2021 Hollywood Casino 400
# 2021 Hollywood Casino 400

The 2021 Hollywood Casino 400 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on October 24, 2021, at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. Contested over 267 laps on the 1.5 mi (2.4 km) intermediate speedway, it was the 34th race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, the eighth race of the Playoffs, and second race of the Round of 8.

## Report

### Background

Kansas Speedway is a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) tri-oval race track in Kansas City, Kansas. It was built in 2001 and it currently hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The Verizon IndyCar Series also raced at here until 2011. The speedway is owned and operated by the International Speedway Corporation.

**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 |
| 13 | David Starr (i) | MBM Motorsports | Ford |
| 14 | Chase Briscoe (R) | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 15 | Ryan Ellis (i) | 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 (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford |
| 53 | Joey Gase (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet |
| 66 | Chad Finchum (i) | MBM Motorsports | Toyota |
| 77 | Justin Haley (i) | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 78 | B. J. McLeod (i) | Live Fast Motorsports | Ford |
| 96 | Parker Kligerman (i) | Gaunt Brothers Racing | Toyota |
| 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing Team | Chevrolet |
| Official entry list ||||

## Qualifying

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

### Starting Lineup

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 2 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford |
| 3 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford |
| 4 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 5 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 6 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 7 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 8 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford |
| 9 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 10 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 11 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 12 | 8 | Tyler Reddick | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 13 | 1 | Kurt Busch | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet |
| 14 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 15 | 21 | Matt DiBenedetto | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford |
| 16 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing Team | Chevrolet |
| 17 | 43 | Erik Jones | Richard Petty Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 18 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 19 | 14 | Chase Briscoe (R) | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 20 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 21 | 17 | Chris Buescher | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford |
| 22 | 41 | Cole Custer | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 23 | 7 | Corey LaJoie | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 24 | 42 | Ross Chastain | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet |
| 25 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 26 | 78 | B. J. McLeod (i) | Live Fast Motorsports | Ford |
| 27 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
| 28 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet |
| 29 | 38 | Anthony Alfredo (R) | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 30 | 52 | Josh Bilicki (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford |
| 31 | 6 | Ryan Newman | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford |
| 32 | 37 | Ryan Preece | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet |
| 33 | 77 | Justin Haley (i) | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 34 | 15 | Ryan Ellis (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet |
| 35 | 00 | Quin Houff | StarCom Racing | Chevrolet |
| 36 | 51 | Cody Ware (i) | Petty Ware Racing | Chevrolet |
| 37 | 66 | Chad Finchum (i) | MBM Motorsports | Toyota |
| 38 | 13 | David Starr (i) | MBM Motorsports | Ford |
| 39 | 53 | Joey Gase (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet |
| 40 | 96 | Parker Kligerman (i) | Gaunt Brothers Racing | Toyota |
| Official starting lineup |||||

## Race

Kyle Larson started from the pole position. Larson won Stage 1 and William Byron won Stage 2. Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski were involved in incidents during the race while Ryan Blaney wrecked out of the race with 44 laps to go. Larson won the race, his third consecutive win and ninth for the season. He became the second driver after Joey Logano in 2015 to win three consecutive "post-season" races. He is the fourth driver in NASCAR "post-season" history to win four races in the post-season, following Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, and Martin Truex Jr.

### Stage Results

Stage One Laps: 80

| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 10 |
| 2 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 9 |
| 3 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 8 |
| 4 | 1 | Kurt Busch | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 7 |
| 5 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 6 |
| 6 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 5 |
| 7 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 4 |
| 8 | 42 | Ross Chastain | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 3 |
| 9 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 2 |
| 10 | 8 | Tyler Reddick | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 1 |
| Official stage one results ||||||

Stage Two Laps: 80

| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 10 |
| 2 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 9 |
| 3 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 8 |
| 4 | 1 | Kurt Busch | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 7 |
| 5 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 6 |
| 6 | 8 | Tyler Reddick | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 5 |
| 7 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 4 |
| 8 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 3 |
| 9 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 2 |
| 10 | 42 | Ross Chastain | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 1 |
| Official stage two results ||||||

