NASCAR Xfinity Series at Darlington
Darlington Raceway — May 8, 2021
Justin Allgaier
Winner
148
Laps
40
Entries
7
Leaders
Justin Allgaier won the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series at Darlington at Darlington Raceway on May 8, 2021, leading 10 of 148 laps. Josh Berry finished second; Brandon Jones rounded out the podium. The race featured 7 different leaders.
Race Details
Date
Saturday, May 8, 2021
Track
Season
2021
Winner
Leaders
7 drivers
| Pos | Start | +/- | Driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 | +15 | Justin Allgaier |
| 2 | 24 | +22 | Josh Berry |
| 3 | 22 | +19 | Brandon Jones |
| 4 | 5 | +1 | Noah Gragson |
| 5 | 7 | +2 | Daniel Hemric |
| 6 | 12 | +6 | Jeremy Clements |
| 7 | 20 | +13 | Michael Annett |
| 8 | 13 | +5 | Brett Moffitt |
| 9 | 11 | +2 | Ryan Sieg |
| 10 | 23 | +13 | Alex Labbe |
| 11 | 8 | -3 | Harrison Burton |
| 12 | 19 | +7 | Landon Cassill |
| 13 | 1 | -12 | A.J. Allmendinger |
| 14 | 4 | -10 | Justin Haley |
| 15 | 14 | -1 | Tommy Joe Martins |
| 16 | 33 | +17 | Ryan Ellis |
| 17 | 17 | — | David Starr |
| 18 | 29 | +11 | Ty Gibbs |
| 19 | 10 | -9 | Myatt Snider |
| 20 | 3 | -17 | Jeb Burton |
| 21 | 36 | +15 | Tanner Berryhill |
| 22 | 35 | +13 | J.J. Yeley |
| 23 | 15 | -8 | Timmy Hill |
| 24 | 9 | -15 | Brandon Brown |
| 25 | 39 | +14 | Bayley Currey |
| 26 | 38 | +12 | B.J. McLeod |
| 27 | 34 | +7 | Ryan Vargas |
| 28 | 6 | -22 | Riley Herbst |
| 29 | 25 | -4 | Colby Howard |
| 30 | 2 | -28 | Austin Cindric |
| 31 | 28 | -3 | Jeffrey Earnhardt |
| 32 | 31 | -1 | Jesse Little |
| 33 | 26 | -7 | Kyle Weatherman |
| 34 | 40 | +6 | Matt Jaskol |
| 35 | 18 | -17 | Jade Buford |
| 36 | 27 | -9 | Brandon Gdovic |
| 37 | 30 | -7 | Joe Graf Jr. |
| 38 | 37 | -1 | Gray Gaulding |
| 39 | 21 | -18 | Josh Williams |
| 40 | 32 | -8 | Matt Mills |
Model Performance
How well did the NR-Rating model predict this race? Across 12 matched drivers, the model averaged 8.7 positions off — close to the season average of 8.5. Average
| Pos | Driver | Predicted | Actual | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Justin Allgaier | 18.3 | 1 | +17.3 |
| 2 | Josh Berry | 22.9 | 2 | +20.9 |
| 4 | Noah Gragson | 21.4 | 4 | +17.4 |
| 13 | A.J. Allmendinger | 18.3 | 13 | +5.3 |
| 14 | Justin Haley | 19.9 | 14 | +5.9 |
| 17 | David Starr | 20.9 | 17 | +3.9 |
| 18 | Ty Gibbs | 14.5 | 18 | -3.5 |
| 22 | J.J. Yeley | 28.8 | 22 | +6.8 |
| 23 | Timmy Hill | 23.9 | 23 | +0.9 |
| 26 | B.J. McLeod | 24.8 | 26 | -1.2 |
| 28 | Riley Herbst | 21.4 | 28 | -6.6 |
| 30 | Austin Cindric | 15.4 | 30 | -14.6 |
Predicted finish from NR-Rating model. Delta = predicted − actual (positive = driver beat prediction). Confidence: High Confidence = low variance (stdDev ≤ 9), Moderate = medium variance, Coinflip = high variance.
Historical Context
- Justin Allgaier: has 21 career starts at Darlington Raceway with a 10.0 avg finish (4 wins) — the model may have underweighted this track history.
- Ty Gibbs: was the model’s top pick based on 13 career starts at Darlington Raceway with a 16.4 avg finish, finishing P18 on the day.
- Josh Berry: was the biggest surprise, finishing P2 vs predicted P23. Track history: 12 starts, 14.0 avg finish.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series at Darlington?
Justin Allgaier won the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series at Darlington at Darlington Raceway.
Where was the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series at Darlington held?
The 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series at Darlington was held at Darlington Raceway on May 8, 2021.