2021 NASCAR Cup Series Season (Peanut's World)

The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season began Sunday, February 14 with the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida and ended Sunday, November 7 with the NASCAR Cup Series Season Finale 500 at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona. Chase Elliott is the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion, and Kevin Harvick is the defending NASCAR Cup Series regular season champion.

Full-time drivers and teams

 * StarCom Racing: 00-Quin Houff
 * Chip Ganassi Racing: 1-Kurt Busch, 42-Ross Chastain
 * Hendrick Motorsports: 5-Kyle Larson, 9-Chase Elliott, 24-William Byron, 48-Alex Bowman
 * Richard Childress Racing: 3-Austin Dillon, 8-Tyler Reddick
 * Richard Petty Motorsports: 43-Erik Jones
 * JTG Daugherty Racing: 37-Ryan Preece, 47-Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
 * Rick Ware Racing: 15-Derrike Cope; Chris Windom, 51-Cody Ware (R), 52-Josh Bilicki (R), 53-JJ Yeley
 * Spire Motorsports: 7-Corey LaJoie, 77-Justin Haley (R); Reed Sorenson
 * Trackhouse Motorsports: 99-Daniel Suarez

Part-time drivers and teams

 * Beard Motorsports: 62-Noah Gragson (R) (Superspeedway Only)
 * Kaulig Racing: 16-Kaz Grala (R); AJ Allmendinger (Superspeedway and Road Course Only)

Full-time drivers and teams

 * Team Penske: 2-Brad Keselowski, 12-Ryan Blaney, 22-Joey Logano
 * Stewart-Haas Racing: 4-Kevin Harvick, 10-Aric Almirola, 14-Chase Briscoe (R), 41-Cole Custer
 * Wood Brothers Racing: 21-Matt DiBenedetto
 * Roush Fenway Racing: 6-Ryan Newman, 17-Chris Buescher
 * Front Row Motorsports: 34-Michael McDowell, 38-Anthony Alfredo (R)
 * Live Fast Motorsports: 78-BJ McLeod

Part-time drivers and teams

 * Team Penske: 33-Austin Cindric (R)

Full-time drivers and teams

 * Joe Gibbs Racing: 11-Denny Hamlin, 18-Kyle Busch, 19-Martin Truex Jr., 20-Christopher Bell
 * MBM Motorsports: 66-Timmy Hill
 * 23XI Racing: 23-Bubba Wallace

Part-time drivers and teams

 * MBM Motorsports: 49-Chad Finchum
 * Gaunt Brothers Racing: 96-Ty Dillon; Harrison Burton

