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1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Series

33rd season of NASCAR stock-car racing

1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Series

33rd season of NASCAR stock-car racing

Waltrip, the Winston Cup Series champion in 1981

The 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the thirty-third season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 10th modern-era Cup Season. It was the first year of the Gen 3 car. Because of the energy crisis, manufacturers were downsizing their cars to be more fuel-efficient, which NASCAR reflected by mandating a 110-inch wheelbase that still exists today. The season began at Riverside International Raceway with the first Winston Western 500 on January 11, 1981 and ended with the same event on November 22. Darrell Waltrip won his first championship with point margin of fifty-three points over Bobby Allison. Ron Bouchard was named Rookie of the Year.

Teams and drivers

TeamMakeNo.DriverCar OwnerCrew ChiefArrington RacingBenfield RacingBud Moore EngineeringCliff Stewart RacingDiGard MotorsportsDonlavey RacingEllington RacingGordon RacingHagan RacingHoward & Egerton RacingHylton RacingOsterlund Racing16Jim Stacy Racing15Junior Johnson & AssociatesLangley RacingLennie Pond RacingM. C. Anderson RacingMach 1 RacingMarcis Auto RacingMcDuffie RacingMeans RacingElliott RacingPetty EnterprisesRace Hill Farm TeamRahMoc EnterprisesRanier-Lundy RacingRichard Childress RacingRogers RacingSpeed RacingThomas RacingUlrich RacingWawak RacingWood Brothers Racing
Dodge Mirada67Buddy ArringtonBuddy Arrington
Pontiac Grand Prix
Buick Regal98Johnny Rutherford **(R)**Ron BenfieldBuddy Parrott
Ford Thunderbird15Benny ParsonsBud MooreBud Moore
Pontiac Grand Prix5Joe MillikanCliff StewartDarrell Bryant
Chevrolet Monte Carlo88Ricky RuddBill GardnerGary Nelson
Ford Thunderbird90Jody RidleyJunie Donlavey
Oldsmobile Cutlass
Buick Regal1Buddy BakerHoss EllingtonRunt Pittman
Buick Regal24Cecil GordonCecil Gordon
Morgan Shepherd **(R)**
Buick Regal44Terry LabonteBilly HaganJake Elder
Buick Regal86Elliott Forbes-Robinson **(R)**Richard Howard
Pontiac Grand Prix48James HyltonJames Hylton
Pontiac Grand Prix2Dale Earnhardt 20Rod OsterlundDoug Richert
Buick RegalJim Stacy
Joe Ruttman **(R)** 11Dale Inman
Buick Regal11Darrell WaltripJunior JohnsonTim Brewer
41Richard Childress 1
Ford Thunderbird64Tommy GaleElmo Langley
Buick Regal68Lennie PondLennie Pond
Buick Regal27Cale YarboroughM. C. AndersonDavid Anderson
Pontiac Grand Prix22Stan Barrett **(R)**Hal Needham
33Harry GantTravis Carter
Buick Regal71Dave MarcisDave MarcisClaude Queen
Pontiac Grand Prix70J. D. McDuffieJ. D. McDuffie
Pontiac Grand Prix52Jimmy MeansJimmy Means
Ford Thunderbird9Bill Elliott 13George ElliottErnie Elliott
Buick Regal42Richard Petty 1Richard PettyMike Beam
Kyle Petty 30
43Kyle Petty 1Steve Hmiel
Richard Petty 30
Buick Regal47Ron BouchardJack BeebeBob Johnson
Buick Regal75Gary Balough **(R)**Bob RahillyBob Rahilly
Pontiac LeMans
Buick Regal28Bobby AllisonHarry RanierWaddell Wilson
Pontiac Grand Prix3Richard Childress 20Richard ChildressKirk Shelmerdine
Dale Earnhardt 11
8Kirk Shelmerdine 1
Buick Regal37Mike Alexander **(R)**Bob RogersRaymond Kelly
Tim Richmond **(R)**
Oldsmobile Cutlass66Lake SpeedLake Speed
Pontiac Grand Prix25Ronnie ThomasRonnie Thomas
Buick Regal99D. K. UlrichD. K. Ulrich
Buick Regal94Bobby WawakBobby Wawak
Ford Thunderbird21Neil BonnettGlen WoodLeonard Wood

