| Teams for 1981 Daytona 500 |
|---|
| Car | Team | Driver | Mfg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hoss Ellington | Buddy Baker |  |
| 2 | Osterlund Racing | Dale Earnhardt |  |
| 3 | Richard Childress | Richard Childress | |
| 7 | Nelson Malloch | Bruce Hill |  |
| 9 | George Elliott | Bill Elliott |  |
| 11 | Junior Johnson and Assoc. | Darrell Waltrip | |
| 12 | Kenny Childers Racing | Donnie Allison | |
| 15 | Bud Moore Engineering | Benny Parsons | |
| 16 | Joel Halpern | David Pearson |  |
| 17 | Roger Hamby | Glenn Jarrett | |
| 19 | Henley Gray Racing | Ronnie Sanders | |
| 21 | Wood Brothers Racing | Neil Bonnett | |
| 22 | Hal Needham | Stan Barrett | |
| 23 | Dick Bahre | Geoffrey Bodine | |
| 24 | Cecil Gordon | Cecil Gordon | |
| 25 | Ronnie Thomas | Ronnie Thomas | |
| 27 | M.C. Anderson | Cale Yarborough | |
| 28 | Ranier Racing | Bobby Allison | |
| 31 | Billie Harvey | Billie Harvey | |
| 37 | Bob Rogers | Don Sprouse | |
| 39 | Blackie Wangerin | Blackie Wangerin | |
| 41 | Billy Matthews | Dick Brooks | |
| 42 | Richard Petty | Kyle Petty | |
| 43 | Richard Petty | Richard Petty | |
| 44 | Hagan Racing | Terry Labonte | |
| 47 | Jack Beebe | Harry Gant | |
| 48 | James Hylton | James Hylton | |
| 51 | A.J. Foyt | A.J. Foyt | |
| 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means | |
| 57 | RahMoc Entrprises | Bill Elswick | |
| 64 | Langley Racing | Tommy Gale | |
| 67 | Arrington Racing | Buddy Arrington |  |
| 68 | Jim Testa | Lennie Pond | |
| 70 | McDuffie Racing | J.D. McDuffie | |
| 71 | Marcis Auto Racing | Dave Marcis | |
| 75 | RahMoc Entrprises | Joe Millikan | |
| 86 | Richard Howard | Elliott Forbes-Robinson | |
| 88 | DiGard Racing | Ricky Rudd | |
| 90 | Donlavey Racing | Jody Ridley | |
| 93 | Scott Smith | Don Whittington | |
| 98 | Benfield Racing | Johnny Rutherford | |
| 99 | D.K. Ulrich | Tim Richmond | |