Schedule

 * Busch Clash (non-points race), Daytona International Speedway Road Course (Daytona Beach, Florida), Tuesday, February 9, 7 pm ET, FS1. Pole Winner: Ryan Blaney, Race Winner: Kyle Busch
 * Can-Am Duel #1 (qualifying race), Daytona International Speedway (Daytona Beach, Florida), Thursday, February 11, 7 pm ET, FS1. Pole Winner: Alex Bowman, Race Winner: Aric Almirola
 * Can-Am Duel #2 (qualifying race), Daytona International Speedway (Daytona Beach, Florida), Thursday, February 11, 9 pm ET, FS1 Pole Winner: William Byron, Race Winner: Austin Dillon
 * Race #1: Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway (Daytona Beach, Florida), Sunday, February 14, 2:30 pm ET, FOX. Pole Winner: Alex Bowman, Race Winner: Michael McDowell
 * Race #2: O'Reilly Auto Parts 253, Daytona International Speedway Road Course (Daytona Beach, Florida), Sunday, February 21, 3 pm FOX. Pole Winner: Chase Elliott, Race Winner: Christopher Bell
 * Race #3: Dixie Vodka 400, Homestead-Miami Speedway (Homestead, Florida), Sunday, February 28, 3:30 pm ET, FOX. Pole Winner: Denny Hamlin, Race Winner: William Byron
 * Race #4: Pennzoil 400, Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Las Vegas, Nevada), Sunday, March 7, 3:30 pm ET, FOX. Pole Winner: Kevin Harvick, Race Winner: Kyle Larson
 * Race #5: FanShield 500, Phoenix Raceway (Avondale, Arizona), Sunday, March 14, 3:30 pm ET, FOX. Pole Winner: Brad Keselowski, Race Winner: Martin Truex Jr.
 * Race #6: Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, Atlanta Motor Speedway (Hampton, Georgia), Sunday, March 21, 3 pm ET, FOX. Pole Winner: Denny Hamlin, Race Winner: Ryan Blaney
 * Race #7: Food City Dirt Race, Bristol Motor Speedway (Dirt) (Bristol, Tennessee), Sunday, March 28, 3:30 pm ET, FOX (Rain-delayed to Monday, March 29 at 4pm on FOX). Pole Winner: Kyle Larson, Race Winner: Joey Logano
 * (One off-week for Easter, Sunday, April 4)
 * Race #8: Blue Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500, Martinsville Speedway (Ridgeway, Virginia), Saturday, April 10, 7:30 pm ET, FS1 (Rain-delayed to Sunday, April 11 at 4pm on FS1). Pole Winner: Joey Logano, Race Winner: Martin Truex Jr. (second win)
 * Race #9: Toyota Owners 400, Richmond Raceway (Henrico County, Virginia), Sunday, April 18, 3 pm ET, FOX. Pole Winner: Martin Truex Jr., Race Winner: Alex Bowman
 * Race #10: GEICO 500, Talladega Superspeedway (Lincoln, Alabama), Sunday, April 25, 2 pm ET, FOX. Pole Winner: Denny Hamlin, Race Winner: Brad Keselowski
 * Race #11: Busch Beer Buschy McBusch Race 400, Kansas Speedway (Kansas City, Kansas), Sunday, May 2, 3 pm ET, FS1. Pole Winner: Brad Keselowski, Race Winner: Kyle Busch
 * Race #12: Goodyear 400, Darlington Raceway (Darlington, South Carolina), Sunday, May 9, 3:30 pm ET, FS1. Pole Winner: Chase Elliott, Race Winner: Brad Keselowski (second win)
 * Race #13: Drydene 400, Dover International Speedway (Dover, Delaware), Sunday, May 16, 2:00 pm ET, FS1. Pole Winner: Brad Keselowski, Race Winner: Kyle Busch (second win)
 * Race #14: EchoPark Automotive Texas Grand Prix, Circuit of the Americas (Austin, Texas), Sunday, May 23, 2 pm ET, FS1. Pole Winner: Kyle Busch, Race Winner: Chase Elliott
 * Race #15: Coca-Cola 600, Charlotte Motor Speedway (Charlotte, North Carolina), Sunday, May 30, 6 pm ET, FOX. Pole Winner: Chase Elliott, Race Winner: Martin Truex Jr. (third win)
 * Race #16: Toyota Save Mart 350, Sonoma Raceway (Sonoma, California), Sunday, June 6, 4 pm ET, FS1. Pole Winner: Martin Truex Jr., Race Winner: Chase Elliott (second win)
 * NASCAR All-Star Open (non-points), Texas Motor Speedway (Fort Worth, Texas), Sunday, June 13, 6 pm ET, FS1. Pole Winner: Bubba Wallace, Stage 1 Winner: Daniel Suarez, Stage 2 Winner: Chase Briscoe, Race Winner: Bubba Wallace, Fan Vote Winner: Ross Chastain
 * NASCAR All-Star Race (non-points), Texas Motor Speedway (Fort Worth, Texas), Sunday, June 13, 8 pm ET, FS1. Pole Winner: Chase Elliott, Race Winner: Kyle Busch
 * Race #17: Ally 400, Nashville Superspeedway (Lebanon, Tennessee), Sunday, June 20, 3:30 pm ET, NBCSN. Pole Winner: Chase Elliott, Race Winner: William Byron (second win).
 * Race #18: Pocono Organics 325, Pocono Raceway (Doubleheader race #1) (Long Pond, Pennsylvania), Saturday, June 26, 3 pm ET, NBCSN. Pole Winner: William Byron, Race Winner: Denny Hamlin.
 * Race #19: Pocono 350, Pocono Raceway (Doubleheader race #2) (Long Pond, Pennsylvania), Sunday, June 27, 3:30 pm ET, NBCSN. Pole Winner: Bubba Wallace, Race Winner: Kevin Harvick.