Season schedule and recap

RoundDateEventTrackWinner12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
January 11Winston Western 500Riverside International RacewayBobby Allison
February 8Busch ClashDaytona International SpeedwayDarrell Waltrip
February 12UNO Twin 125 QualifierBobby Allison
Darrell Waltrip
February 13Daytona 500 Consolation RaceLake Speed
February 15Daytona 500Richard Petty
February 22Richmond 400Richmond Fairgrounds RacewayDarrell Waltrip
March 1Carolina 500North Carolina Motor SpeedwayDarrell Waltrip
March 15Coca-Cola 500Atlanta International RacewayCale Yarborough
March 29Valleydale 500Bristol International RacewayDarrell Waltrip
April 5Northwestern Bank 400North Wilkesboro SpeedwayRichard Petty
April 12CRC Rebel 500Darlington International RacewayDarrell Waltrip
April 26Virginia 500Martinsville SpeedwayMorgan Shepherd
May 3Winston 500Alabama International Motor SpeedwayBobby Allison
May 9Melling Tool 420Nashville SpeedwayBenny Parsons
May 17Mason-Dixon 500Dover Downs International SpeedwayJody Ridley
May 24World 600Charlotte Motor SpeedwayBobby Allison
June 7Budweiser 400Texas World SpeedwayBenny Parsons
June 14Hodgdon 400Riverside International RacewayDarrell Waltrip
June 21Gabriel 400Michigan International SpeedwayBobby Allison
July 4Firecracker 400Daytona International SpeedwayCale Yarborough
July 11Busch Nashville 420Nashville SpeedwayDarrell Waltrip
July 26Mt. Dew 500Pocono RacewayDarrell Waltrip
August 2Talladega 500Alabama International Motor SpeedwayRon Bouchard
August 16[Champion Spark Plug 400](3m-performance-400)Michigan International SpeedwayRichard Petty
August 22Busch 500Bristol International RacewayDarrell Waltrip
September 7Southern 500Darlington International RacewayNeil Bonnett
September 13Wrangler SanforSet 400Richmond Fairgrounds RacewayBenny Parsons
September 20CRC Chemicals 500Dover Downs International SpeedwayNeil Bonnett
September 27Old Dominion 500Martinsville SpeedwayDarrell Waltrip
October 4Holly Farms 400North Wilkesboro SpeedwayDarrell Waltrip
October 11National 500Charlotte Motor SpeedwayDarrell Waltrip
November 1American 500North Carolina Motor SpeedwayDarrell Waltrip
November 8Atlanta Journal 500Atlanta International RacewayNeil Bonnett
November 22Winston Western 500Riverside International RacewayBobby Allison

Season summary

Race reports

  • Western 500 – The final race where 115-inch wheelbase cars (Gen 2) were eligible to run, the field was a mix of 1977 racecars and 1981 models. Dale Earnhardt drove a 1981 Pontiac while race winner Bobby Allison drove a 1977 Monte Carlo. This race was also the first of what would be 788 consecutive Cup series starts for Ricky Rudd.
  1. #28 - Bobby Allison
  2. #44 - Terry Labonte
  3. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
  4. #3 - Richard Childress
  5. #42 - Richard Petty
  6. #78 - Jim Robinson
  7. #90 - Jody Ridley
  8. #86 - Elliott Forbes-Robinson
  9. #67 - Buddy Arrington
  10. #38 - Don Waterman
  • Busch Clash - Seven drivers were invited to the 3rd annual Busch Clash for pole winners from 1980. Darrell Waltrip led 13 of 20 laps to win the event, pocketing $71,500 for his 15-minute, 52 second run.
  1. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  2. #15 - Benny Parsons
  3. #1 - Buddy Baker
  4. #16 - David Pearson
  5. #27 - Cale Yarborough
  6. #28 - Bobby Allison
  7. #12 - Donnie Allison
  • UNO Twin 125's– The new cars proved to be disturbingly ill-handling and there were several airborne crashes in testing and preliminary events. In the first 125 John Anderson and Connie Saylor flew off the ground and tumbled. Bobby Allison drove a Pontiac LeMans, which unlike the other makes sported a sloped tear glass and was notably more stable. He won the pole and his 125 under yellow for the Saylor crash. Darrell Waltrip in a notch backed Buick engaged in a very spirited duel. Following rookie Tim Richmond’s crash the race ended in a one lap sprint; Benny Parsons stormed from third to the lead but Waltrip re-passed him on the tri-oval apron for the win.