### Final Stage Results

Stage Three Laps: 107

| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Points |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 1 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 267 | 58 |
| 2 | 5 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 267 | 52 |
| 3 | 11 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 267 | 45 |
| 4 | 13 | 1 | Kurt Busch | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 267 | 47 |
| 5 | 6 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 267 | 41 |
| 6 | 9 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 267 | 50 |
| 7 | 7 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 267 | 30 |
| 8 | 10 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 267 | 29 |
| 9 | 8 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 267 | 28 |
| 10 | 14 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 267 | 27 |
| 11 | 25 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 267 | 34 |
| 12 | 21 | 17 | Chris Buescher | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 267 | 25 |
| 13 | 24 | 42 | Ross Chastain | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 267 | 28 |
| 14 | 27 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 267 | 25 |
| 15 | 16 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing Team | Chevrolet | 267 | 22 |
| 16 | 18 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 266 | 21 |
| 17 | 3 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford | 266 | 20 |
| 18 | 22 | 41 | Cole Custer | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 266 | 19 |
| 19 | 19 | 14 | Chase Briscoe (R) | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 266 | 18 |
| 20 | 40 | 96 | Parker Kligerman (i) | Gaunt Brothers Racing | Toyota | 266 | 0 |
| 21 | 32 | 37 | Ryan Preece | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 265 | 16 |
| 22 | 12 | 8 | Tyler Reddick | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 265 | 21 |
| 23 | 15 | 21 | Matt DiBenedetto | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 265 | 14 |
| 24 | 28 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 265 | 13 |
| 25 | 23 | 7 | Corey LaJoie | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 263 | 12 |
| 26 | 20 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 263 | 11 |
| 27 | 31 | 6 | Ryan Newman | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 263 | 10 |
| 28 | 4 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 261 | 11 |
| 29 | 17 | 43 | Erik Jones | Richard Petty Motorsports | Chevrolet | 260 | 8 |
| 30 | 26 | 78 | B. J. McLeod (i) | Live Fast Motorsports | Ford | 259 | 0 |
| 31 | 36 | 51 | Cody Ware (i) | Petty Ware Racing | Chevrolet | 258 | 0 |
| 32 | 39 | 53 | Joey Gase (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet | 256 | 0 |
| 33 | 30 | 52 | Josh Bilicki (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 256 | 0 |
| 34 | 38 | 13 | David Starr (i) | MBM Motorsports | Ford | 255 | 0 |
| 35 | 35 | 00 | Quin Houff | StarCom Racing | Chevrolet | 255 | 2 |
| 36 | 34 | 15 | Ryan Ellis (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet | 254 | 0 |
| 37 | 2 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 224 | 1 |
| 38 | 29 | 38 | Anthony Alfredo (R) | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 171 | 1 |
| 39 | 33 | 77 | Justin Haley (i) | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 165 | 0 |
| 40 | 37 | 66 | Chad Finchum (i) | MBM Motorsports | Toyota | 47 | 0 |
| Official race results ||||||||

### Race statistics

* Lead changes: 23 among 8 different drivers
* Cautions/Laps: 7 for 33
* Red flags: 1 for 15 minutes and 46 seconds
* Time of race: 3 hours, 3 minutes and 49 seconds
* Average speed: 130.728 miles per hour (210.386 km/h)

## Media

### Television

NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt Jr. called the race from the broadcast booth. Dave Burns, Marty Snider and Dillon Welch handled the pit road duties from pit lane. Parker Kligerman provided updates from the driver’s perspective while competing in the No. 96 Gaunt Brothers Racing car during the race.

NBCSN :

| Booth announcers | Pit reporters | In-race reporter |
| - | - | - |
| Lap-by-lap: Rick Allen Color-commentator: Jeff Burton Color-commentator: Steve Letarte Color-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Dave Burns Marty Snider Dillon Welch | Parker Kligerman |

### Radio

MRN had the radio call for the race, which was simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle and Rusty Wallace called the race for MRN when the field raced thru the front straightaway. Dave Moody called the race for MRN from Turns 1 & 2, and Mike Bagley called the race for MRN from turns 3 & 4. Steve Post and Kim Coon covered the action for MRN from pit lane.

MRN :

| Booth announcers | Turn announcers | Pit 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

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| - | - | - | - |
| | 1 | Kyle Larson | 4,181 |
| 3 | 2 | Chase Elliott | 4,107 (–74) |
| | 3 | Denny Hamlin | 4,105 (–76) |
| | 4 | Kyle Busch | 4,074 (–107) |
| 3 | 5 | Ryan Blaney | 4,073 (–108) |
| 1 | 6 | Martin Truex Jr. | 4,071 (–110) |
| 1 | 7 | Brad Keselowski | 4,068 (–113) |
| | 8 | Joey Logano | 4,048 (–133) |
| | 9 | Kevin Harvick | 2,293 (–1,888) |
| 1 | 10 | Kurt Busch | 2,243 (–1,938) |
| 2 | 11 | William Byron | 2,233 (–1,948) |
| 2 | 12 | Christopher Bell | 2,227 (–1,954) |
| 1 | 13 | Tyler Reddick | 2,213 (–1,968) |
| 1 | 14 | Alex Bowman | 2,169 (–2,012) |
| 1 | 15 | Aric Almirola | 2,147 (–2,034) |
| | 16 | Michael McDowell | 2,128 (–2,053) |
| Official driver's standings ||||
| Pos | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1 | Chevrolet | 1,256 |
| 2 | Toyota | 1,169 (–87) |
| 3 | Ford | 1,169 (–87) |
