Race: Carolina 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series: Race 4 of 31
Date: March 1, 1981
Track: North Carolina Speedway
← Richmond 400 | 1981 Season Results | Coca-Cola 500 →
Carolina 500 Race Information
| Winner | Darrell Waltrip | Car | No. 11 Buick |
| Team / Owner | Junior Johnson | Sponsor | Mountain Dew |
| Winner Start | 4th | Winner Laps Led | 13 |
| Started First | Cale Yarborough | Most Laps Led | Cale Yarborough (320) |
| Race Distance | 500.364 miles (492 laps) | Track Length | 1.017 miles |
| Track Type | Paved oval | Starters | 37 |
| Total Purse | $156,730 | Winner Earnings | $21,655 |
| Different Leaders | 10 | Lead-Lap Finishers | 4 |
| Points Leader After Race | Richard Petty | Season Race | 4 of 31 |
Carolina 500 Race Results
| Fin | Start | No. | Driver | Sponsor | Team / Owner | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Points | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 11 | Darrell Waltrip | Mountain Dew | Junior Johnson | Buick | 492 | 13 | running | 180 | $21,655 |
| 2 | 1 | 27 | Cale Yarborough | Valvoline | M.C. Anderson | Buick | 492 | 320 | running | 180 | $12,370 |
| 3 | 3 | 43 | Richard Petty | STP | Petty Enterprises | Buick | 492 | 25 | running | 170 | $14,370 |
| 4 | 8 | 21 | Neil Bonnett | Purolator | Wood Brothers | Ford | 492 | 82 | running | 165 | $6,920 |
| 5 | 6 | 1 | Buddy Baker | UNO | Hoss Ellington | Oldsmobile | 491 | 3 | running | 160 | $3,895 |
| 6 | 2 | 28 | Bobby Allison | Tuf-Lon | Harry Ranier | Pontiac | 491 | 17 | running | 155 | $9,470 |
| 7 | 14 | 75 | Joe Millikan | Rahilly & Grady Racing Engines | Rahmoc Enterprises | Buick | 488 | 8 | running | 151 | $6,230 |
| 8 | 26 | 42 | Kyle Petty | STP | Petty Enterprises | Buick | 486 | 0 | running | 142 | $2,670 |
| 9 | 15 | 66 | Lake Speed | George's T-Shirts | Lake Speed | Oldsmobile | 482 | 0 | running | 138 | $2,770 |
| 10 | 32 | 86 | Elliott Forbes-Robinson | Howard & Egerton | Richard Howard | Buick | 477 | 0 | running | 134 | $3,170 |
| 11 | 23 | 25 | Ronnie Thomas | Thomas Racing | Ronnie Thomas | Pontiac | 476 | 0 | running | 130 | $4,680 |
| 12 | 28 | 98 | Johnny Rutherford | Levi Garrett | Ron Benfield | Pontiac | 473 | 0 | running | 127 | $1,870 |
| 13 | 24 | 37 | Mike Alexander | Rogers Auto Leasing | Bob Rogers | Oldsmobile | 470 | 0 | running | 124 | $1,700 |
| 14 | 30 | 94 | Bobby Wawak | Louise Smith | Bobby Wawak | Buick | 469 | 0 | running | 121 | $1,570 |
| 15 | 17 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Buck Stove | Dave Marcis | Dodge | 452 | 0 | running | 118 | $3,810 |
| 16 | 22 | 99 | Tim Richmond | UNO | D.K. Ulrich | Buick | 450 | 0 | running | 115 | $3,500 |
| 17 | 34 | 79 | Jody Ridley | Miller Roofing | Junior Miller | Oldsmobile | 443 | 0 | engine | 112 | $4,290 |
| 18 | 7 | 47 | Harry Gant | Race Hill Farm | Jack Beebe | Buick | 427 | 18 | engine | 114 | $3,070 |
| 19 | 37 | 64 | Tommy Gale | Sunny King Ford & Honda | Elmo Langley | Ford | 424 | 0 | running | 106 | $2,860 |
| 20 | 21 | 48 | James Hylton | Palatine Auto Parts | James Hylton | Pontiac | 421 | 0 | running | 103 | $2,730 |
| 21 | 9 | 44 | Terry Labonte | Apache Stove | Billy Hagan | Buick | 412 | 5 | crash | 105 | $6,270 |
| 22 | 16 | 3 | Richard Childress | Childress Racing | Richard Childress | Pontiac | 409 | 0 | engine | 97 | $2,420 |
| 23 | 35 | 24 | Cecil Gordon | South Hill Texaco | Cecil Gordon | Buick | 395 | 0 | running | 94 | $2,235 |
| 24 | 10 | 15 | Benny Parsons | Melling Tool | Bud Moore | Ford | 379 | 0 | crash | 91 | $6,200 |
| 25 | 12 | 53 | Slick Johnson | Johnson Racing | J.D. Johnson | Chevrolet | 298 | 0 | crash | 88 | $725 |
| 26 | 11 | 2 | Dale Earnhardt | Wrangler | Rod Osterlund | Pontiac | 285 | 0 | crash | 85 | $8,250 |
| 27 | 33 | 17 | Glenn Jarrett | Kings Inn Daytona | Roger Hamby | Chevrolet | 277 | 0 | overheating | 82 | $1,915 |
| 28 | 13 | 5 | Morgan Shepherd | Performance Connection | Cliff Stewart | Pontiac | 268 | 0 | driveshaft | 79 | $650 |
| 29 | 29 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Broadway Motors | Jimmy Means | Pontiac | 254 | 0 | crash | 76 | $1,855 |
| 30 | 20 | 16 | David Pearson | Halpern Enterprises | Joel Halpern | Chevrolet | 225 | 0 | engine | 73 | $675 |
| 31 | 5 | 88 | Ricky Rudd | Gatorade | DiGard Racing | Oldsmobile | 224 | 1 | crash | 75 | $6,045 |
| 32 | 36 | 20 | Rick Newsom | Newsom Racing | Rick Newsom | Chevrolet | 218 | 0 | clutch | 67 | $590 |
| 33 | 19 | 70 | J.D. McDuffie | Bailey Excavating | J.D. McDuffie | Pontiac | 188 | 0 | transmission | 64 | $1,805 |
| 34 | 18 | 12 | Donnie Allison | The 5 Racers | Kennie Childers | Oldsmobile | 109 | 0 | oil line | 61 | $580 |
| 35 | 27 | 62 | Rick Wilson | Florida Equipment & Service | Rick Wilson | Oldsmobile | 97 | 0 | brakes | 58 | $575 |
| 36 | 31 | 22 | Stan Barrett | Skoal Bandit | Hal Needham | Pontiac | 61 | 0 | crash | 55 | $570 |
| 37 | 25 | 67 | Buddy Arrington | Reid Trailer Sales | Buddy Arrington | Dodge | 34 | 0 | engine | 52 | $1,770 |
Season Navigation
1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results