Race 1:

  1. #28 - Bobby Allison
  2. #21 - Neil Bonnett
  3. #88 - Ricky Rudd
  4. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
  5. #16 - David Pearson
  6. #42 - Kyle Petty
  7. #93 - Don Whittington
  8. #71 - Dave Marcis
  9. #19 - Ronnie Sanders
  10. #25 - Ronnie Thomas

Race 2:

  1. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  2. #15 - Benny Parsons
  3. #1 - Buddy Baker
  4. #43 - Richard Petty
  5. #51 - A.J. Foyt
  6. #44 - Terry Labonte
  7. #23 - Geoff Bodine
  8. #9 - Bill Elliott
  9. #3 - Richard Childress
  10. #67 - Buddy Arrington
  • 1981 Daytona 500 Consolation Race - The 12 cars that failed to qualify for the Daytona 500 were allowed to run in a consolation race for 30 laps (75 mi). This was the first time there was a consolation race since 1962. Lake Speed led all 30 laps to win and take home $5,000.
  1. #66 - Lake Speed
  2. #8 - Dick May
  3. #73 - Steve Moore
  4. #45 - Baxter Price
  5. #59 - A.C. York
  6. #08 - Alan Rogers
  7. #17 - Jerry Lovell
  8. #61 - Tommy Hilbert
  9. #94 - Bobby Wawak
  10. #01 - Dickie Boswell
  • Daytona 500- NASCAR increased spoiler size twice during the week to keep the cars on the ground. The ensuing 500 saw only four minor cautions and 49 lead changes. Bobby Allison’s 1981 Pontiac LeMans was as expected from Thursday more stable and faster, but Richard Petty got out to the lead after his last pitstop by not changing tires; once in the lead he was uncatchable by Allison as he took his seventh and final Daytona 500 win.
  1. #43 - Richard Petty
  2. #28 - Bobby Allison
  3. #88 - Ricky Rudd
  4. #1 - Buddy Baker
  5. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
  6. #9 - Bill Elliott
  7. #90 - Jody Ridley
  8. #27 - Cale Yarborough
  9. #75 - Joe Millikan
  10. #98 - Johnny Rutherford
  • Richmond 400– Darrell Waltrip drove Junior Johnson's Buick to his first win of the season, edging Ricky Rudd, driving Waltrip's former car, the DiGard Oldsmobile. Bobby Allison wrecked his Pontiac LeMans and drove Butch Lindley's car rather than run a backup Oldsmobile in the team's shop for fear NASCAR would use the existence of the backup to justify banning the LeMans altogether.
  1. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  2. #88 - Ricky Rudd
  3. #43 - Richard Petty
  4. #5 - Morgan Shepherd
  5. #15 - Benny Parsons
  6. #47 - Harry Gant
  7. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
  8. #90 - Jody Ridley
  9. #75 - Joe Millikan
  10. #70 - J.D. McDuffie
  • Carolina 500 - Cale Yarborough won the pole and led 320 laps but ran dry in the final 25 laps. Richard Petty led until three laps to go as Darrell Waltrip outlasted the field to win. The lead changed a track-record 36 times. This was the last race that Richard Petty would lead the Winston Cup points standings in his career. ESPN made their NASCAR broadcasting debut.
  1. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  2. #27 - Cale Yarborough
  3. #43 - Richard Petty
  4. #21 - Neil Bonnett
  5. #1 - Buddy Baker
  6. #28 - Bobby Allison
  7. #75 - Joe Millikan
  8. #42 - Kyle Petty
  9. #66 - Lake Speed
  10. #86 - Elliott Forbes-Robinson
  • Atlanta 500 – Team owner Harry Ranier protested NASCAR-mandated spoiler reduction to the Pontiac LeMans the team was running but got no support from rival teams. Cale Yarborough edged Harry Gant for the win while Dave Marcis flipped his car after sliding hard into a giant truck tire shielding the pit wall abutment.
  1. #27 - Cale Yarborough
  2. #47 - Harry Gant
  3. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
  4. #28 - Bobby Allison
  5. #15 - Benny Parsons
  6. #90 - Jody Ridley
  7. #51 - A.J. Foyt
  8. #5 - Morgan Shepherd
  9. #9 - Bill Elliott
  10. #6 - Joe Ruttman
  • Southeastern 500 - Waltrip led 323 laps and edged Ricky Rudd for the win, his third of the season. There were eight caution flags, one of them involving a hard set-to between Benny Parsons and Joe Millikan. "I admit I lost my cool," Millikan said, to which team owner Bud Moore replied, "I'll straighten out Millikan's cool."
  1. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  2. #88 - Ricky Rudd
  3. #28 - Bobby Allison
  4. #5 - Morgan Shepherd
  5. #15 - Benny Parsons
  6. #90 - Jody Ridley
  7. #44 - Terry Labonte
  8. #48 - Harry Gant
  9. #66 - Lake Speed
  10. #99 - Tim Richmond
  • Northwestern Bank 400 -
  1. #43 - Richard Petty
  2. #28 - Bobby Allison
  3. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  4. #71 - Dave Marcis
  5. #12 - Harry Gant
  6. #88 - Ricky Rudd
  7. #44 - Terry Labonte
  8. #47 - Ron Bouchard
  9. #5 - Morgan Shepherd
  10. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
