord36728
10213Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet36727
113141Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord36726
121837Ryan PreeceJTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet36725
132699Daniel SuárezTrackhouse Racing TeamChevrolet36724
14196Ryan NewmanRoush Fenway RacingFord36723
15257Corey LaJoieSpire MotorsportsChevrolet36723
16810Aric AlmirolaStewart-Haas RacingFord36624
172947Ricky Stenhouse Jr.JTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet36620
1878Tyler ReddickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet36623
192414Chase Briscoe (R)Stewart-Haas RacingFord36618
201320Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota36626
211723Bubba Wallace23XI RacingToyota36616
22112Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord36624
233021Matt DiBenedettoWood Brothers RacingFord36514
243238Anthony Alfredo (R)Front Row MotorsportsFord36413
252077Justin Haley (i)Spire MotorsportsChevrolet3640
26548Alex BowmanHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet36311
272778B. J. McLeod (i)Live Fast MotorsportsFord3590
282852Josh BilickiRick Ware RacingFord3599
293515Joey Gase (i)Rick Ware RacingChevrolet3570
303700Quin HouffStarCom RacingChevrolet3557
3149Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3279
322243Erik JonesRichard Petty MotorsportsChevrolet2645
333351Cody Ware (i)Petty Ware RacingChevrolet2090
341424William ByronHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet1993
351218Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota1252
363653James DavisonRick Ware RacingChevrolet501
371534Michael McDowellFront Row MotorsportsFord301
colspan="8"|[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2021/9/5/2021-27cup-results.pdf Official race results]

=Race statistics=

  • Lead changes: 18 among 10 different drivers
  • Cautions/Laps: 11 for 52
  • Red flags: 0
  • Time of race: 4 hours, 8 minutes and 1 second
  • Average speed: {{convert|121.279|mph|km/h}}

Media

=Television=

NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, two–time Darlington winner Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt Jr. called Stages 1 and 3 of the race from the broadcast booth. Earnhardt Jr., Dale Jarrett and Kyle Petty called Stage 2 of the race from the broadcast booth. Dave Burns, Parker Kligerman and Marty Snider handled the pit road duties from pit lane.

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%"
colspan="2"|NBCSN
Booth announcersPit reporters
Lap-by-lap: Rick Allen
Color-commentator: Jeff Burton
Color-commentator: Steve Letarte
Color-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Throwback commentator: Dale Jarrett
Throwback commentator: Kyle Petty
Dave Burns
Parker Kligerman
Marty Snider

=Radio=

MRN had the radio call for the race, which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%"
colspan="3"|MRN Radio
Booth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters
Lead announcer: Alex Hayden
Announcer: Jeff Striegle
Announcer: Rusty Wallace
Turns 1 & 2: Dave Moody
Turns 3 & 4: Mike Bagley
Steve Post
Kim Coon

Standings after the race

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

;Drivers' Championship standings

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%"
! Pos

! Driver

! Points

style="background:#D4AF37;"

|align="left"| 10px

| style="text-align:center;"| 1

| Kyle Larson

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,106

style="background:#D4AF37;"

|align="left"| 10px 5

| style="text-align:center;"| 2

| Denny Hamlin

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,072 (–34)

style="background:#D4AF37;"

|align="left"| 10px

| style="text-align:center;"| 3

| Martin Truex Jr.

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,062 (–44)

style="background:#D4AF37;"

|align="left"| 10px 6

| style="text-align:center;"| 4

| Kurt Busch

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,052 (–54)

style="background:#D4AF37;"

|align="left"| 10px 3

| style="text-align:center;"| 5

| Ryan Blaney

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,048 (–58)

style="background:#D4AF37;"

|align="left"| 10px 3

| style="text-align:center;"| 6

| Joey Logano

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,047 (–59)

style="background:#D4AF37;"

|align="left"| 10px 9

| style="text-align:center;"| 7

| Kevin Harvick

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,046 (–60)

style="background:#D4AF37;"

|align="left"| 10px 2

| style="text-align:center;"| 8

| Brad Keselowski

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,038 (–68)

style="background:#D4AF37;"

|align="left"| 10px 3

| style="text-align:center;"| 9

| Christopher Bell

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,031 (–75)

style="background:#D4AF37;"

|align="left"| 10px 5

| style="text-align:center;"| 10

| Chase Elliott

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,030 (–76)

style="background:#D4AF37;"

|align="left"| 10px 3

| style="text-align:center;"| 11

| Aric Almirola

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,029 (–77)

style="background:#D4AF37;"

|align="left"| 10px 3

| style="text-align:center;"| 12

| Tyler Reddick

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,026 (–80)

style="background:#D4AF37;"

|align="left"| 10px 7

| style="text-align:center;"| 13

| Alex Bowman

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,026 (–80)

style="background:#D4AF37;"

|align="left"| 10px 10

| style="text-align:center;"| 14

| Kyle Busch

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,024 (–82)

style="background:#D4AF37;"

|align="left"| 10px 7

| style="text-align:center;"| 15

| William Byron

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,017 (–89)

style="background:#D4AF37;"

|align="left"| 10px 3

| style="text-align:center;"| 16

| Michael McDowell

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,006 (–100)

class="sortbottom"

!colspan="9"|[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2021/9/5/2021-27cup-points.pdf Official driver's standings]

{{col-2}}

;Manufacturers' Championship standings

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%"
! Pos

! Manufacturer

! Points

align="left"| 10px

| style="text-align:center;"| 1

| Chevrolet

| style="text-align:center;"| 995

align="left"| 10px

| style="text-align:center;"| 2

| Ford

| style="text-align:center;"| 934 (–61)

align="left"| 10px

| style="text-align:center;"| 3

| Toyota

| style="text-align:center;"| 920 (–75)

class="sortbottom"

  • Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.

{{col-end}}

References

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{NASCAR next race

| Series = NASCAR Cup Series

| Monsteryear = 2021

| Previous_race = 2021 Coke Zero Sugar 400

| Next_race = 2021 Federated Auto Parts 400

}}

{{2021 NASCAR Cup}}

{{Bojangles' Southern 500}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cook Out Southern 500, 2021}}

Category:2021 NASCAR Cup Series

Category:NASCAR races at Darlington Raceway

Category:September 2021 sports events in the United States

Category:2021 in sports in South Carolina