The 1981 event saw Richard Petty take an amazing gamble to win his 7th Daytona 500. With 24 laps to go, Petty came to the pits for his final scheduled pit stop, but instead of changing tires, only took on fuel. It worked well as Petty became the first driver to win the Daytona 500 in three different decades.
| Preceded by 1981 Winston Western 500 |
NASCAR Winston Cup Series Season 1981 |
Succeeded by 1981 Richmond 400 |
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