Entry List
The official 1981 Daytona 500 NASCAR CUP Series entry list features top NASCAR drivers set to compete at Daytona International Speedway, highlighting the full lineup of race participants and teams.
Daytona 500
Sunday, February 15th, 1981
Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL
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6
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14
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9
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11
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1
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1
- Drivers Entered: 42 (2 drivers will not make the race)
- Laps Scheduled: 200
- Margin of Victory: N/A Seconds
- Time of Race: N/A
- Average Speed: 169.651
- Cautions: 4 for 18 laps
- Lead Changes: 49
- Green Flag Passes: N/A
| ENTRY | # | DRIVER | HOMETOWN | DOB | AGE | MAKE | SPONSOR | TEAM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Dawsonville, GA | Oct 8, 1955 | 25 | Ford | Mell-Gear | George Elliott |
| 2 | 42 | Kyle Petty | Trinity, NC | Jun 2, 1960 | 20 | Buick | STP | Petty Enterprises |
| 3 | 88 | Ricky Rudd | Chesapeake, VA | Sep 12, 1956 | 24 | Oldsmobile | Gatorade | DiGard |
| 4 | 44 | Terry Labonte | Corpus Christi, TX | Nov 16, 1956 | 24 | Buick | Stratagraph / Apache Stove | Billy Hagan |
| 5 | 51 | AJ Foyt | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Oldsmobile | Gilmore / Valvoline | A.J. Foyt |
| 6 | 15 | Benny Parsons | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Ford | Melling Tool | Bud Moore |
| 7 | 57 | Bill Elswick | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Oldsmobile | Performance Boat | RahMoc Enterprises |
| 8 | 31 | Billie Harvey | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Pontiac | Graf Lear Jets | Billie Harvey |
| 9 | 39 | Blackie Wangerin | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Ford | Wangerin / Clements | Blackie Wangerin |
| 10 | 28 | Bobby Allison | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Pontiac | Tuf-Lon | Harry Ranier |
| 11 | 7 | Bruce Hill | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Buick | Native Tan | Nelson Malloch |
| 12 | 67 | Buddy Arrington | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Dodge | Hills Racing | Buddy Arrington |
| 13 | 1 | Buddy Baker | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Oldsmobile | UNO | Hoss Ellington |
| 14 | 27 | Cale Yarborough | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Oldsmobile | Valvoline | M.C. Anderson |
| 15 | 24 | Cecil Gordon | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Buick | Home Craft Homes | Cecil Gordon |
| 16 | 2 | Dale Earnhardt | Kannapolis, NC | Apr 29, 1951 | 29 | Pontiac | Wrangler | Rod Osterlund |
| 17 | 11 | Darrell Waltrip | Franklin, TN | Feb 5, 1947 | 34 | Buick | Mountain Dew | Junior Johnson |
| 18 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Wausau, WI | Mar 1, 1941 | 39 | Oldsmobile | Buck Stove / Hudson Transmission | Dave Marcis |
| 19 | 16 | David Pearson | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Chevrolet | Halpern Enterprises | Joel Halpern |
| 20 | 41 | Dick Brooks | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Buick | Matthews Racing | Billy Matthews |
| 21 | 37 | Don Sprouse | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Oldsmobile | Rogers Auto Leasing | Bob Rogers |
| 22 | 93 | Don Whittington | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Oldsmobile | Smith Racing | Scott Smith |
| 23 | 12 | Donnie Allison | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Oldsmobile | The 5 Racers | Kennie Childers |
| 24 | 86 | Elliott Forbes-Robinson | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Buick | Howard & Egerton | Richard Howard |
| 25 | 23 | Geoff Bodine | Chemung, NY | Apr 18, 1949 | 31 | Pontiac | Bahre Racing | Dick Bahre |
| 26 | 17 | Glenn Jarrett | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Buick | Tuf-Lon of Florida | Roger Hamby |
| 27 | 47 | Harry Gant | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Buick | Race Hill Farm | Jack Beebe |
| 28 | 70 | JD McDuffie | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Pontiac | Bailey Excavating | J.D. McDuffie |
| 29 | 48 | James Hylton | Roanoke, VA | Aug 26, 1934 | 46 | Pontiac | Palatine Auto Parts | James Hylton |
| 30 | 52 | Jimmy Means | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Pontiac | Broadway Motors | Jimmy Means |
| 31 | 90 | Jody Ridley | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Ford | Truxmore / Sunny King | Junie Donlavey |
| 32 | 75 | Joe Millikan | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Buick | RahMoc Enterprises | RahMoc Enterprises |
| 33 | 98 | Johnny Rutherford | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Pontiac | Levi Garrett | Ron Benfield |
| 34 | 68 | Lennie Pond | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Buick | Burger King | Jim Testa |
| 35 | 21 | Neil Bonnett | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Ford | Purolator | Wood Brothers Racing |
| 36 | 3 | Richard Childress | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Pontiac | Wachovia Carpet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 37 | 43 | Richard Petty | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Buick | STP | Petty Enterprises |
| 38 | 19 | Ronnie Sanders | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Buick | Home Trend Realty | Henley Gray |
| 39 | 25 | Ronnie Thomas | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Pontiac | Thomas Racing | Ronnie Thomas |
| 40 | 22 | Stan Barrett | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Pontiac | Skoal Bandit | Hal Needham |
| 41 | 99 | Tim Richmond | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Buick | UNO | D.K. Ulrich |
| 42 | 64 | Tommy Gale | , | Nov 30, -0001 | 1981 | Ford | Sunny King Ford & Honda | Elmo Langley |