- 1981 Southern 500 Results Stock Car Online Results Reference
- 1981 Southern 500 Results Stock Car Online Results Reference
| fin | qual | driver | team | laps led | car | sponsor | pts | laps | status | earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Neil Bonnett | 216 | #21 Ford | Warner Hodgdon | 185 | 367 | Finish | $33,375 | |
| 2 | 11 | Darrell Waltrip | 2 | #11 Buick | Mountain Dew | 175 | 367 | Finish | $19,365 | |
| 3 | 4 | Dave Marcis | 9 | #71 Buick | U.S. Army | 170 | 367 | Finish | $14,330 | |
| 4 | 6 | Terry Labonte | 3 | #44 Buick | J.D. Stacy | 165 | 367 | Finish | $13,225 | |
| 5 | 9 | Buddy Baker | 3 | #1 Buick | UNO | 160 | 367 | Finish | $6,500 | |
| 6 | 10 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | 0 | #3 Pontiac | Wrangler | 150 | 366 | Finish | $10,695 |
| 7 | 14 | Bill Elliott | 0 | #9 Ford | Mell-Gear | 146 | 366 | Finish | $5,300 | |
| 8 | 13 | David Pearson | 0 | #01 Buick | Ronnie Steele | 0 | 365 | Finish | $4,850 | |
| 9 | 17 | Bobby Allison | 1 | #28 Chevy | Hardee's | 143 | 365 | Finish | $9,625 | |
| 10 | 2 | Cale Yarborough | 24 | #27 Buick | Valvoline | 139 | 363 | Finish | $5,925 | |
| 11 | 5 | Ron Bouchard | 0 | #47 Buick | J.D. Stacy | 130 | 363 | Finish | $7,575 | |
| 12 | 23 | Jody Ridley | 0 | #90 Ford | Truxmore / Sunny King | 127 | 362 | Finish | $7,365 | |
| 13 | 22 | Lake Speed | 0 | #66 Buick | Speed Racing | 124 | 362 | Finish | $6,155 | |
| 14 | 1 | Harry Gant | 78 | #33 Pontiac | Skoal Bandit | 126 | 360 | Finish | $9,960 | |
| 15 | 16 | Joe Ruttman | 0 | #2 Pontiac | Neo-Life | 118 | 358 | Finish | $8,850 | |
| 16 | 12 | Morgan Shepherd | 0 | #24 Buick | Gordon Racing | 115 | 358 | Finish | $5,600 | |
| 17 | 21 | Lennie Pond | 0 | #68 Buick | The 5 Racers | 112 | 356 | Finish | $3,150 | |
| 18 | 19 | Joe Millikan | 0 | #5 Pontiac | Performance Connection | 109 | 353 | Finish | $7,950 | |
| 19 | 33 | Dick May | 0 | #8 Dodge | Brooks Honda | 106 | 353 | Finish | $2,975 | |
| 20 | 29 | Mike Alexander | 0 | #37 Oldsmobile | Rogers Auto Leasing | 103 | 352 | Finish | $2,700 | |
| 21 | 34 | J.D. McDuffie | 0 | #70 Pontiac | Bailey Excavating | 100 | 351 | Finish | $4,715 | |
| 22 | 27 | Tim Richmond | 0 | #12 Buick | UNO | 97 | 349 | Finish | $2,450 | |
| 23 | 7 | Ricky Rudd | 0 | #88 Chevy | Gatorade | 94 | 343 | Accident | $7,850 | |
| 24 | 40 | Bobby Wawak | 0 | #94 Buick | Louise Smith | 91 | 334 | Finish | $2,375 | |
| 25 | 20 | Gary Balough | 0 | #75 Buick | Chaparral Trailers | 88 | 333 | Engine | $4,680 | |
| 26 | 38 | James Hylton | 0 | #48 Pontiac | Palatine Auto Parts | 85 | 331 | Finish | $3,770 | |
| 27 | 37 | Ronnie Thomas | 0 | #25 Pontiac | Thomas Racing | 82 | 311 | Finish | $3,360 | |
| 28 | 36 | Mike Potter | 0 | #17 Buick | Kings Inn Daytona | 79 | 309 | Finish | $3,265 | |
| 29 | 30 | Tommy Gale | 0 | #64 Ford | Sunny King Ford & Honda | 76 | 294 | Finish | $3,155 | |
| 30 | 8 | Richard Petty | 31 | #43 Buick | STP | 78 | 278 | Engine | $8,000 | |
| 31 | 26 | D.K. Ulrich | 0 | #99 Buick | Ulrich Racing | 70 | 269 | Engine | $3,060 | |
| 32 | 32 | Jack Ingram | 0 | #13 Ford | Carolina Tool | 67 | 253 | Engine | $1,650 | |
| 33 | 25 | Johnny Rutherford | 0 | #98 Pontiac | Levi Garrett | 0 | 190 | Water Pump | $1,625 | |
| 34 | 18 | Kyle Petty | 0 | #42 Buick | STP | 61 | 130 | Engine | $1,625 | |
| 35 | 24 | Slick Johnson | 0 | #40 Buick | Ulrich Racing | 0 | 110 | Engine | $1,425 | |
| 36 | 39 | H.B. Bailey | 0 | #36 Pontiac | Almeda Auto Parts | 55 | 93 | Accident | $1,325 | |
| 37 | 28 | Buddy Arrington | 0 | #67 Dodge | Hills Racing | 52 | 85 | Lugs | $1,950 | |
| 38 | 35 | Jimmy Means | 0 | #52 Pontiac | Broadway Motors | 49 | 64 | Engine | $1,925 | |
| 39 | 15 | Benny Parsons | 0 | #15 Ford | Melling Tool | 46 | 62 | Valve | $6,800 | |
| 40 | 31 | Connie Saylor | 0 | #4 Oldsmobile | Spencer Racing | 43 | 6 | Engine | $1,200 |