  • Rebel 500 – Waltrip edged Gant, who was making his debut in a Pontiac Grand Prix owned by Burt Reynolds and Hal Needham. Bobby Allison debuted a new Buick as the team gave up on the LeMans because of NASCAR spoiler reduction on the car.
  1. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  2. #33 - Harry Gant
  3. #71 - Dave Marcis
  4. #9 - Bill Elliott
  5. #15 - Benny Parsons
  6. #1 - Buddy Baker
  7. #90 - Jody Ridley
  8. #16 - David Pearson
  9. #28 - Bobby Allison
  10. #75 - Joe Millikan
  • Virginia 500– Rookie Morgan Shepherd dominated en route to his first career Grand National win.
  1. #5 - Morgan Shepherd
  2. #21 - Neil Bonnett
  3. #88 - Ricky Rudd
  4. #12 - Harry Gant
  5. #44 - Terry Labonte
  6. #90 - Jody Ridley
  7. #66 - Lake Speed
  8. #67 - Buddy Arrington
  9. #47 - Ron Bouchard
  10. #37 - Mike Alexander
  • Winston 500 – Allison slugged it out with Waltrip, Rudd, and Buddy Baker en route to a wild last-lap win.
  1. #28 - Bobby Allison
  2. #1 - Buddy Baker
  3. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  4. #88 - Ricky Rudd
  5. #77 - Donnie Allison
  6. #99 - Tim Richmond
  7. #44 - Terry Labonte
  8. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
  9. #25 - Dick May
  10. #94 - Bobby Wawak
  • Melling Tool 420 - Ricky Rudd in the DiGard No. 88 and Benny Parsons in the Bud Moore No. 15 bearing the race sponsor's colors led 419 of 420 laps; only Darrell Waltrip broke this duopoly. Waltrip futilely chased Parsons over the final 84 laps as Parsons grabbed his first win with Bud Moore.
  1. #15 - Benny Parsons
  2. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  3. #28 - Bobby Allison
  4. #43 - Richard Petty
  5. #88 - Ricky Rudd
  6. #44 - Terry Labonte
  7. #42 - Kyle Petty
  8. #5 - Morgan Shepherd
  9. #67 - Buddy Arrington
  10. #71 - Dave Marcis
  • Mason-Dixon 500 - David Pearson won the pole in the Kenny Childers No. 12 and led the first 41 laps before falling out with engine failure. Neil Bonnett in the Wood Brothers No. 21 led 404 laps but blew up with 41 laps to go; twenty laps later Cale Yarborough blew his engine and this left Jody Ridley effectively alone to the checkered. It was Ridley's only Winston Cup win, coming in his 55th start, and it was the only Cup win for team owner Junie Donlavey.
  1. #90 - Jody Ridley
  2. #28 - Bobby Allison
  3. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
  4. #99 - D.K. Ulrich
  5. #88 - Ricky Rudd
  6. #5 - Morgan Shepherd
  7. #67 - Buddy Arrington
  8. #44 - Terry Labonte
  9. #52 - Jimmy Means
  10. #27 - Cale Yarborough
  • World 600 – Allison won in a crash-torn race in which his brother Donnie suffered a serious leg injury.
  1. #28 - Bobby Allison
  2. #33 - Harry Gant
  3. #27 - Cale Yarborough
  4. #88 - Ricky Rudd
  5. #42 - Kyle Petty
  6. #5 - Morgan Shepherd
  7. #6 - Joe Ruttman
  8. #75 - Joe Millikan
  9. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  10. #86 - Elliott Forbes-Robinson
  • Budweiser 400 - Benny Parsons and Dale Earnhardt squared off in a hard-fought race as the lead changed 35 official times, the most in Texas World Speedway's history. Parsons edged Earnhardt after five lead changes between them in the final eleven laps. The 1981 race proved to be the final major stock car race at the troubled Texas superspeedway until Ishin Speed Sport took it over ten years later.
  1. #15 - Benny Parsons
  2. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
  3. #28 - Bobby Allison
  4. #43 - Richard Petty
  5. #71 - Dave Marcis
  6. #90 - Jody Ridley
  7. #99 - Tim Richmond
  8. #66 - Lake Speed
  9. #6 - Joe Ruttman
  10. #33 - Harry Gant
  • Warner W. Hodgdon 400 - Waltrip got back to victory in a four-car scramble with Earnhardt, Petty, and Bonnett. Crashes eliminated Bobby Allison, rookies Tim Richmond and Morgan Shepherd, and James Hylton.
  1. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  2. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
  3. #43 - Richard Petty
  4. #21 - Neil Bonnett
  5. #88 - Ricky Rudd
  6. #42 - Kyle Petty
  7. #90 - Jody Ridley
  8. #0 - Roy Smith
  9. #71 - Dave Marcis
  10. #78 - Jim Robinson
  • Gabriel 400 – After 50 lead changes Bobby Allison was running seventh when Kyle Petty's blown engine sent four of the top six in the field into the Turn Two guardrail, while race leaders Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip crashed before Turn Three. The win put Allison nearly 300 points ahead of Waltrip in the standings. Following the race Earnhardt's team owner Rod Osterlund sold the team to J. D. Stacy.
  1. #28 - Bobby Allison
  2. #33 - Harry Gant
  3. #15 - Benny Parsons
  4. #90 - Jody Ridley
  5. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
  6. #43 - Richard Petty
  7. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  8. #27 - Cale Yarborough
