2021 Toyota Owners 400

The 2021 Toyota Owners 400 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on April 18, 2021, at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. Contested over 400 laps on the 0.75 mile (1.2 km) asphalt short track, it was the ninth race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Background
Richmond Raceway is a 3/4-mile (1.2 km), D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series. Known as "America's premier short track", it formerly hosted a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, an IndyCar Series race, and two USAC sprint car races.

Entry list

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

Qualifying
Martin Truex Jr. was awarded the pole for the race as determined by competition-based formula.

Stage 1
Martin Truex Jr. drove off into Turn 1 with the lead, Denny Hamlin spun his tires on the start and Chase Elliott took advantage to grab the 2nd spot. Denny Hamlin returned to his starting position quickly, he and Truex entered the pits 2-1 for the competition caution.

Most teams took four tires and fuel, it was Hamlin beating Truex off pit road to lead for the first time on the afternoon. On the restart, Joey Logano slipped in between the pair and took the 2nd spot behind Hamlin. Truex passed Logano on the final lap of the stage to grab the extra bonus point.

Stage 2
Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Joey Logano, and Ryan Blaney led the pack as the race restarted in Stage 2. Until Truex moved back out front on Lap 104. Other than B. J. McLeod leading one lap under caution, the Joe Gibbs drivers have split leading every lap of the race so far.

Green flag pit stops began 56 laps into the stage. Ryan Newman spun in Turn 4 prior to the completion of the leader’s stops. Six drivers had not entered pit road with Brad Keselowski in the race lead when the yellow came out. Most of the drivers that just pitted took the wave-around under caution, but the front of the pack looked a bit different as they rolled to the restart.

The race restarted with 87 laps to go in Stage 2. Kevin Harvick held the lead with Martin Truex Jr. 2nd and Denny Hamlin 3rd, followed by Alex Bowman, Joey Logano, and Brad Keselowski. It did not take long for Truex to reclaim the lead with Hamlin in 2nd.

The next round of pit stops started under the green flag with 52 laps to go in the Stage. Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney stayed out opting to take advantage of improved track position. His crew may have miscalculated, Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. passed with 26 laps to go, and Keselowski was struggling on old tires. If he can remain on the lead lap it will minimize the damage. If Keselowski goes 1 or more laps down it will be disastrous to his chances at a repeat Richmond win.

With just 15 cars remaining on the lead lap, Denny Hamlin was fighting to put Daniel Suárez and Chase Elliott a lap down. The battle helped Brad Keselowski keep some distance between himself and the leader. Unfortunately, with just four laps left in the Stage Keselowski went a lap down.

The Final Stage
At the start of the Final Stage, with 12 cars on the lead lap, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch and Harvick are the Top 5. As has been the case, the top three begin to pull away. Logano peaked inside of Hamlin a couple of times but could not make the pass. He fell into a battle with Truex who tried the same route, only to fail as well.

Based on Brad Keselowski’s experience in cutting a pit stop out of the previous Stage, all teams are expected to employ the three-stop strategy to keep fresh Goodyears under their race cars. Meaning, stops will likely occur at about 100 laps to go and again with 50 laps left. Cautions could throw a wrench into those plans.

Those green flag pit stops began with 108 laps to go in the race. Martin Truex Jr. was caught entering pit road too fast. The penalty a drive down pit road at 40 mph, sending him to the rear of the lead lap and in danger of going a lap down.

After stops cycled through, the Top 5 were Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, and Christopher Bell. It’s unlikely Truex will be able to rebound and steal the win from Denny Hamlin as he did at Martinsville.

Keselowski has set in the “free pass” position since the restart. However, cautions are generally hard to come by during racing at Richmond.

With 70 laps to go, Logano again began to challenge for the lead as Hamlin was putting Elliott a lap down. Eventually, Logano made the pass.

The leader’s pit stops began on Lap 341. Barring a late caution, it will be the final stop of the day. Kyle Busch did not get fully committed to pit road on his stop and had the serve the same penalty as Truex. Dropping him from the lead lap.

With 50 laps to go, Joey Logano continued to lead, Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, Alex Bowman, and William Byron rounded out the Top 5 group. Hamlin was staying close to Logano, while Bell was running 12 seconds behind. Almost a half-lap in arrears to the two drivers battling for the win.

Working lapped traffic, Hamlin began to pull up next to Logano. The final 30 laps should be exciting.

The Finish
Hamlin laid a couple of bumper taps on Logano, not enough to spin the #22 car. Logano opened a slight lead when he put 8th place Matt Dibenedetto a lap down. With 20 to go, Harvick blew a right rear tire and hit the wall bringing out a late caution. Everyone hit pit road for fresh tires.

Hamlin took the lead exiting the pits, Logano followed. With Bowman, Bell, and Aric Almirola, having his best run of the year in 5th. Kyle Busch got the free pass and returned to the lead lap as 25 drivers opted to take the wave around, not all returned to the lead lap which held 14 cars for the restart.

The green flag flew with 12 laps to go, Hamlin drove off with the lead as Bowman passed Logano and dove to the inside of the #11 car. With 10 to go, Bowman was the new leader and Hamlin was again looking like the bridesmaid in 2nd.

Alex Bowman had to negotiate lapped traffic on the final two times around, but Hamlin could not get to his bumper, and he loses late again after leading the most laps. The driver of the #48 car became the 8th different winner of a Cup race this year as Bowman put the car number made famous by Jimmie Johnson in victory lane for the first time in 4 years.

Playoff Standings
Denny Hamlin is walking away with the points lead, which is good as long as there are not 15 winners this year other than the #11 car. Some notable drivers are mired below the cut line, it’s still early and there is time to make a run.

Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 80

Stage Two Laps: 155

Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 165

Race statistics

 * Lead changes: 20 among 7 different drivers
 * Cautions/Laps: 5 for 39
 * Red flags: 0
 * Time of race: 3 hours, 6 minutes and 57 seconds
 * Average speed: 96.282 mph

Television
Fox Sports covered their 20th race at the Richmond Raceway. Mike Joy, two-time Richmond winners Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer called the race from the broadcast booth. Jamie Little and Regan Smith handled pit road for the television side. Larry McReynolds provided insight from the Fox Sports studio in Charlotte.

Radio
MRN had the radio call for the race which was simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden and Jeff Striegle called the race in the booth when the field races down the frontstretch. Mike Bagley called the race from a platform inside the backstretch when the field races down the backstretch. Steve Post and Kim Coon worked pit road for the radio side.

Standings after the race

 * Drivers' Championship standings


 * Manufacturers' Championship standings


 * Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
 * . – Driver has clinched a position in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.