1981 24 Hours of Daytona explained

The 19th Annual 24 Hour Pepsi Challenge Daytona was a 24-hour sports car and GT race held on January 31 – February 1, 1982^[1] at the Daytona International Speedway road course. The race served as the opening round of the 1981 World Sportscar Championship and the 1981 IMSA GTX, GTO and GTU Championships. It was the last 24 Hours of Daytona to be part of the World Sportscar Championship. When the World Endurance Championship started in 2012 it would race in the United States at Sebring International Raceway and the Circuit of the Americas.

Victory overall and in the GTX class went to the No. 9 Garretson Racing Porsche 935 K3 driven by Bob Garretson, Bobby Rahal, and Brian Redman by the large margin of 13 laps over the similar No. 5 Porsche 935 K3 of the Bob Akin Motor Racing team driven by Bob Akin, Craig Siebert and Derek Bell^{[2] [3]} Victory in the GTU Class and third outright was the No. 62 Kegel Enterprises Porsche 911 SC driven by Bill Koll, Jeff Kline and Rob McFarlin by 18 laps over the No. 23 Datsun 280ZX of Dick Davenport, Frank Carney and Rameau Johnson. Victory in the GTO class and sixth outright went to the No. 14 Bavarian Motors International BMW M1 driven by Walter Brun, Hans-Joachim Stuck and Alf Gebhardt by 23 laps over the No. 58 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR driven by Pete Smith, Chuck Kendall and Steve Earle.

Race results

Class winners denoted in bold and with .

