| Official Race Results | |||||||||
| Champion 400 | Michigan International Speedway | |||||||||
| August 16, 1981 | Race 21 of 31 | |||||||||
| Average Speed: 123.457 mph | |||||||||
| Margin of Victory: 1 car length | Time of Race: 03:14:24 | ||||||||
| Lead Changes: 65 | |||||||||
| Cautions: 9 for 51 laps. | |||||||||
| Fin | St | Car | Driver | Make | Sponsor | Pts / Bonus | Laps | Status | Winnings |
| 1 | 7 | #43 | Richard Petty | Buick | STP | 185/10 | 200 | Running | $23,750 |
| 2 | 15 | #11 | Darrell Waltrip | Buick | Mountain Dew | 175/5 | 200 | Running | $17,525 |
| 3 | 9 | #88 | Ricky Rudd | Chevrolet | Gatorade | 165/0 | 200 | Running | $15,150 |
| 4 | 8 | #33 | Harry Gant | Pontiac | Skoal Bandit | 165/5 | 200 | Running | $6,000 |
| 5 | 19 | #1 | Buddy Baker | Buick | Uno | 155/0 | 200 | Running | $5,175 |
| 6 | 5 | #2 | Joe Ruttman | Pontiac | J.D. Stacy Racing | PE | 200 | Running | $9,375 |
| 7 | 12 | #28 | Bobby Allison | Buick | Hardee's | 151/5 | 200 | Running | $8,950 |
| 8 | 6 | #9 | Bill Elliott | Ford | Mell-Gear Tuning Components | 142/0 | 200 | Running | $3,525 |
| 9 | 10 | #3 | Dale Earnhardt | Pontiac | Wrangler Jeans | 138/0 | 200 | Running | $7,955 |
| 10 | 20 | #37 | Mike Alexander | Buick | Roger's Auto Leasing | 134/0 | 200 | Running | $3,700 |
| 11 | 21 | #71 | Dave Marcis | Buick | Transmissions Unlimited | 135/5 | 200 | Running | $5,295 |
| 12 | 18 | #90 | Jody Ridley | Ford | Trux./Sunny King Ford/Hon. | 132/5 | 200 | Running | $6,275 |
| 13 | 16 | #98 | Johnny Rutherford | Pontiac | Levi Garrett | 129/5 | 199 | Running | $2,175 |
| 14 | 4 | #44 | Terry Labonte | Buick | Stratagraph | 126/5 | 199 | Running | $7,550 |
| 15 | 22 | #66 | Lake Speed | Buick | Speed Racing | 118/0 | 199 | Running | $4,155 |
| 16 | 25 | #70 | J.D. McDuffie | Pontiac | Bailey Excavating | 115/0 | 199 | Running | $3,960 |
| 17 | 2 | #27 | Cale Yarborough | Buick | Valvoline | 117/5 | 198 | Running | $2,445 |
| 18 | 3 | #75 | Gary Balough | Buick | Chaparral Trailers | PE | 198 | Running | $3,975 |
| 19 | 17 | #42 | Kyle Petty | Buick | STP | 106/0 | 197 | Running | $3,250 |
| 20 | 30 | #99 | Rick Knoop | Buick | Kargessport | PE | 197 | Running | $3,405 |
| 21 | 31 | #64 | Tommy Gale | Ford | Sunny King Ford & Honda | 105/5 | 197 | Running | $2,760 |
| 22 | 29 | #40 | Joe Booher | Buick | Booher Farms | 97/0 | 196 | Running | $1,020 |
| 23 | 24 | #5 | Joe Millikan | Pontiac | Performance Connection | 94/0 | 195 | Running | $6,335 |
| 24 | 26 | #24 | Cecil Gordon | Buick | Gordon Racing | 91/0 | 195 | Running | $2,470 |
| 25 | 33 | #52 | Jimmy Means | Pontiac | Broadway Motors | 88/0 | 186 | Running | $2,575 |
| 26 | 13 | #15 | Benny Parsons | Ford | Melling Tool Company | 90/5 | 173 | Broken Valve Spring | $6,725 |
| 27 | 36 | #48 | James Hylton | Pontiac | Palatine Automotive | 87/5 | 156 | Running | $2,520 |
| 28 | 11 | #21 | Neil Bonnett | Ford | Warner W. Hodgdon/Nat'l Eng | 84/5 | 155 | Broken Valve Spring | $1,700 |
| 29 | 1 | #47 | Ron Bouchard * | Buick | J.D. Stacy Racing | 76/0 | 85 | Engine Failure | $3,540 |
| 30 | 23 | #12 | Tim Richmond | Buick | Uno | 73/0 | 53 | Engine Failure | $765 |
| 31 | 35 | #94 | Bobby Wawak | Buick | Wawak Racing | 70/0 | 28 | Oil Pump | $1,150 |
| 32 | 28 | #97 | Bob Schacht | Oldsmobile | Test Tube | 67/0 | 22 | Transmission | $740 |
| 33 | 32 | #50 | Bruce Hill | Buick | Hill Racing | 64/0 | 21 | Drive Shaft | $1,130 |
| 34 | 14 | #02 | Morgan Shepherd | Buick | Amsoil | 61/0 | 20 | Accident | $1,120 |
| 35 | 27 | #67 | Buddy Arrington | Dodge | Hills Racing | 58/0 | 13 | Broken Valve | $1,945 |
| 36 | 34 | #19 | Dick May | Buick | Belden Asphalt | 55/0 | 4 | Camshaft | $1,100 |
| * Denotes Rookie | |||||||||