1981 Cup Series Race Schedule
NASCAR Cup Series
| # | Race Date | TV | Time | Race Track | Race Name/Results | Pole | Cars | Laps | LDRS | CTN | DRTN | Winner | STRT | Make | MRGN VCTRY | RCE SPD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunday, January 11th | - | 12:00 am ET | Riverside International Racewa… | Winston Western 500 | - | 36 | 119 | 15 | 6 | - | Bobby Allison | 2 | Chevrolet | Under Caution | 95.263 mph |
| 2 | Sunday, February 15th | - | 12:00 am ET | Daytona International Speedway | Daytona 500 | - | 42 | 200 | 49 | 4 | - | Richard Petty | 8 | Buick | Under Caution | 169.651 mph |
| 3 | Sunday, February 22nd | - | 12:00 am ET | Richmond Raceway | Richmond 400 | - | 30 | 400 | 4 | 7 | - | Darrell Waltrip | 7 | Buick | Under Caution | 76.570 mph |
| 4 | Sunday, March 1st | - | 12:00 am ET | North Carolina Speedway | Carolina 500 | - | 37 | 492 | 36 | 14 | - | Darrell Waltrip | 4 | Buick | Under Caution | 114.594 mph |
| 5 | Sunday, March 15th | - | 12:00 am ET | Atlanta Motor Speedway | Coca-Cola 500 | - | 42 | 328 | 23 | 5 | - | Cale Yarborough | 17 | Buick | Under Caution | 133.619 mph |
| 6 | Sunday, March 29th | - | 12:00 am ET | Bristol Motor Speedway | Valleydale 500 | - | 31 | 500 | 21 | 8 | - | Darrell Waltrip | 1 | Buick | Under Caution | 89.530 mph |
| 7 | Sunday, April 5th | - | 12:00 am ET | North Wilkesboro Speedway | Northwestern Bank 40… | - | 31 | 400 | 12 | 10 | - | Richard Petty | 13 | Buick | Under Caution | 85.381 mph |
| 8 | Sunday, April 12th | - | 12:00 am ET | Darlington Raceway | CRC Chemicals Rebel … | - | 36 | 367 | 20 | 6 | - | Darrell Waltrip | 3 | Buick | Under Caution | 126.703 mph |
| 9 | Sunday, April 26th | - | 12:00 am ET | Martinsville Speedway | Virginia 500 | - | 31 | 500 | 13 | 5 | - | Morgan Shepherd | 12 | Pontiac | Under Caution | 75.019 mph |
| 10 | Sunday, May 3rd | - | 12:00 am ET | Talladega Superspeedway | Winston 500 | - | 40 | 188 | 43 | 7 | - | Bobby Allison | 1 | Buick | Under Caution | 149.376 mph |
| 11 | Saturday, May 9th | - | 12:00 am ET | Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville | Melling Tool 420 | - | 27 | 420 | 5 | 5 | - | Benny Parsons | 3 | Ford | Under Caution | 89.756 mph |
| 12 | Sunday, May 17th | - | 12:00 am ET | Dover International Speedway | Mason-Dixon 500 | - | 32 | 500 | 12 | 2 | - | Jody Ridley | 11 | Ford | Under Caution | 116.595 mph |
| 13 | Sunday, May 24th | - | 12:00 am ET | Charlotte Motor Speedway | World 600 | - | 42 | 400 | 32 | 7 | - | Bobby Allison | 7 | Buick | Under Caution | 129.326 mph |
| 14 | Sunday, June 7th | - | 12:00 am ET | Texas World Speedway | Budweiser NASCAR 400 | - | 34 | 200 | 35 | 5 | - | Benny Parsons | 4 | Ford | Under Caution | 132.475 mph |
| 15 | Sunday, June 14th | - | 12:00 am ET | Riverside International Racewa… | Warner W. Hodgdon 40… | - | 35 | 95 | 15 | 6 | - | Darrell Waltrip | 1 | Buick | Under Caution | 93.597 mph |