 * Race #20: Sargento 500K, Road America (Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin), Sunday, July 4, 2:30 pm ET, NBC. Pole Winner: Kevin Harvick, Race Winner: Christopher Bell (second win).
 * Race #21: Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart, Atlanta Motor Speedway (Hampton, Georgia), Sunday, July 11, 3:30 pm ET, NBCSN. Pole Winner: Chase Elliott, Race Winner: Kevin Harvick (second win).
 * Race #22: Foxwoods Resort Casino 301, New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Loudon, New Hampshire), Sunday, July 18, 3 pm ET, NBCSN. Pole Winner: Kevin Harvick, Race Winner: Denny Hamlin.
 * (Two off-weeks, July 25 and August 1, due to 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics)
 * Race #23: GoBowling.com at the Glen, Watkins Glen International (Watkins Glen, New York), Sunday, August 8, 3 pm ET, NBCSN. Pole Winner: Denny Hamlin, Race Winner: Chase Elliott (third win).
 * Race #24: Big Machine Records 400K at the Brickyard, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course (Speedway, Indiana), Sunday, August 15, 1 pm ET, NBC. Pole Winner: Chase Elliott, Race Winner: Chase Briscoe.
 * Race #25: Firekeepers Casino 400, Michigan International Speedway (Brooklyn, Michigan), Sunday, August 22, 3 pm ET, NBCSN. Pole Winner: Chase Briscoe, Race Winner: Kevin Harvick (second win).
 * Race #26: Coke Zero Sugar 400 (regular season finale), Daytona International Speedway (Daytona Beach, Florida), Saturday, August 28, 7 pm ET, NBC. Pole Winner: Kevin Harvick, Race Winner: Bubba Wallace.
 * Race #27: Cook Out Southern 500 (playoff race #1, Round of 16 race #1) Darlington Raceway (Darlington, South Carolina), Sunday, September 5, 6 pm ET, NBCSN. Pole Winner: Chase Elliott, Race Winner: William Byron (third win and automatic spot in the Round of 12)
 * Race #28: Federated Auto Parts 400 (playoff race #2, Round of 16 race #2) Richmond Raceway (Henrico County, Virginia), Saturday, September 11, 7:30 pm ET, NBCSN. Pole Winner: William Byron, Race Winner: Chase Elliott (fourth win and automatic spot in the Round of 12).
 * Race #29: Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race (playoff race #3, Round of 16 race #3 and Round of 16 cutoff race), Bristol Motor Speedway (Bristol, Tennessee), Saturday, September 18, 7:30 pm ET, NBCSN. Pole Winner: Chase Elliott, Race Winner: Joey Logano (second win and automatic spot in the Round of 12).
 * Race #30: SouthPoint Casino 400 (playoff race #4, Round of 12 race #1), Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Las Vegas, Nevada), Sunday, September 26, 7 pm ET, NBCSN. Pole Winner: Chase Elliott, Race Winner: Kyle Larson (second win and automatic spot in the Round of 8).
 * Race #31: YellaWood 500 (playoff race #5, Round of 12 race #2), Talladega Superspeedway (Lincoln, Alabama), Sunday, October 3, 2 pm ET, NBC. Pole Winner: Kyle Larson, Race Winner: William Byron (fourth win and automatic spot in the Round of 8).
 * Race #32: Bank of America Roval 400 (playoff race #6, Round of 12 race #3, and Round of 12 cutoff race), Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval (Charlotte, North Carolina), Sunday, October 10, 2 pm ET, NBC. Pole Winner: William Byron, Race Winner: Chase Elliott (fifth win and automatic spot in the Round of 8)
 * Race #33: SpeedyCash.com 400 (playoff race #7, Round of 8 race #1), Texas Motor Speedway (Fort Worth, Texas), Sunday, October 17, 2 pm ET, NBC. Pole Winner: Chase Elliott, Race Winner: Kevin Harvick (third win and automatic spot in the Championship 4).
 * Race #34: Hollywood Casino 400 (playoff race #8, Round of 8 race #2), Kansas Speedway (Kansas City, Kansas), Sunday, October 24, 3 pm ET, NBCSN. Pole Winner: Kevin Harvick, Race Winner: Chase Elliott (fifth win and automatic spot in the Championship 4).
 * Race #35: XFINITY 500 (playoff race #9, Round of 8 race #3 and Round of 8 cutoff race), Martinsville Speedway (Ridgeway, Virginia), Sunday, October 31, 2 pm ET, NBC. Pole Winner: Chase Elliott, Race Winner: William Byron (fifth win and automatic spot in the Championship 4).
 * Race #36: Season Finale 500 (playoff race #10 and Championship 4 race), Phoenix Raceway (Avondale, Arizona), Sunday November 7, 3 pm ET, NBC. Pole Winner: William Byron, Race Winner: William Byron (sixth win and the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champion).

