Race: Atlanta Journal 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series: Race 30 of 31
Date: November 8, 1981
Track: Atlanta International Raceway
← American 500 | 1981 Season Results | Winston Western 500 →
Atlanta Journal 500 Race Information
| Winner | Neil Bonnett | Car | No. 21 Ford |
| Team / Owner | Wood Brothers | Sponsor | Warner Hodgdon / National Eng. |
| Winner Start | 5th | Winner Laps Led | 200 |
| Started First | Harry Gant | Most Laps Led | Neil Bonnett (200) |
| Race Distance | 499.216 miles (328 laps) | Track Length | 1.522 miles |
| Track Type | Paved oval | Starters | 40 |
| Total Purse | $204,410 | Winner Earnings | $31,500 |
| Different Leaders | 11 | Lead-Lap Finishers | 9 |
| Points Leader After Race | Darrell Waltrip | Season Race | 30 of 31 |
Atlanta Journal 500 Race Results
| Fin | Start | No. | Driver | Sponsor | Team / Owner | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Points | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 21 | Neil Bonnett | Warner Hodgdon / National Eng. | Wood Brothers | Ford | 328 | 200 | running | 185 | $31,500 |
| 2 | 2 | 11 | Darrell Waltrip | Mountain Dew | Junior Johnson | Buick | 328 | 11 | running | 175 | $17,350 |
| 3 | 21 | 27 | Cale Yarborough | Valvoline | M.C. Anderson | Buick | 328 | 14 | running | 170 | $8,800 |
| 4 | 6 | 28 | Bobby Allison | Hardee's | Harry Ranier | Buick | 328 | 0 | running | 160 | $12,090 |
| 5 | 25 | 90 | Jody Ridley | Truxmore / Sunny King | Junie Donlavey | Ford | 328 | 1 | running | 160 | $11,700 |
| 6 | 4 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Mell-Gear | George Elliott | Ford | 328 | 0 | running | 150 | $6,200 |
| 7 | 12 | 44 | Terry Labonte | J.D. Stacy | Billy Hagan | Buick | 328 | 12 | running | 151 | $9,630 |
| 8 | 19 | 42 | Kyle Petty | STP | Petty Enterprises | Buick | 328 | 12 | running | 147 | $6,155 |
| 9 | 13 | 1 | Buddy Baker | UNO | Hoss Ellington | Buick | 328 | 1 | running | 143 | $3,040 |
| 10 | 15 | 5 | Joe Millikan | Performance Connection | Cliff Stewart | Pontiac | 327 | 0 | running | 134 | $7,820 |
| 11 | 32 | 62 | Rick Wilson | Florida Equipment & Service | Rick Wilson | Oldsmobile | 327 | 1 | running | 135 | $3,000 |
| 12 | 33 | 4 | Connie Saylor | Spencer Racing | G.C. Spencer | Oldsmobile | 323 | 0 | running | 127 | $2,550 |
| 13 | 28 | 13 | Dick Brooks | Carolina Tool | Bobby Hawkins | Ford | 323 | 0 | running | 124 | $2,350 |
| 14 | 18 | 66 | Lake Speed | Ronnie Steele | Lake Speed | Buick | 321 | 0 | running | 121 | $4,900 |
| 15 | 26 | 16 | Chuck Bown | Rose Auto Wrecking | Dick Bown | Buick | 320 | 0 | engine | 118 | $2,125 |
| 16 | 39 | 17 | John Anderson | Kings Inn Daytona | Roger Hamby | Buick | 316 | 0 | running | 115 | $4,545 |
| 17 | 34 | 67 | Buddy Arrington | Kyle Petty's Boot Barn | Buddy Arrington | Dodge | 315 | 0 | running | 112 | $4,310 |
| 18 | 40 | 0 | Delma Cowart | Coastal Transmissions | Heyward Grooms | Buick | 315 | 0 | running | 109 | $1,940 |
| 19 | 24 | 48 | James Hylton | Palatine Auto Parts | James Hylton | Buick | 303 | 0 | running | 106 | $4,045 |
| 20 | 1 | 33 | Harry Gant | Skoal Bandit | Hal Needham | Pontiac | 291 | 25 | engine | 108 | $5,565 |
| 21 | 16 | 37 | Tim Richmond | Rogers Auto Leasing | Bob Rogers | Buick | 287 | 0 | engine | 100 | $2,945 |
| 22 | 35 | 64 | Tommy Gale | Sunny King Ford & Honda | Elmo Langley | Ford | 277 | 0 | running | 97 | $3,300 |
| 23 | 37 | 70 | J.D. McDuffie | Bailey Excavating | J.D. McDuffie | Pontiac | 259 | 0 | water pump | 94 | $3,035 |
| 24 | 9 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Wrangler | Richard Childress | Pontiac | 222 | 0 | engine | 91 | $4,290 |
| 25 | 8 | 2 | Joe Ruttman | J.D. Stacy | Jim Stacy | Buick | 207 | 7 | engine | 93 | $6,420 |
| 26 | 3 | 43 | Richard Petty | STP | Petty Enterprises | Buick | 207 | 44 | engine | 90 | $6,380 |
| 27 | 30 | 99 | D.K. Ulrich | Ulrich Racing | D.K. Ulrich | Buick | 198 | 0 | engine | 82 | $2,195 |
| 28 | 22 | 71 | Dave Marcis | J.D. Stacy | Dave Marcis | Buick | 174 | 0 | valve | 79 | $2,175 |
| 29 | 31 | 72 | Rusty Wallace | KangaRoos | John Childs | Buick | 156 | 0 | oil pressure | 76 | $1,900 |
| 30 | 10 | 1 | Geoffrey Bodine | Downey's Auto Parts | Emanuel Zervakis | Buick | 143 | 0 | engine | 73 | $890 |
| 31 | 20 | 96 | Morgan Shepherd | Levi Garrett | Ron Benfield | Buick | 123 | 0 | oil pump | 70 | $860 |
| 32 | 38 | 46 | Travis Tiller | Ring Enterprises | Travis Tiller | Chevrolet | 111 | 0 | engine | 67 | $850 |
| 33 | 7 | 55 | Tommy Ellis | Industrial Boiler | Tommy Ellis | Chevrolet | 97 | 0 | engine | 64 | $840 |
| 34 | 17 | 75 | Gary Balough | Chaparral Trailers | Rahmoc Enterprises | Buick | 89 | 0 | crash | 61 | $2,085 |
| 35 | 36 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Broadway Motors | Jimmy Means | Pontiac | 66 | 0 | engine | 58 | $2,055 |
| 36 | 11 | 15 | Benny Parsons | Melling Tool | Bud Moore | Ford | 42 | 0 | steering | 55 | $6,250 |
| 37 | 27 | 98 | Johnny Rutherford | Levi Garrett | Ron Benfield | Buick | 39 | 0 | transmission | 52 | $640 |
| 38 | 14 | 88 | Ricky Rudd | Gatorade | DiGard Racing | Buick | 36 | 0 | engine | 49 | $6,070 |
| 39 | 23 | 47 | Ron Bouchard | J.D. Stacy | Jack Beebe | Buick | 23 | 0 | engine | 46 | $1,065 |
| 40 | 29 | 36 | H.B. Bailey | Almeda Auto Parts | H.B. Bailey | Pontiac | 1 | 0 | crash | 43 | $550 |
Season Navigation
1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results
← American 500 | 1981 Season Results | Winston Western 500 →