| 16 | Sunday, June 21st | - | 12:00 am ET | Michigan International Speedwa… | Gabriel 400 | - | 37 | 200 | 47 | 7 | - | Bobby Allison | 4 | Buick | Under Caution | 130.589 mph |
| 17 | Saturday, July 4th | - | 12:00 am ET | Daytona International Speedway | Firecracker 400 | - | 42 | 160 | 35 | 6 | - | Cale Yarborough | 1 | Buick | Under Caution | 142.588 mph |
| 18 | Saturday, July 11th | - | 12:00 am ET | Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville | Busch Nashville 420 | - | 30 | 420 | 14 | 3 | - | Darrell Waltrip | 4 | Buick | Under Caution | 90.052 mph |
| 19 | Sunday, July 26th | - | 12:00 am ET | Pocono Raceway | Mountain Dew 500 | - | 35 | 200 | 27 | 6 | - | Darrell Waltrip | 1 | Buick | Under Caution | 119.111 mph |
| 20 | Sunday, August 2nd | - | 12:00 am ET | Talladega Superspeedway | Talladega 500 | - | 42 | 188 | 39 | 8 | - | Ron Bouchard | 10 | Buick | Under Caution | 156.737 mph |
| 21 | Sunday, August 16th | - | 12:00 am ET | Michigan International Speedwa… | Champion Spark Plug … | - | 36 | 200 | 65 | 9 | - | Richard Petty | 7 | Buick | Under Caution | 123.457 mph |
| 22 | Saturday, August 22nd | - | 12:00 am ET | Bristol Motor Speedway | Busch 500 | - | 30 | 500 | 11 | 7 | - | Darrell Waltrip | 1 | Buick | Under Caution | 84.723 mph |
| 23 | Monday, September 7th | - | 12:00 am ET | Darlington Raceway | Southern 500 | - | 40 | 367 | 23 | 8 | - | Neil Bonnett | 3 | Ford | Under Caution | 126.410 mph |
| 24 | Sunday, September 13th | - | 12:00 am ET | Richmond Raceway | Wrangler Sanfor-Set … | - | 32 | 400 | 18 | 9 | - | Benny Parsons | 4 | Ford | Under Caution | 69.998 mph |
| 25 | Sunday, September 20th | - | 12:00 am ET | Dover International Speedway | CRC Chemicals 500 | - | 34 | 500 | 17 | 4 | - | Neil Bonnett | 3 | Ford | Under Caution | 119.561 mph |
| 26 | Sunday, September 27th | - | 12:00 am ET | Martinsville Speedway | Old Dominion 500 | - | 30 | 500 | 14 | 11 | - | Darrell Waltrip | 1 | Buick | Under Caution | 70.089 mph |
| 27 | Sunday, October 4th | - | 12:00 am ET | North Wilkesboro Speedway | Holly Farms 400 | - | 30 | 400 | 10 | 8 | - | Darrell Waltrip | 1 | Buick | Under Caution | 93.091 mph |
| 28 | Sunday, October 11th | - | 12:00 am ET | Charlotte Motor Speedway | National 500 | - | 41 | 334 | 27 | 12 | - | Darrell Waltrip | 1 | Buick | Under Caution | 117.483 mph |
| 29 | Sunday, November 1st | - | 12:00 am ET | North Carolina Speedway | American 500 | - | 37 | 492 | 33 | 12 | - | Darrell Waltrip | 1 | Buick | Under Caution | 107.399 mph |
| 30 | Sunday, November 8th | - | 12:00 am ET | Atlanta Motor Speedway | Atlanta Journal 500 | - | 40 | 328 | 36 | 7 | - | Neil Bonnett | 5 | Ford | Under Caution | 130.391 mph |
| 31 | Sunday, November 22nd | - | 12:00 am ET | Riverside International Racewa… | Winston Western 500 | - | 40 | 119 | 19 | 7 | - | Bobby Allison | 5 | Buick | Under Caution | 95.288 mph |