2021 Championship 4

 * #1: 24-William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports (2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champion)
 * #2: 5-Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports
 * #3: 9-Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports (2021 NASCAR Cup Series Most Popular Driver)
 * #4: 4-Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing

Eliminated in the 2021 Round of 8

 * #5: 12-Ryan Blaney, Team Penske
 * #6: 22-Joey Logano, Team Penske
 * #7: 2-Brad Keselowski, Team Penske
 * #8: 11-Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing

Eliminated in the 2021 Round of 12

 * #9: 18-Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing
 * #10: 19-Martin Truex Jr., Joe Gibbs Racing
 * #11: 20-Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing
 * #12: 48-Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports

Eliminated in the 2021 Round of 16

 * #13: 10-Aric Almirola, Stewart-Haas Racing
 * #14: 14-Chase Briscoe (R), Stewart-Haas Racing (2021 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year)
 * #15: 34-Michael McDowell, Front Row Motorsports
 * #16: 23-Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing

Eliminated from playoff contention

 * #17: 41-Cole Custer, Stewart-Haas Racing
 * #18: 1-Kurt Busch, Chip Ganassi Racing
 * #19: 42-Ross Chastain, Chip Ganassi Racing
 * #20: 3-Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing
 * #21: 99-Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Motorsports
 * 22: 43-Erik Jones, Richard Petty Motorsports
 * 23: 21-Matt DiBenedetto, Wood Brothers Racing
 * 24: 38-Anthony Alfredo (R), Front Row Motorsports
 * 25: 6-Ryan Newman, Roush Fenway Racing
 * 26: 17-Chris Buescher, Roush Fenway Racing
 * 27: 47-Ricky Stenhouse Jr., JTG Daugherty Racing
 * 28: 37-Ryan Preece, JTG Daugherty Racing
 * 29: 7-Corey LaJoie, Spire Motorsports
 * 30: 15-Derrike Cope; Chris Windom; Jennifer Jo Cobb (R), Rick Ware Racing
 * 31: 51-Cody Ware (R), Rick Ware Racing
 * 32: 52-Josh Bilicki (R), Rick Ware Racing
 * 33: 53-JJ Yeley, Rick Ware Racing
 * 34: 78-BJ McLeod, Live Fast Motorsports
 * 35: 36-David Ragan, Front Row Motorsports
 * 36: 77-Justin Haley (R); Reed Sorenson, Spire Motorsports


 * #37: 00-Quin Houff, StarCom Racing

Not eligible for playoff contention (due to not being full-time)

 * 38: 16-Kaz Grala (R); AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing (Superspeedway and Road Course Only)
 * 39: 33-Austin Cindric (R), Team Penske
 * #40: 49-Chad Finchum, MBM Motorsports
 * 41: 96-Ty Dillon; Harrison Burton, Gaunt Brothers Racing
 * #42: 66-Timmy Hill, MBM Motorsports