  9. #21 - Neil Bonnett
  10. #47 - Ron Bouchard
  • Firecracker 400 - Bobby Allison has taken a 256-point lead over Darrell Waltrip but after burning a valve and finishing 28th his point lead fell to 206. Cale Yarborough won the pole and led 78 laps while Harry Gant led 43 laps; Gant took the lead on Lap 138 but Cale stormed past for the win on the final lap. Dale Earnhardt led the opening lap in the first race with J. D. Stacy as new owner of the former Rod Osterlund Pontiac, but fell out with a vibration after 71 laps.
  1. #27 - Cale Yarborough
  2. #33 - Harry Gant
  3. #43 - Richard Petty
  4. #1 - Buddy Baker
  5. #98 - Johnny Rutherford
  6. #42 - Kyle Petty
  7. #37 - Mike Alexander
  8. #44 - Terry Labonte
  9. #47 - Ron Bouchard
  10. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  • Busch Nashville 420 - Waltrip led 303 laps and edged Allison for the win, with May winner Benny Parsons third. Rookie Mark Martin, a star in American Speed Association stockers, won the pole and led the opening 36 laps.
  1. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  2. #28 - Bobby Allison
  3. #15 - Benny Parsons
  4. #88 - Ricky Rudd
  5. #44 - Terry Labonte
  6. #42 - Kyle Petty
  7. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
  8. #33 - Harry Gant
  9. #43 - Richard Petty
  10. #90 - Jody Ridley
  • Mountain Dew 500 - Six years after the 1975 Purolator 500 and the controversial win by a Purolator-sponsored car, Darrell Waltrip's Buick with the race's sponsor took the win amid controversy. Cale Yarborough fell a lap down but got it back, but he pitted too early on a late yellow and lost the lap again. He stormed past Richard Petty on a last-lap restart thinking he was the leader, and Waltrip took the lead from Petty for the win. Yarborough initially protested the outcome thinking he was on the lead lap, but NASCAR score cards showed Waltrip indeed was the leader.
  1. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  2. #43 - Richard Petty
  3. #15 - Benny Parsons
  4. #33 - Harry Gant
  5. #27 - Cale Yarborough
  6. #88 - Ricky Rudd
  7. #1 - Buddy Baker
  8. #42 - Kyle Petty
  9. #12 - Tim Richmond
  10. #47 - Ron Bouchard
  • Talladega 500 – Bobby Allison led the most laps but slipped back in the final laps, leaving Darrell Waltrip, Terry Labonte, and rookie Ron Bouchard in contention for the win. On the final lap in Talladega's trioval, Labonte swung high on Waltrip and as the two jostled, Bouchard dove to the bottom and beat them to the line by inches. Bouchard's victory is considered by many to be one of the biggest upsets in NASCAR history. Dale Earnhardt finished 29th in his final race in the J. D. Stacy car after a falling out with the new owner. He would finish out the season driving Richard Childress's car.
  1. #47 - Ron Bouchard
  2. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  3. #44 - Terry Labonte
  4. #33 - Harry Gant
  5. #28 - Bobby Allison
  6. #66 - Lake Speed
  7. #42 - Kyle Petty
  8. #90 - Jody Ridley
  9. #22 - Stan Barrett
  10. #71 - Dave Marcis
  • Champion Spark Plug 400 – Richard Petty stormed past five cars with five laps to go and held off Waltrip and Ricky Rudd in the most competitive race of the season (65 lead changes, a still-standing record for Michigan International Speedway, among 14 drivers). Dale Earnhardt, in his first start for new owner retired driver Richard Childress, finished 9th.
  1. #43 - Richard Petty
  2. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  3. #88 - Ricky Rudd
  4. #33 - Harry Gant
  5. #1 - Buddy Baker
  6. #2 - Joe Ruttman
  7. #28 - Bobby Allison
  8. #9 - Bill Elliott
  9. #3 - Dale Earnhardt
  10. #37 - Mike Alexander
  • Busch 500 -
  1. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  2. #88 - Ricky Rudd
  3. #44 - Terry Labonte
  4. #28 - Bobby Allison
  5. #47 - Ron Bouchard
  6. #15 - Benny Parsons
  7. #66 - Lake Speed
  8. #12 - Tim Richmond
  9. #71 - Dave Marcis
  10. #67 - Buddy Arrington
  • Southern 500 - Neil Bonnett led 216 laps and edged Darrell Waltrip by one car length; Waltrip's runner-up finish pulled him to within 18 points of Bobby Allison.
  1. #21 - Neil Bonnett
  2. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  3. #71 - Dave Marcis
  4. #44 - Terry Labonte
  5. #1 - Buddy Baker
  6. #3 - Dale Earnhardt
  7. #9 - Bill Elliott
  8. #01 - David Pearson
  9. #28 - Bobby Allison
  10. #27 - Cale Yarborough
  • Wrangler Sanfor-Set 400 - Benny Parsons scores his 20th and penultimate victory in the Cup Series. Bobby Allison finishes fifth leading 95 laps but Darrell Waltrip finishes third leading the most laps at 149 which cuts Allison's lead down to 3 points.
  1. #15 - Benny Parsons
  2. #33 - Harry Gant
