Official NASCAR Race Results
David Pearson won the 1961 NASCAR Grand National Series Firecracker 250 at Daytona International Speedway.
07-04-1961 | Firecracker 250 | Daytona International Speedway
Table initially ordered on Finish Position. Click a column header to re-sort by that value.
| Fin | St | # | Driver | Make | Sponsor | Pts | Laps | Led | Status | Money |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | David Pearson | Pontiac | Daytona Kennel | 0 | 100 | 11 | Running | 8,450 |
| 2 | 7 | 28 | Fred Lorenzen | Ford | Holman-Moody | 0 | 100 | 18 | Running | 4,275 |
| 3 | 10 | 46 | Jack Smith | Pontiac | Jack Smith | 0 | 99 | 0 | Running | 2,700 |
| 4 | 6 | 20 | Marvin Panch | Pontiac | Smokey Yunick | 0 | 99 | 0 | Running | 1,525 |
| 5 | 1 | 22 | Fireball Roberts | Pontiac | Smokey Yunick | 0 | 98 | 59 | Running | 1,525 |
| 6 | 3 | 8 | Joe Weatherly | Pontiac | Bud Moore | 0 | 98 | 6 | Running | 1,250 |
| 7 | 13 | 29 | Nelson Stacy | Ford | Holt-Stacy | 0 | 98 | 0 | Running | 800 |
| 8 | 11 | 24 | Roscoe Thompson | Pontiac | James Turner | 0 | 97 | 0 | Running | 825 |
| 9 | 14 | 76 | Larry Frank | Ford | LaFayette Motors | 0 | 97 | 0 | Running | 675 |
| 10 | 8 | 6 | Ralph Earnhardt | Pontiac | Cotton Owens | 0 | 96 | 0 | Running | 700 |
| 11 | 12 | 15 | Jim Bennett | Ford | Beau Morgan | 0 | 96 | 0 | Running | 500 |
| 12 | 17 | 11 | Ned Jarrett | Chevrolet | B.G. Holloway | 0 | 96 | 0 | Running | 350 |
| 13 | 19 | 69 | Johnny Allen | Chevrolet | B.G. Holloway | 0 | 96 | 0 | Running | 320 |
| 14 | 21 | 89 | Herb Tillman | Chevrolet | Joe Lee Johnson | 0 | 95 | 0 | Running | 300 |
| 15 | 5 | 72 | Bobby Johns | Ford | Shorty Johns | 0 | 94 | 3 | Head gasket | 420 |
| 16 | 15 | 82 | Marvin Porter | Ford | -- | 0 | 94 | 0 | Running | 295 |
| 17 | 9 | 27 | Junior Johnson | Pontiac | Holly Farms | 0 | 93 | 0 | Running | 300 |
| 18 | 16 | 5 | Woodie Wilson | Pontiac | Leroy Faucett | 0 | 92 | 0 | Running | 275 |
| 19 | 27 | 54 | Jimmy Pardue | Chevrolet | Jimmy Pardue | 0 | 92 | 0 | Running | 250 |
| 20 | 28 | 75 | Tiny Lund | Pontiac | J.D. Braswell | 0 | 91 | 0 | Running | 250 |
| 21 | 23 | 19 | Herman Beam | Ford | Herman Beam | 0 | 91 | 0 | Running | 250 |
| 22 | 4 | 94 | Banjo Matthews | Ford | Banjo Matthews | 0 | 82 | 3 | Engine | 600 |
| 23 | 26 | 4 | Rex White | Chevrolet | White-Clements | 0 | 63 | 0 | Con rod | 350 |
| 24 | 25 | 62 | Curtis Crider | Mercury | Curtis Crider | 0 | 52 | 0 | Flagged | 250 |
| 25 | 30 | 33 | Reb Wickersham | Oldsmobile | Reb Wickersham | 0 | 49 | 0 | Flagged | 250 |
| 26 | 18 | 99 | George Alsobrook | Ford | Joe Jones | 0 | 27 | 0 | Con rod | 150 |
| 27 | 20 | 86 | Buddy Baker | Chrysler | Buck Baker | 0 | 15 | 0 | Engine | 150 |
| 28 | 22 | 38 | Roy Tyner | Ford | Matt DeMatthews | 0 | 8 | 0 | Engine | 150 |
| 29 | 24 | 85 | Emanuel Zervakis | Ford | Monroe Shook | 0 | 4 | 0 | Camshaft | 150 |
| 30 | 29 | 87 | Buck Baker | Chrysler | Buck Baker | 0 | 2 | 0 | Transmission | 150 |
Race Recap
- Date: 07-04-1961
- Track: Daytona International Speedway
- Race: Firecracker 250
- Race #: 32
- Cars: 30
- Winner: David Pearson
- Start Position: 2nd
- Car Make: 1961 Pontiac
- Avg Speed: 154.294 mph
- Distance: 250 miles
- Purse: $28,435
- Cautions: 0
- Caution Laps: 0
- Lead Changes: 12
- Pole: 157.150 mph
