Race: Southern 500
NASCAR Grand National Series: Race 42 of 52
Date: September 4, 1961
Track: Darlington Raceway
← 80 Miles at South Boston Speedway | 1961 Season Results | Buddy Shuman 250 →
Southern 500 Race Information
| Winner | Nelson Stacy | Car | No. 29 Ford |
| Team / Owner | Dudley Farrell (Owner) | Winner Start | 3rd |
| Started First | Fireball Roberts | Most Laps Led | Fireball Roberts (180) |
| Race Distance | 500.5 miles (364 laps) | Track Length | 1.375 miles |
| Track Type | Paved oval | Starters | 43 |
| Different Leaders | 6 | Lead-Lap Finishers | 2 |
| Points Leader After Race | Ned Jarrett | Season Race | 42 of 52 |
Southern 500 Race Results
| Fin | Start | No. | Driver | Team / Owner | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 29 | Nelson Stacy | Dudley Farrell (Owner) | Ford | 364 | 72 | running | 3000 |
| 2 | 1 | 22 | Fireball Roberts | Smokey Yunick Racing | Pontiac | 364 | 180 | running | 2880 |
| 3 | 9 | 3 | David Pearson | John Masoni (Owner) | Pontiac | 363 | 6 | running | 2760 |
| 4 | 7 | 44 | Jim Paschal | Julian Petty (Owner) | Pontiac | 359 | 0 | running | 2640 |
| 5 | 20 | 85 | Emanuel Zervakis | Monroe Shook (Owner) | Chevrolet | 359 | 0 | running | 2520 |
| 6 | 33 | 11 | Ned Jarrett | B.G. Holloway (Owner) | Chevrolet | 354 | 0 | running | 2400 |
| 7 | 26 | 14 | Johnny Allen | Joe Lee Johnson (Owner) | Chevrolet | 348 | 0 | running | 2280 |
| 8 | 18 | 24 | Roscoe Thompson | James Turner (Owner) | Pontiac | 347 | 0 | running | 2160 |
| 9 | 6 | 6 | Ralph Earnhardt | Owens Racing | Pontiac | 346 | 0 | engine | 2040 |
| 10 | 36 | 47 | Rex White | Jack Smith (Owner) | Pontiac | 345 | 0 | running | 1920 |
| 11 | 12 | 72 | Bobby Johns | Shorty Johns (Owner) | Ford | 344 | 0 | running | 1800 |
| 12 | 16 | 66 | Bill Morgan | Ratus Walters (Owner) | Ford | 342 | 0 | running | 1680 |
| 13 | 32 | 30 | Elmo Langley | Fred Clark (Owner) | Chevrolet | 341 | 0 | running | 1560 |
| 14 | 14 | 27 | Junior Johnson | Rex Lovette (Owner) | Pontiac | 337 | 0 | running | 1440 |
| 15 | 24 | 59 | Tiny Lund | B.G. Holloway (Owner) | Pontiac | 323 | 0 | accident | 1320 |
| 16 | 40 | 74 | L.D. Austin | L.D. Austin (Owner) | Chevrolet | 321 | 0 | running | 1200 |
| 17 | 35 | 54 | Jimmy Pardue | Jimmy Pardue (Owner) | Chevrolet | 316 | 0 | running | 1080 |
| 18 | 39 | 62 | Curtis Crider | Curtis Crider (Owner) | Mercury | 312 | 0 | running | 960 |
| 19 | 23 | 19 | Herman Beam | Herman Beam (Owner) | Ford | 312 | 0 | running | 840 |
| 20 | 17 | 46 | Larry Frank | Jack Smith (Owner) | Pontiac | 273 | 0 | spindle | 720 |
| 21 | 25 | 90 | Dave Mader | Dave Mader (Owner) | Chevrolet | 262 | 0 | timing | 600 |
| 22 | 4 | 8 | Joe Weatherly | Bud Moore Engineering | Pontiac | 229 | 13 | hub | 480 |
| 23 | 31 | 7 | Jim Reed | Jim Reed (Owner) | Chevrolet | 228 | 0 | brakes | 360 |
| 24 | 15 | 86 | Buddy Baker | Buck Baker Racing | Chrysler | 221 | 0 | bearing | 240 |
| 25 | 34 | 10 | T.C. Hunt | Fred Wheat (Owner) | Dodge | 206 | 0 | rear end | 120 |
| 26 | 5 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Plymouth | 201 | 41 | engine | 120 |
| 27 | 11 | 87 | Buck Baker | Buck Baker Racing | Chrysler | 190 | 0 | connecting rod | 120 |
| 28 | 21 | 2 | Tommy Irwin | Tom Daniels (Owner) | Chevrolet | 164 | 0 | rocker arm | 120 |
| 29 | 2 | 28 | Fred Lorenzen | Holman Moody | Ford | 158 | 52 | throttle | 120 |
| 30 | 19 | 52 | Cale Yarborough | Julian Buesink (Owner) | Ford | 135 | 0 | engine | 120 |
| 31 | 8 | 42 | Marvin Panch | Petty Enterprises | Plymouth | 94 | 0 | carburetor | 120 |
| 32 | 28 | 82 | Marvin Porter | — | Ford | 85 | 0 | accident | 120 |
| 33 | 29 | 1 | Paul Lewis | Jess Potter (Owner) | Chevrolet | 81 | 0 | accident | 120 |
| 34 | 30 | 5 | Woodie Wilson | Leroy Faucett (Owner) | Pontiac | 79 | 0 | accident | 120 |
| 35 | 38 | 68 | Ed Livingston | Curtis Crider (Owner) | Ford | 79 | 0 | head gasket | 120 |
| 36 | 10 | 94 | Banjo Matthews | Matthews Racing | Ford | 65 | 0 | engine | 120 |
| 37 | 22 | 32 | Joe Caspolich | — | Ford | 50 | 0 | rear end | 120 |
| 38 | 27 | 80 | Darel Dieringer | Tubby Gonzales (Owner) | Ford | 45 | 0 | rear end | 120 |
| 39 | 13 | 9 | Bunkie Blackburn | Wildcat Williams (Owner) | Ford | 34 | 0 | head gasket | 120 |
| 40 | 37 | 96 | Friday Hassler | J.L. Cheatham (Owner) | Chevrolet | 22 | 0 | brakes | 120 |
| 41 | 43 | 99 | George Alsobrook | Joe Jones (Owner) | Ford | 2 | 0 | handling | 120 |
| 42 | 41 | 75 | Red Hollingsworth | J.D. Braswell (Owner) | Chevrolet | 2 | 0 | handling | 120 |
| 43 | 42 | 93 | Lee Reitzel | Lee Reitzel (Owner) | Ford | 2 | 0 | handling | 120 |
Season Navigation
1961 NASCAR Grand National Series Results
← 80 Miles at South Boston Speedway | 1961 Season Results | Buddy Shuman 250 →