  3. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  4. #44 - Terry Labonte
  5. #28 - Bobby Allison
  6. #3 - Dale Earnhardt
  7. #02 - Mark Martin
  8. #5 - Joe Millikan
  9. #90 - Jody Ridley
  10. #75 - Gary Balough
  • CRC Chemicals 500 - Neil Bonnett put the entire field a lap down as he led 185 laps en route to his second win in three races. Darrell Waltrip beat Bobby Allison for second and thus took the point lead by 2 points over Allison.
  1. #21 - Neil Bonnett
  2. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  3. #28 - Bobby Allison
  4. #47 - Ron Bouchard
  5. #88 - Ricky Rudd
  6. #2 - Joe Ruttman
  7. #42 - Kyle Petty
  8. #71 - Dave Marcis
  9. #37 - Tim Richmond
  10. #43 - Richard Petty
  • Old Dominion 500 - Harry Gant led the most laps at 253 but faltered as Darrell Waltrip grabbed the lead with 36 laps to go; Waltrip's win was the first of four straight. Waltrip padded his lead by 41 points to lead Allison by 43 points.
  1. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  2. #33 - Harry Gant
  3. #02 - Mark Martin
  4. #21 - Neil Bonnett
  5. #5 - Joe Millikan
  6. #47 - Ron Bouchard
  7. #24 - Jimmy Hensley
  8. #88 - Ricky Rudd
  9. #44 - Terry Labonte
  10. #28 - Bobby Allison
  • Holly Farms 400 - Darrell Waltrip wins his second straight race while leading the most laps at 318. Bobby Allison finished second leading seventy six laps. Waltrip padded his lead by 10 points to lead Allison by 53 points.
  1. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  2. #28 - Bobby Allison
  3. #5 - Joe Millikan
  4. #3 - Dale Earnhardt
  5. #47 - Ron Bouchard
  6. #24 - Morgan Shepherd
  7. #90 - Jody Ridley
  8. #99 - Bob McElwee
  9. #52 - Jimmy Means
  10. #67 - Buddy Arrington
  • National 500 - Neil Bonnett dominates leading 135 of the races first 190 laps but then before he can complete lap 191 his engine expires, leaving Darrell Waltrip to battle with Bobby Allison for the rest of the race in which Waltrip prevails, winning his third straight race while padding his points lead by 5 to lead over Allison by 58 points.
  1. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  2. #28 - Bobby Allison
  3. #88 - Ricky Rudd
  4. #55 - Tommy Ellis
  5. #47 - Ron Bouchard
  6. #72 - Rusty Wallace
  7. #01 - Geoff Bodine
  8. #24 - Morgan Shepherd
  9. #13 - Jack Ingram
  10. #67 - Buddy Arrington
  • American 500 - Waltrip and Allison fought for the win as the lead changed between them during the final 19 laps; with his fourth straight win Waltrip increased his point lead by 10 points to lead Allison by 68 points.
  1. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  2. #28 - Bobby Allison
  3. #33 - Harry Gant
  4. #43 - Richard Petty
  5. #2 - Joe Ruttman
  6. #15 - Benny Parsons
  7. #44 - Terry Labonte
  8. #9 - Bill Elliott
  9. #3 - Dale Earnhardt
  10. #90 - Jody Ridley
  • Atlanta Journal 500 - ESPN broadcast the race live, the first such NASCAR broadcast for the third-year cable network, with Mike Joy, Larry Nuber, and Ned Jarrett handling the broadcast duty. The race was a hard-fought affair as Neil Bonnett battled Richard Petty, Joe Ruttman, and Harry Gant; Waltrip cut a tire in mid-race but battled and got his lap back; he rallied and took the lead at the white flag, but Bonnett stormed to the win while Waltrip padded his points lead by 15 points to lead Allison headed to the season finale at Riverside by 83 points.
  1. #21 - Neil Bonnett
  2. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  3. #27 - Cale Yarborough
  4. #28 - Bobby Allison
  5. #90 - Jody Ridley
  6. #9 - Bill Elliott
  7. #44 - Terry Labonte
  8. #42 - Kyle Petty
  9. #1 - Buddy Baker
  10. #5 - Joe Millikan
  • Winston Western 500 - For the first time in the modern era the series visited the same track three times in a season. This would not happen again until 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced NASCAR to make schedule changes due to a combination of local, state, and federal travel restrictions and limits on social gatherings. This race featured a great battle for the win between Allison and Ruttman for the last 20 laps. Bobby passed Joe with 9 laps to go and Ruttman got back alongside Allison several times but was never able to complete the pass. Allison did what he needed to do by winning the race and leading the most laps at 49. It was however not enough as Darrell Waltrip won his first championship by leading 1 lap & finishing in 6th place to beat Allison by 53 points.
  1. #28 - Bobby Allison
  2. #2 - Joe Ruttman
  3. #44 - Terry Labonte
  4. #3 - Dale Earnhardt
  5. #5 - Joe Millikan
  6. #11 - Darrell Waltrip
  7. #43 - Richard Petty
  8. #33 - Harry Gant
  9. #90 - Jody Ridley
  10. #47 - Ron Bouchard

