Race: Southern 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series: Race 23 of 31
Date: September 7, 1981
Track: Darlington Raceway
← Busch 500 | 1981 Season Results | Wrangler Sanfor-Set 400 →
Southern 500 Race Information
| Winner | Neil Bonnett | Car | No. 21 Ford |
| Team / Owner | Wood Brothers | Sponsor | Warner Hodgdon / Mike Curb |
| Winner Start | 3rd | Winner Laps Led | 216 |
| Started First | Harry Gant | Most Laps Led | Neil Bonnett (216) |
| Race Distance | 501.322 miles (367 laps) | Track Length | 1.366 miles |
| Track Type | Paved oval | Starters | 40 |
| Total Purse | $251,575 | Winner Earnings | $33,375 |
| Different Leaders | 9 | Lead-Lap Finishers | 5 |
| Points Leader After Race | Bobby Allison | Season Race | 23 of 31 |
Southern 500 Race Results
| Fin | Start | No. | Driver | Sponsor | Team / Owner | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Points | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 21 | Neil Bonnett | Warner Hodgdon / Mike Curb | Wood Brothers | Ford | 367 | 216 | running | 185 | $33,375 |
| 2 | 11 | 11 | Darrell Waltrip | Mountain Dew | Junior Johnson | Buick | 367 | 2 | running | 175 | $19,365 |
| 3 | 4 | 71 | Dave Marcis | U.S. Army | Dave Marcis | Buick | 367 | 9 | running | 170 | $14,330 |
| 4 | 6 | 44 | Terry Labonte | J.D. Stacy | Billy Hagan | Buick | 367 | 3 | running | 165 | $13,225 |
| 5 | 9 | 1 | Buddy Baker | UNO | Hoss Ellington | Buick | 367 | 3 | running | 160 | $6,500 |
| 6 | 10 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Wrangler | Richard Childress | Pontiac | 366 | 0 | running | 150 | $10,695 |
| 7 | 14 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Mell-Gear | George Elliott | Ford | 366 | 0 | running | 146 | $5,300 |
| 8 | 13 | 1 | David Pearson | Ronnie Steele | Hoss Ellington | Buick | 365 | 0 | running | 142 | $4,850 |
| 9 | 17 | 28 | Bobby Allison | Hardee's | Harry Ranier | Chevrolet | 365 | 1 | running | 143 | $9,625 |
| 10 | 2 | 27 | Cale Yarborough | Valvoline | M.C. Anderson | Buick | 363 | 24 | running | 139 | $5,925 |
| 11 | 5 | 47 | Ron Bouchard | J.D. Stacy | Jack Beebe | Buick | 363 | 0 | running | 130 | $7,575 |
| 12 | 23 | 90 | Jody Ridley | Truxmore / Sunny King | Junie Donlavey | Ford | 362 | 0 | running | 127 | $7,365 |
| 13 | 22 | 66 | Lake Speed | Speed Racing | Lake Speed | Buick | 362 | 0 | running | 124 | $6,155 |
| 14 | 1 | 33 | Harry Gant | Skoal Bandit | Hal Needham | Pontiac | 360 | 78 | running | 126 | $9,960 |
| 15 | 16 | 2 | Joe Ruttman | Neo-Life | Jim Stacy | Pontiac | 358 | 0 | running | 118 | $8,850 |
| 16 | 12 | 24 | Morgan Shepherd | Gordon Racing | Cecil Gordon | Buick | 358 | 0 | running | 115 | $5,600 |
| 17 | 21 | 68 | Lennie Pond | The 5 Racers | Lennie Pond | Buick | 356 | 0 | running | 112 | $3,150 |
| 18 | 19 | 5 | Joe Millikan | Performance Connection | Cliff Stewart | Pontiac | 353 | 0 | running | 109 | $7,950 |
| 19 | 33 | 8 | Dick May | Brooks Honda | Norman Negre | Dodge | 353 | 0 | running | 106 | $2,875 |
| 20 | 29 | 37 | Mike Alexander | Rogers Auto Leasing | Bob Rogers | Oldsmobile | 352 | 0 | running | 103 | $2,700 |
| 21 | 34 | 70 | J.D. McDuffie | Bailey Excavating | J.D. McDuffie | Pontiac | 351 | 0 | running | 100 | $4,715 |
| 22 | 27 | 12 | Tim Richmond | UNO | Kennie Childers | Buick | 349 | 0 | running | 97 | $2,450 |
| 23 | 7 | 88 | Ricky Rudd | Gatorade | DiGard Racing | Chevrolet | 343 | 0 | crash | 94 | $7,850 |
| 24 | 40 | 94 | Bobby Wawak | Louise Smith | Bobby Wawak | Buick | 334 | 0 | running | 91 | $2,375 |
| 25 | 20 | 75 | Gary Balough | Chaparral Trailers | Rahmoc Enterprises | Buick | 333 | 0 | engine | 88 | $4,680 |
| 26 | 38 | 48 | James Hylton | Palatine Auto Parts | James Hylton | Pontiac | 331 | 0 | running | 85 | $3,770 |
| 27 | 37 | 25 | Ronnie Thomas | Thomas Racing | Ronnie Thomas | Pontiac | 311 | 0 | running | 82 | $3,360 |
| 28 | 36 | 17 | Mike Potter | Kings Inn Daytona | Roger Hamby | Buick | 309 | 0 | running | 79 | $3,265 |
| 29 | 30 | 64 | Tommy Gale | Sunny King Ford & Honda | Elmo Langley | Ford | 294 | 0 | running | 76 | $3,155 |
| 30 | 8 | 43 | Richard Petty | STP | Petty Enterprises | Buick | 278 | 31 | engine | 78 | $8,000 |
| 31 | 26 | 99 | D.K. Ulrich | Ulrich Racing | D.K. Ulrich | Buick | 269 | 0 | engine | 70 | $3,060 |
| 32 | 32 | 13 | Jack Ingram | Carolina Tool | Bobby Hawkins | Ford | 253 | 0 | engine | 67 | $1,650 |
| 33 | 25 | 98 | Johnny Rutherford | Levi Garrett | Ron Benfield | Pontiac | 190 | 0 | water pump | 64 | $1,625 |
| 34 | 18 | 42 | Kyle Petty | STP | Petty Enterprises | Buick | 130 | 0 | engine | 61 | $1,625 |
| 35 | 24 | 40 | Slick Johnson | Ulrich Racing | D.K. Ulrich | Buick | 110 | 0 | engine | 58 | $1,425 |
| 36 | 39 | 36 | H.B. Bailey | Almeda Auto Parts | H.B. Bailey | Pontiac | 93 | 0 | crash | 55 | $1,325 |
| 37 | 28 | 67 | Buddy Arrington | Hills Racing | Buddy Arrington | Dodge | 85 | 0 | lug bolt | 52 | $1,950 |
| 38 | 35 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Broadway Motors | Jimmy Means | Pontiac | 64 | 0 | engine | 49 | $1,925 |
| 39 | 15 | 15 | Benny Parsons | Melling Tool | Bud Moore | Ford | 62 | 0 | valve | 46 | $6,800 |
| 40 | 31 | 4 | Connie Saylor | Spencer Racing | G.C. Spencer | Oldsmobile | 6 | 0 | engine | 43 | $1,200 |
Season Navigation
1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results
← Busch 500 | 1981 Season Results | Wrangler Sanfor-Set 400 →