2021 Food City 300
# 2021 Food City 300

The 2021 Food City 300 was the 26th stock car race of the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, the final race of the NASCAR Xfinity Series regular season, and the 40th iteration of the event. The race was held on Friday, September 17, 2021 in Bristol, Tennessee at Bristol Motor Speedway, a 0.533 miles (0.858 km) permanent oval-shaped racetrack. The race was extended from the scheduled 300 laps to 306 due to a late race caution, setting up a NASCAR overtime finish. In a wild finish, Austin Cindric and A. J. Allmendinger wrecked across the line after a wild restart saw numerous passes for position in the lead positions. The person who crossed the line first was A. J. Allmendinger, cementing a win for Allmendinger, his 9th win of his career and the 4th of the season. To fill out the podium, Riley Herbst of Stewart-Haas Racing would finish 3rd.

## Background

The 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. It has also been named one of the loudest NASCAR tracks.

### Entry list

| # | Driver | Team | Make | Sponsor |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 0 | Jeffrey Earnhardt | JD Motorsports | Chevrolet | ForeverLawn Premium Synthetic Grass |
| 1 | Josh Berry | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | Pilot Flying J "If You've Got It A Trucker Brought It" |
| 2 | Myatt Snider | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | Crosley Furniture |
| 02 | Brett Moffitt | Our Motorsports | Chevrolet | Fr8Auctions |
| 4 | Landon Cassill | JD Motorsports | Chevrolet | Voyager |
| 5 | Stefan Parsons | B. J. McLeod Motorsports | Toyota | Sokal Digital |
| 6 | Ryan Vargas | JD Motorsports | Chevrolet | JD Motorsports |
| 7 | Justin Allgaier | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | Brandt Professional Agriculture |
| 07 | Joe Graf Jr. | SS-Green Light Racing | Chevrolet | KeepItSecure.net |
| 8 | Sam Mayer | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | Tire Pros |
| 9 | Noah Gragson | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | Bass Pro Shops, TrueTimber Camo, Black Rifle Coffee Company |
| 10 | Jeb Burton | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | Nutrien Ag Solutions |
| 11 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | LeafFilter Gutter Protection |
| 13 | Timmy Hill | MBM Motorsports | Toyota | |
| 15 | B. J. McLeod | JD Motorsports | Chevrolet | JD Motorsports |
| 16 | A. J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | Barger Precast |
| 17 | Carson Ware | SS-Green Light Racing with Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet | Little 5 Pizza, Pounds Property Management |
| 18 | Daniel Hemric | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | Poppy Bank |
| 19 | Brandon Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | Yee Yee Apparel |
| 20 | Harrison Burton | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | DEX Imaging |
| 22 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | Menards, Richmond Water Heaters |
| 23 | Ty Dillon | Our Motorsports | Chevrolet | HomeTown Lenders |
| 26 | Brandon Gdovic | Sam Hunt Racing | Toyota | SnapMobile.shop |
| 31 | Sage Karam | Jordan Anderson Racing | Chevrolet | Montage Mountain |
| 36 | Alex Labbé | DGM Racing | Chevrolet | Prolon Controls |
| 39 | Ryan Sieg | RSS Racing | Ford | CMR Construction & Roofing |
| 44 | Tommy Joe Martins | Martins Motorsports | Chevrolet | AAN Adjusters |
| 47 | Kyle Weatherman | Mike Harmon Racing | Chevrolet | AXE Crossbows |
| 48 | Jade Buford | Big Machine Racing Team | Chevrolet | Big Machine Vodka Spiked Cooler |
| 51 | Jeremy Clements | Jeremy Clements Racing | Chevrolet | All South Electric |
| 52 | Gray Gaulding | Jimmy Means Racing | Chevrolet | Panini America UFC Prizm |
| 54 | Ty Gibbs | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 61 | Chad Finchum | Hattori Racing Enterprises | Toyota | Black Oak Contracting, Inc. |
| 66 | David Starr | MBM Motorsports | Toyota | Whataburger |
| 68 | Brandon Brown | Brandonbilt Motorsports | Chevrolet | JABS Construction |
| 74 | Bayley Currey | Mike Harmon Racing | Chevrolet | GPSTab, JM Steel |
| 78 | Jesse Little | B. J. McLeod Motorsports | Chevrolet | David's Electric |
| 90 | Spencer Boyd | DGM Racing | Chevrolet | BeerPongToss, Alloy Employer Services "Stronger by design" |
| 92 | Josh Williams | DGM Racing | Chevrolet | Workpro Tools |
| 98 | Riley Herbst | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | Monster Energy |
| 99 | Matt Mills | B. J. McLeod Motorsports | Chevrolet | J. F. Electric |
| Official entry list |||||