Final point standings

(key) Bold – Pole position awarded by time. Italics – Pole position set by owner's points. * – Most laps led.

Pos.Driver[RIV](1981-winston-western-500-january)[DAY](1981-daytona-500)RCHCARATLBRINWSDARMARTALNSVDOV[CLT](1981-world-600)[TWS](1981-budweiser-nascar-400)RIVMCHDAYNSVPOC[TAL](1981-talladega-500)MCHBRIDARRCHDOVMARNWSCLTCARATL[RIV](1981-winston-western-500-november)Pts1488024827342104405254002639887397583880935071034491133811233351332611431421531401630911729961828171927532026822125942224492323202422012521442621382719042818512917843014423112123211913311403411003510203684237768387543966440656416394261543596445274542046418473774836749351503515132352315533145430055294562885728858285592796027661271622716322464221652166620667197681886915470140711317212773127741227511576109771067810379103801008110082978397849485918691878888858985908291809279937994799576967697739873997310070101701026410361104581055510637107108109110111112113114115116117118119120121122123124125126127128129130131132133134135136Pos.Driver[RIV](1981-winston-western-500-january)[DAY](1981-daytona-500)RCHCARATLBRINWSDARMARTALNSVDOV[CLT](1981-world-600)[TWS](1981-budweiser-nascar-400)RIVMCHDAYNSVPOC[TAL](1981-talladega-500)MCHBRIDARRCHDOVMARNWSCLTCARATL[RIV](1981-winston-western-500-november)Pts
Darrell Waltrip**17**361*136**1***31*263212930**1*****7***101***1***22**1***23*2**1****1*****1*****1***2**6**
Bobby Allison1***2***236432*913**1**321*3291282255*749531022241*
Harry Gant15236182*8524*342216210312284**4**411**14**2232*24413**20**8
Terry Labonte2402621**19**7714576814**23**221185133143442993023773
Jody Ridley7781766287631251206743810158122012911217151059
Ricky Rudd193231222611**3**4**5***5424530404623322312**5**8253183840
Dale Earnhardt357263281017258203182*2535711299276615264259244
Richard Petty51333829133283941924436392401*243011101821304267
Dave Marcis281522152731**4**311141031355929132533101193198141640122825
Benny Parsons16315245521523361323712033933132663913424293863627
Buddy Arrington9261637141329138179715132612172816413510371314111010141724
Kyle Petty2032248411122251530720529621668719283422719182037837
Morgan Shepherd **(R)****4**28849341238663121152013293634191629122868273113
Jimmy Means1821142921141423122714923192828181519162512381619159122035
Tommy Gale171819181519181811171417123036192131182115291724131422132226
Tim Richmond **(R)**29301716261018121461273314151293430822149201318222120
J. D. McDuffie23241033112216163022162313111222122018161321212812172311
Lake Speed34DNQ1293592371824288163322276157132027222734311416
James Hylton11342920251519171921181625192322162239271626183215261917
Joe Millikan13997151726102938831231718821533519105
Ron Bouchard **(R)**248279202726109101**29**511254655113910
Neil Bonnett27334282923213***29**49303437281*1429351*33
Cecil Gordon36371923372131212415191518132725292117243023261915
