Kyle Larson wins 2021 NASCAR All-Star Race

NASCAR is taking a week off from the chase for the playoffs with its annual All-Star exhibition race. This year, the race is in Fort Worth at Texas Motor Speedway. 21 drivers are racing 100 green flag laps over six rounds for a chance at $1 million. The winner claims that prize and the fastest pit crew in the fifth round will claim a $100,000 prize.

The 100-lap race is broken up into six rounds. Each of the first four rounds is 15 laps, the fifth round is 30 laps, and the sixth round is 10 laps. The race order is re-sorted after each round and only laps under the green flag count.

Round 1: Kyle Larson won the first round, edging out William Byron by 0.203 seconds. Larson finished in 8 minutes and 6 seconds and his fastest lap was 30.039 seconds. At the end of the stage, a wheel was be spun, and the top eight, nine, 10, 11, or 12 would be inverted for the second round depending on who takes a pit.

Round 2: Ryan Blaney won the second round, beating Brad Keselowski by 0.31 seconds. Blaney claimed the pole after the inversion and led every lap of the round. It finished at the 15:54 mark, and Blaney’s fastest lap was 30.244 seconds. The entire field will be inverted for the third round.

Round 3: Alex Bowman won the third round, beating Matt DiBenedetto by 0.917 seconds. Aric Almirola claimed the pole but we had two lead changes in the round, which finished at the 23:58 mark. The inversion following the third round will once again use the wheel to determine the fourth round starting lineup.

Round 4: William Byron won the fourth round, beating Kyle Larson by 0.131 seconds. The round finished at the 31:21 mark and the lineup for the fifth round is based on adding up finishes in first four rounds with the lowest starting out front. William Byron is expected up front with Larson joining him on the front row. Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch will be in the second row.

Round 5: Chase Elliot won the 30-lap fifth round, beating round pole-sitter William Byron by 0.166 seconds. The round finished at the 47:47 mark with Elliott followed by Byron, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, and Brad Keselowski. Chase Elliott’s team won the $100,000 pit stop challenge.

Round 6: Kyle Larson won the 2021 NASCAR All-Star Race and $1 million, finishing the final ten-lap sprint 0.206 seconds ahead of Brad Keselowski. Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, and Ryan Blaney followed in third through fifth. This is the second time in three years Larson has won the All-Star Race.