## Starting lineup

Qualifying was determined by a qualifying metric system based on the last race, the 2021 Go Bowling 250 and owner's points. As a result, Noah Gragson of JR Motorsports won the pole.

| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 9 | Noah Gragson | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 2 | 7 | Justin Allgaier | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 3 | 54 | Ty Gibbs | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 4 | 18 | Daniel Hemric | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 5 | 11 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet |
| 6 | 20 | Harrison Burton | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 7 | 10 | Jeb Burton | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet |
| 8 | 98 | Riley Herbst | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 9 | 22 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford |
| 10 | 16 | A. J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet |
| 11 | 68 | Brandon Brown | Brandonbilt Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 12 | 39 | Ryan Sieg | RSS Racing | Ford |
| 13 | 51 | Jeremy Clements | Jeremy Clements Racing | Chevrolet |
| 14 | 36 | Alex Labbé | DGM Racing | Chevrolet |
| 15 | 1 | Josh Berry | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 16 | 19 | Brandon Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 17 | 2 | Myatt Snider | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 18 | 92 | Josh Williams | DGM Racing | Chevrolet |
| 19 | 47 | Kyle Weatherman | Mike Harmon Racing | Chevrolet |
| 20 | 02 | Brett Moffitt | Our Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 21 | 26 | Brandon Gdovic | Sam Hunt Racing | Toyota |
| 22 | 8 | Sam Mayer | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 23 | 44 | Tommy Joe Martins | Martins Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 24 | 66 | David Starr | MBM Motorsports | Toyota |
| 25 | 78 | Jesse Little | B. J. McLeod Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 26 | 99 | Matt Mills | B. J. McLeod Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 27 | 5 | Stefan Parsons | B. J. McLeod Motorsports | Toyota |
| 28 | 6 | Ryan Vargas | JD Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 29 | 0 | Jeffrey Earnhardt | JD Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 30 | 48 | Jade Buford | Big Machine Racing Team | Chevrolet |
| 31 | 23 | Ty Dillon | Our Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 32 | 31 | Sage Karam | Jordan Anderson Racing | Chevrolet |
| 33 | 90 | Spencer Boyd | DGM Racing | Chevrolet |
| 34 | 17 | Carson Ware | SS-Green Light Racing with Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet |
| 35 | 4 | Landon Cassill | JD Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 36 | 07 | Joe Graf Jr. | SS-Green Light Racing | Chevrolet |
| 37 | 15 | B. J. McLeod | JD Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 38 | 61 | Chad Finchum | Hattori Racing Enterprises | Toyota |
| 39 | 52 | Gray Gaulding | Jimmy Means Racing | Chevrolet |
| 40 | 74 | Bayley Currey | Mike Harmon Racing | Chevrolet |
| Failed to qualify |||||
| 41 | 13 | Timmy Hill | MBM Motorsports | Toyota |
| Official starting lineup |||||

## Race results

Stage 1 Laps: 85

| Fin | # | Driver | Team | Make | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 7 | Justin Allgaier | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 10 |
| 2 | 18 | Daniel Hemric | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 9 |
| 3 | 9 | Noah Gragson | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 8 |
| 4 | 11 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 7 |
| 5 | 8 | Sam Mayer | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 6 |
| 6 | 16 | A. J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 5 |
| 7 | 22 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 4 |
| 8 | 19 | Brandon Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 3 |
| 9 | 54 | Ty Gibbs | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 2 |
| 10 | 20 | Harrison Burton | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 1 |

Stage 2 Laps: 85

| Fin | # | Driver | Team | Make | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 18 | Daniel Hemric | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 10 |
| 2 | 7 | Justin Allgaier | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 9 |
| 3 | 9 | Noah Gragson | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 8 |
| 4 | 11 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 7 |
| 5 | 22 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 6 |
| 6 | 16 | A. J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 5 |
| 7 | 54 | Ty Gibbs | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 4 |
| 8 | 19 | Brandon Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 3 |
| 9 | 39 | Ryan Sieg | RSS Racing | Ford | 2 |
| 10 | 10 | Jeb Burton | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 1 |

