2021 Baytona 500

The 2021 Baytona 500 was the 32nd running event of the PASCAR Cup Series, that was held on February 15th, 2021. It is contested by two-hundred laps on the 2.5 mile asphalt superspeedway, and the first of the 2021 PASCAR Cup Series season. In one of the most surprising upset wins, Lucy Coghlan would win her first cup career win with her new team NOBODY CARES Racing, her first win after being in and out of being full time and part time without earning a win.

The race is also notable for having a rather larger scale crash of the titular “Big One,” where a literal half of the PASCAR drivers crashed in one big collision course, while a tiny handful of racers dodged the Big One. Also notable is when several debris had hit the course, which caused Lucy Coghlan to win her first Cup career win, a big hit for a new driver for her team NOBODY CARES Racing.

Background
Baytona International Speedway is one of three superspeedways that are part of the Cup Series season. The race would be the full-time racing debuts of returning PASCAR drivers Ryan Bottleflipper, Lucy Coghlan, Chad Duane, Tommy Hillblame, Tyrone Isadore, Maverick Jett, Chris von Kingston, Desmond Smith, Ford Tuskens and Matthew White, and debut Cup race of part-time drivers Kilroy Wassir and the mischievous 12Sporty34. This race would also debut many driver changes, such as Coghlan changing to NOBODY CARES Racing, Jett and White changing to Front Step Motorsports, and drivers leaving on free agent status such as Salvador Cisneros being changed to Tyrone Isadore and Ryan Hirosha leaving despite having a good spot on the field.

Entry list
Driver list

First Practice
Waddling Snowpengu was the fastest in practice for the 2021 Baytona 500, with a time of 45.059 seconds, and a speed of 199.750 miles per hour.

Qualifying
Alex Zimmerman would win the pole for the race, with a race time of 47.055, and a speed of 191.260 miles per hour. Due to electronic problems, George Reddings was sent to the rear of the fleet of cars. The final qualifications for the race are below:


 * 1) #8 Alex Zimmerman
 * 2) #3 Roary Stafford
 * 3) #57 TaeWon Lee
 * 4) #86 Waddling Snowpengu
 * 5) #16 Maverick Jett
 * 6) #7 Walrus7
 * 7) #66 RacerWalrus
 * 8) #70 Chris von Kingston
 * 9) #1 Jason Rodger
 * 10) #9 Koby Stafford
 * 11) #41 Chad Duane
 * 12) #37 Kektus von Kek
 * 13) #18 Carla Sanchez
 * 14) #34 Matthew White
 * 15) #99 Tommy Hillblame
 * 16) #6 Desmond Smith
 * 17) #73 Puffles von Face
 * 18) #03 Ford Tuskens
 * 19) #81 Ed Kenyon
 * 20) #97 Lit E. Rally
 * 21) #96 Billy Jamie
 * 22) #21 Ralph Meriwether
 * 23) #25 Derrek Nemmeso
 * 24) #65 Pengy D
 * 25) #54 Nathan Coy
 * 26) #51 Cody Glenn
 * 27) #56 Lucy Coghlan
 * 28) #14 Tyrone Isadore
 * 29) #72 Eli Lilly
 * 30) #92 Kilroy Wassir
 * 31) #84 Johnny Lobsville
 * 32) #2 Lonnie Weston
 * 33) #22 John Lebanon
 * 34) #4 Jervis Tobias
 * 35) #49 Danny Aflac
 * 36) #67 Ryan Bottleflipper
 * 37) #27 12Sporty34
 * 38) #08 Bobby Hendrickson
 * 39) #75 Derek Shellard
 * 40) #89 Pengu Sportersnow
 * 41) #12 George Reddings (Electronic Problems)
 * 42) #98 Veen Sorensen

Race
Alex Zimmerman would start the race being first on the pole position alongside fellow driver Roary Stafford, driving his brand new and now faster #99 CPR Racing car. Around lap 3, Maverick Jett would spin, causing a small scuffle of cars to collide, as it wasn’t too large or damaging to any of the drivers involved. Several racers involved in this crash were John Lebanon, Koby Stafford, Kektus von Kek, Tommy Hillblame, Desmond Smith, Cody Glenn and 12Sporty34. These drivers were sent for pit stopping repairs as the yellow caution flag was out.