Cale Yarborough8**2***12621241038**1***52817101331253
Richard Childress43813221716173122131317191418192117232639
Ronnie Thomas2821113118122031262422203425143518272420271732
Buddy Baker454062*33134732552937169
Joe Ruttman **(R)**1029792922621153061726195252
Mike Alexander **(R)**1333121136102111212732727173510252032DNQ
Bill Elliott69**4**4040353411873386
Bobby WawakDNQ1442302419101831263319312436DNQ
D. K. Ulrich19132223432272023312118141727
Johnny Rutherford10121228175133331272937
Lennie Pond271111112414172716252336
Elliott Forbes-Robinson **(R)**825103927161035231223
Stan Barrett **(R)**1336163532111826149
Rick Newsom2732202333DNQ28262222
Dick MayDNQ24925163115361925DNQ
Connie Saylor **(R)**DNQ37121433401112
Gary Balough **(R)**122518Wth251017Wth24323419
Rick WilsonDNQ3525423742201311
Mark Martin2727**11****7**3
Bruce Hill3923262841163033DNQ
Donnie Allison12342951138
Geoff Bodine223023730
Joe Fields2825162215DNQ23
Jack Ingram3437383213
Randy OgdenDNQ22153424
Don Waterman102315
Jim Robinson61032
Rusty Wallace3021629
Tommy Houston202012DNQ27191211
Bill Schmitt222414
Don Whittington141435
Dick Brooks1615362113
H. B. BaileyDNQ15361640
Lowell Cowell28172822
Roy Smith31830
Don Puskarich321721
Glenn Jarrett192527
A. J. Foyt35732
Butch Lindley252427
Tommy Ellis2630433
Don SprouseDNQ2015
Slick Johnson25343235
Hershel McGriff332538
Chuck Bown392815
Junior Miller26DNQ20
David Pearson2930328**25**8
Bob Schacht3230DNQ
Bob Riley303233
John Borneman12
Gary Kershaw12
Jim BownDNQ3236
Rick O'Dell16
Ronnie Sanders19DNQ
Delma Cowart18
Steve Spencer302018
Henry JonesDNQDNQ20DNQ
Bob Bondurant2118
Bill Dennis21
Joe Booher24204222
Gene Thonesen22
Mark Stahl23
Bill Elswick111324
Steve Pfeifer2414
John Gunn25
Charlie Glotzbach26
Rick McCray26
Roger Hamby27
Billie Harvey4141WthDNQ
Mike Potter351526272628
Sterling Marlin2628
Dave Dion28
Scott Miller29
Elmo Langley29
Baxter PriceDNQ3034
Jimmy Insolo3036
Ernie Cline30
Jocko Maggiacomo31
Sandy Satullo II31
Travis TillerDNQ32
Pat Mintey34
Robert Tartaglia35
Kevin Housby36
Blackie Wangerin42DNQ
John AndersonDNQ392416
Bob McElwee168
Terry Herman1431
Dean Combs2834
Jimmy Hensley7
Rick Knoop20
Rick Baldwin21
Bob Senneker21
Al Loquasto24
Charlie Chamblee26
Chuck Pittenger28
Joel Stowe29
Bruce Jacobi30
Don Satterfield30
Don Hume33
Kirk Shelmerdine33
Harry DinwiddieDNQDNQDNQ
Dickie BoswellDNQ
Tom SnevaDNQ
Alan RogersDNQ
Jerry LovallDNQ
A. C. YorkDNQ
Sal TovellaDNQ
Tommy HilbertDNQ
Steve MooreDNQDNQ
Hurley HaywoodDNQ
Eddie FalkDNQ
Wayne MorganDNQ
Don StanleyDNQ
Ferrel HarrisDNQ

Source:

  • Earnhardt drove races 1–20 in the No. 2 Rod Osterlund Wrangler Jeans Pontiac Grand Prix but left the team when Osterlund sold it to J. D. Stacy. He finished the season driving for Richard Childress in the No. 3 Wrangler Pontiac Grand Prix.

References

References

  1. "Standings".
Info: Wikipedia Source

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