Stage 3 Laps: 136

| Fin | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 10 | 16 | A. J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 306 | 1 | running | 50 |
| 2 | 9 | 22 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 306 | 75 | running | 45 |
| 3 | 8 | 98 | Riley Herbst | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 306 | 0 | running | 34 |
| 4 | 2 | 7 | Justin Allgaier | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 306 | 92 | running | 52 |
| 5 | 16 | 19 | Brandon Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 306 | 0 | running | 38 |
| 6 | 5 | 11 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 306 | 0 | running | 45 |
| 7 | 6 | 20 | Harrison Burton | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 306 | 0 | running | 31 |
| 8 | 17 | 2 | Myatt Snider | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 306 | 0 | running | 29 |
| 9 | 22 | 8 | Sam Mayer | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 306 | 49 | running | 34 |
| 10 | 4 | 18 | Daniel Hemric | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 306 | 78 | running | 46 |
| 11 | 3 | 54 | Ty Gibbs | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 306 | 0 | running | 32 |
| 12 | 1 | 9 | Noah Gragson | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 306 | 4 | running | 41 |
| 13 | 13 | 51 | Jeremy Clements | Jeremy Clements Racing | Chevrolet | 306 | 0 | running | 24 |
| 14 | 11 | 68 | Brandon Brown | Brandonbilt Motorsports | Chevrolet | 306 | 0 | running | 23 |
| 15 | 31 | 23 | Ty Dillon | Our Motorsports | Chevrolet | 305 | 0 | running | 22 |
| 16 | 32 | 31 | Sage Karam | Jordan Anderson Racing | Chevrolet | 305 | 0 | running | 21 |
| 17 | 36 | 07 | Joe Graf Jr. | SS-Green Light Racing | Chevrolet | 305 | 0 | running | 20 |
| 18 | 39 | 52 | Gray Gaulding | Jimmy Means Racing | Chevrolet | 305 | 0 | running | 19 |
| 19 | 14 | 36 | Alex Labbé | DGM Racing | Chevrolet | 305 | 0 | running | 18 |
| 20 | 18 | 92 | Josh Williams | DGM Racing | Chevrolet | 305 | 0 | running | 17 |
| 21 | 21 | 26 | Brandon Gdovic | Sam Hunt Racing | Toyota | 305 | 0 | running | 16 |
| 22 | 27 | 5 | Stefan Parsons | B. J. McLeod Motorsports | Toyota | 304 | 0 | running | 15 |
| 23 | 23 | 44 | Tommy Joe Martins | Martins Motorsports | Chevrolet | 304 | 0 | running | 14 |
| 24 | 7 | 10 | Jeb Burton | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 303 | 7 | running | 14 |
| 25 | 29 | 0 | Jeffrey Earnhardt | JD Motorsports | Chevrolet | 303 | 0 | running | 12 |
| 26 | 37 | 15 | B. J. McLeod | JD Motorsports | Chevrolet | 303 | 0 | running | 0 |
| 27 | 30 | 48 | Jade Buford | Big Machine Racing Team | Chevrolet | 302 | 0 | running | 10 |
| 28 | 25 | 78 | Jesse Little | B. J. McLeod Motorsports | Chevrolet | 302 | 0 | running | 9 |
| 29 | 19 | 47 | Kyle Weatherman | Mike Harmon Racing | Chevrolet | 301 | 0 | running | 8 |
| 30 | 24 | 66 | David Starr | MBM Motorsports | Toyota | 300 | 0 | running | 7 |
| 31 | 33 | 90 | Spencer Boyd | DGM Racing | Chevrolet | 298 | 0 | running | 0 |
| 32 | 34 | 17 | Carson Ware | SS-Green Light Racing with Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet | 297 | 0 | running | 5 |
| 33 | 38 | 61 | Chad Finchum | Hattori Racing Enterprises | Toyota | 282 | 0 | running | 4 |
| 34 | 12 | 39 | Ryan Sieg | RSS Racing | Ford | 259 | 0 | fuel pump | 5 |
| 35 | 15 | 1 | Josh Berry | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 215 | 0 | running | 2 |
| 36 | 26 | 99 | Matt Mills | B. J. McLeod Motorsports | Chevrolet | 108 | 0 | accident | 1 |
| 37 | 28 | 6 | Ryan Vargas | JD Motorsports | Chevrolet | 94 | 0 | brakes | 1 |
| 38 | 40 | 74 | Bayley Currey | Mike Harmon Racing | Chevrolet | 53 | 0 | brakes | 0 |
| 39 | 35 | 4 | Landon Cassill | JD Motorsports | Chevrolet | 40 | 0 | electrical | 1 |
| 40 | 20 | 02 | Brett Moffitt | Our Motorsports | Chevrolet | 9 | 0 | accident | 1 |
| Failed to qualify ||||||||||
| 41 | | 13 | Timmy Hill | MBM Motorsports | Toyota | | | | |
| Official race results ||||||||||
