2021 Sparks 300
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Race details[1] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 28 of 33 in the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season | |||
 Talladega Superspeedway | |||
| Date | October 2, 2021 | ||
| Location | Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 2.66 miles (4.80 km) | ||
| Distance | 113 laps, 300.58 mi (483.74 km) | ||
| Average speed | 128.486 miles per hour (206.778 km/h) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | JR Motorsports | ||
| Grid positions set by competition-based formula | |||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Riley Herbst | Stewart-Haas Racing | |
| Laps | 26 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 68 | Brandon Brown | Brandonbilt Motorsports | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | NBCSN | ||
| Announcers | Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, and Steve Letarte | ||
| Radio in the United States | |||
| Radio | Motor Racing Network | ||
The 2021 Sparks 300 was a NASCAR Xfinity Series race held on October 2, 2021, at Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. Contested over 107 laps—shortened from 113 laps due to darkness, on the 2.66 mi (4.28 km) asphalt superspeedway, it was the 28th race of the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, the second race of the Playoffs, and the second race of the Round of 12. After "The Big One" occurred late, Brandon Brown was determined as the leader at the time of caution. The race was then called due to darkness, leading to his first career Xfinity series victory.[2]
After the race, Brown unwittingly became associated with politics when NBC Sports reporter Kelli Stavast's misstating of a crowd chant led to "Let's Go Brandon" becoming a political slogan used against U.S. President Joe Biden.
Background
Talladega Superspeedway, originally known as Alabama International Motor Superspeedway (AIMS), is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base in the small city of Lincoln. The track is a tri-oval and was constructed in the 1960s by the International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France family. Talladega is most known for its steep banking and the unique location of the start/finish line that's located just past the exit to pit road. The track currently hosts the NASCAR series such as the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and the Camping World Truck Series. Talladega is the longest NASCAR oval with a length of 2.66-mile-long (4.28 km) tri-oval like the Daytona International Speedway, which also is a 2.5-mile-long (4 km) tri-oval.
Entry list
- (R) denotes rookie driver.
- (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.