Race: Champion Spark Plug 400
NASCAR Winston Cup Series: Race 21 of 31
Date: August 16, 1981
Track: Michigan International Speedway
← Talladega 500 | 1981 Season Results | Busch 500 →
Champion Spark Plug 400 Race Information
| Winner | Richard Petty | Car | No. 43 Buick |
| Team / Owner | Petty Enterprises | Sponsor | STP |
| Winner Start | 7th | Winner Laps Led | 64 |
| Started First | Ron Bouchard | Most Laps Led | Richard Petty (64) |
| Race Distance | 400 miles (200 laps) | Track Length | 2 miles |
| Track Type | Paved oval | Starters | 36 |
| Total Purse | $181,185 | Winner Earnings | $23,750 |
| Different Leaders | 14 | Lead-Lap Finishers | 12 |
| Points Leader After Race | Bobby Allison | Season Race | 21 of 31 |
Champion Spark Plug 400 Race Results
| Fin | Start | No. | Driver | Sponsor | Team / Owner | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Points | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | 43 | Richard Petty | STP | Petty Enterprises | Buick | 200 | 64 | running | 185 | $23,750 |
| 2 | 15 | 11 | Darrell Waltrip | Mountain Dew | Junior Johnson | Buick | 200 | 3 | running | 175 | $17,525 |
| 3 | 9 | 88 | Ricky Rudd | Gatorade | DiGard Racing | Chevrolet | 200 | 0 | running | 165 | $15,150 |
| 4 | 8 | 33 | Harry Gant | Skoal Bandit | Hal Needham | Pontiac | 200 | 3 | running | 165 | $6,000 |
| 5 | 19 | 1 | Buddy Baker | UNO | Hoss Ellington | Buick | 200 | 0 | running | 155 | $5,175 |
| 6 | 5 | 2 | Joe Ruttman | J.D. Stacy | Jim Stacy | Pontiac | 200 | 4 | running | 155 | $9,375 |
| 7 | 12 | 28 | Bobby Allison | Hardee's | Harry Ranier | Buick | 200 | 15 | running | 151 | $8,950 |
| 8 | 6 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Mell-Gear | George Elliott | Ford | 200 | 0 | running | 142 | $3,525 |
| 9 | 10 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Wrangler | Richard Childress | Pontiac | 200 | 0 | running | 138 | $7,955 |
| 10 | 20 | 37 | Mike Alexander | Rogers Auto Leasing | Bob Rogers | Buick | 200 | 0 | running | 134 | $3,700 |
| 11 | 21 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Transmissions Unlimited | Dave Marcis | Buick | 200 | 5 | running | 135 | $5,295 |
| 12 | 18 | 90 | Jody Ridley | Truxmore / Sunny King | Junie Donlavey | Ford | 200 | 1 | running | 132 | $6,275 |
| 13 | 16 | 98 | Johnny Rutherford | Levi Garrett | Ron Benfield | Pontiac | 199 | 5 | running | 129 | $2,175 |
| 14 | 4 | 44 | Terry Labonte | Stratagraph | Billy Hagan | Buick | 199 | 5 | running | 126 | $7,550 |
| 15 | 22 | 66 | Lake Speed | Speed Racing | Lake Speed | Buick | 199 | 0 | running | 118 | $4,155 |
| 16 | 25 | 70 | J.D. McDuffie | Bailey Excavating | J.D. McDuffie | Pontiac | 199 | 0 | running | 115 | $3,960 |
| 17 | 2 | 27 | Cale Yarborough | Valvoline | M.C. Anderson | Buick | 198 | 9 | running | 117 | $2,445 |
| 18 | 3 | 75 | Gary Balough | Chaparral Trailers | Rahmoc Enterprises | Buick | 198 | 0 | running | 109 | $3,975 |
| 19 | 17 | 42 | Kyle Petty | STP | Petty Enterprises | Buick | 197 | 0 | running | 106 | $3,250 |
| 20 | 30 | 99 | Rick Knoop | Kargas Sports | D.K. Ulrich | Buick | 197 | 0 | running | 103 | $3,405 |
| 21 | 31 | 64 | Tommy Gale | Sunny King Ford & Honda | Elmo Langley | Ford | 197 | 2 | running | 105 | $2,760 |
| 22 | 29 | 40 | Joe Booher | Booher Farms | D.K. Ulrich | Buick | 196 | 0 | running | 97 | $1,020 |
| 23 | 24 | 5 | Joe Millikan | Performance Connection | Cliff Stewart | Pontiac | 195 | 0 | running | 94 | $6,335 |
| 24 | 26 | 24 | Cecil Gordon | Gordon Racing | Cecil Gordon | Buick | 195 | 0 | running | 91 | $2,470 |
| 25 | 33 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Broadway Motors | Jimmy Means | Pontiac | 186 | 0 | running | 88 | $2,575 |
| 26 | 13 | 15 | Benny Parsons | Melling Tool | Bud Moore | Ford | 173 | 33 | valve | 90 | $6,725 |
| 27 | 36 | 48 | James Hylton | Palatine Auto Parts | James Hylton | Pontiac | 156 | 8 | running | 87 | $2,520 |
| 28 | 11 | 21 | Neil Bonnett | Warner Hodgdon / National Eng. | Wood Brothers | Ford | 155 | 43 | valve | 84 | $1,700 |
| 29 | 1 | 47 | Ron Bouchard | J.D. Stacy | Jack Beebe | Buick | 85 | 0 | engine | 76 | $3,540 |
| 30 | 23 | 12 | Tim Richmond | UNO | Kennie Childers | Buick | 53 | 0 | engine | 73 | $765 |
| 31 | 35 | 94 | Bobby Wawak | Wawak Racing | Bobby Wawak | Buick | 28 | 0 | oil pump | 70 | $1,150 |
| 32 | 28 | 97 | Bob Schacht | Test Tube | Bob Schacht | Oldsmobile | 22 | 0 | transmission | 67 | $740 |
| 33 | 32 | 50 | Bruce Hill | Hill Racing | Bruce Hill | Buick | 21 | 0 | driveshaft | 64 | $1,130 |
| 34 | 14 | 2 | Morgan Shepherd | Ams Oil | Bud Reeder | Buick | 20 | 0 | crash | 61 | $1,120 |
| 35 | 27 | 67 | Buddy Arrington | Hills Racing | Buddy Arrington | Dodge | 13 | 0 | valve | 58 | $1,945 |
| 36 | 34 | 19 | Dick May | Belden Asphalt | Henley Gray | Buick | 4 | 0 | cam | 55 | $1,100 |
Season Navigation
1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results