	Class		Team / Entrant	Drivers	Car
					Engine
1	GTX	9	Garretson Racing	Bob Garretson Bobby Rahal Brian Redman	Porsche 935 K3/80	708
					Porsche 3.2 L Twin-turbo Flat-6
2	GTX	5	Bob Akin Motor Racing	Bob Akin Craig Siebert Derek Bell	Porsche 935 K3	695
					Porsche 3.2 L Twin-turbo Flat-6
3	GTU	62	Kegel Enterprises	Bill Koll Jeff Kline Rob McFarlin	Porsche 911 SC	644
					Porsche 3.0 L Flat-6
4	GTU	23	The New Raytown Datsun	Dick Davenport Frank Carney Rameau Johnson	Datsun 280ZX	626
					Nissan L28E 2.8 L I6
5	GTX	24	Jolly Club Italia	Emanuele Pirro Martino Finotto Carlo Facetti	Lancia Montecarlo Turbo	609
					Lancia Lampedri 1.4 L Turbo I4
6	GTO	98	Bavarian Motors International	Walter Brun Hans-Joachim Stuck Alf Gebhardt	BMW M1	608
					BMW M88 3.5 L I6
7	GTU	98	Kent Racing	Lee Mueller Kathy Rude Philippe Martin	Mazda RX-7	606
					Mazda 1.3 L Rotary
8	GTX	84	Scorpio Racing	Enrique Molins Eduardo Barrientos Carlos Gonzalez	Porsche 935 M16	595
					Porsche 3.2 L Twin-turbo Flat-6
9	GTU	55	Mandeville Racing Enterprises	Roger Mandeville Amos Johnson Diego Febles	Mazda RX-7	595
					Mazda 1.3 L Rotary
10	GTU	7	Kent Racing	Walt Bohren Jim Mullen J. Kurt Roehrig	Mazda RX-7	589
					Mazda 1.3 L Rotary
11	GTU	50	Downing/Maffucci Racing	Scott Hoerr Irv Hoerr Jim Downing	Mazda RX-7	585
					Mazda 1.3 L Rotary
12	GTO	58	Chuck Kendall	Pete Smith Chuck Kendall Steve Earle	Porsche 911 Carrera RSR	585
					Porsche 3.0 L Flat-6
13	GTU	45	Autosport Technology	M. L. Speer Dwight Mitchell Ray Ratcliff	Porsche 914-6 GT	581
					Porsche 2.0 L Flat-6
14	GTX	07	Heimrath Racing	Ludwig Heimrath Ludwig Heimrath Jr.	Porsche 935	575
					Porsche 3.2 L Twin-turbo Flat-6
15	GTO	34	Drolsom Racing	George Drolsom Rob Hoskins Bill Johnson	Porsche 911 Carrera	563
					Porsche 3.0 L Flat-6
16	GTX	2	BMW Motorsport	Dieter Quester David Hobbs Marc Surer	BMW M1	555
					BMW M88 3.5 L I6
17	GTO	27	Southard Motor Racing	Steve Southard Jay Kjoller Jean Kjoller	Porsche 911 Carrera	548
					Porsche 3.0 L Flat-6
18	GTX	3	Martini Lancia Racing	Riccardo Patrese Hans Heyer Henri Pescarolo	Lancia Montecarlo Turbo	545
					Lancia Lampedri 1.4 L Turbo I4
19	GTO	42	Mac's Bar Spec./Kend Co.	Nort Northam Ed Kuhel Dick Neland	Chevrolet Camaro	532
					Chevrolet V8
20 DNF	GTO	04	T&R Racing	Tico Almeida Rene Rodriguez Miguel Morejon	Porsche 911 Carrera RSR	526
					Porsche 3.0 L Flat-6
21	GTX	02	Firestone Tire & Rubber	John Morton Tom Klausler	Ford Mustang	517
					Cosworth BDA 1.6 L I4
22	GTO	36	Herman & Miller	Paul Miller Pat Bedard Skeeter McKitterick	Porsche 924 Carrera GTR	515
					Audi EA831 2.0 L Turbo I4
23 DNF	GTU	82	Trinity Racing	Bob Bergstrom John Casey Jim Cook	Mazda RX-7	513
					Mazda 1.3 L Rotary
24 DNF	GTX	51	Andial Racing/Meister Homes	Rolf Stommelen Harald Grohs Howard Meister	Porsche 935 M16	500
					Porsche 3.2 L Twin-turbo Flat-6
25	GTU	16	Corp Racing Ltd.	Jim Burt Doug Grunnet Steve Paquette	Mazda RX-7	471
					Mazda 1.3 L Rotary
26	GTU	52	Beach Ball Racing	Tom Cripe Dick Gauthier Jack Swanson	Porsche 911	450
					Porsche Flat-6
27	GTO	43	Bob Gregg Racing	Bob Young Len Jones Bob Gregg	Porsche 911 Carrera	446
					Porsche 3.0 L Flat-6
28	GTU	81	Trinity Racing	Tom Winters Steve Dietrich Carter Alsop	Mazda RX-7	429
					Mazda 1.3 L Rotary
29	GTU	70	Chris Doyle	Chris Doyle Hubert G. Phipps Robert Overby	Mazda RX-7	429
					Mazda 1.3 L Rotary
30	GTO	46	Pedro de Narváez	Honorato Espinosa Pedro de Narváez Jorge Cortes	Porsche 911 Carrera RSR	385
					Porsche 3.0 L Flat-6
31 DNF	GTX	65	Prancing Horse Farms Racing	Tony Adamowicz Rick Knoop	Ferrari 512 BB LM	373
					Ferrari Tipo F102B 4.9 L Flat-12
32 DNF	GTO	01	Kirby-Hitchcock Racing	Siegfried Brunn Robert Kirby John Hotchkis	Porsche 911 Carrera RSR	361
					Porsche 3.0 L Flat-6
33 DNF	GTO	25	Red Lobster Racing	Kenper Miller Dave Cowart Ricardo Londoño	BMW M1	346
					BMW M88 3.5 L I6
34 DNF	GTX	30	Momo/Penthouse	Gianpiero Moretti Charles Mendez Mauricio de Narváez	Porsche 935 J	339
					Porsche 3.2 L Twin-turbo Flat-6
35 DNF	GTU	57	Personalized Autohaus	Jeff Scott David Goodell Volker Bruckmann	Porsche 914-6 GT	339
					Porsche 2.0 L Flat-6
36 DNF	GTO	71	Philip Keirn	Philip Keirn Gail Engle Bard Boand	Chevrolet Corvette C3	328
					Chevrolet V8
37 DNF	GTO	67	Levi's Team Highball	Dennis Shaw Steve Whitman Les Blackburn	AMC Spirit AMX	303
					AMC 5.0 L V8
38 DNF	GTO	03	Angelo Pallavicini	Angelo Pallavicini John Sheldon Neil Crang	Porsche 934	290
					Porsche 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6
39 DNF	GTX	0	Interscope Racing	Ted Field Milt Minter Danny Ongais	Porsche 935 K3/80	287
					Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6
40 DNF	GTO	11	Holbert Racing	Al Holbert Rick Mears Doc Bundy	Porsche 924 Carrera GTR	263
					Audi EA831 2.0 L Turbo I4
41 DNF	GTX	4	Martini Lancia Racing	Michele Alboreto Piercarlo Ghinzani Beppe Gabbiani	Lancia Montecarlo Turbo	235
					Lancia Lampedri 1.4 L Turbo I4
42 DNF	GTX	23	Bayside Disposal Racing	Hurley Haywood Jürgen Barth Bruce Leven	Porsche 935/80	232
					Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6
43 DNF	GTO	78	Howey Farms	Clark Howey Tracy Wolf Dale Koch	Chevrolet Camaro	208
					Chevrolet V8
44 DNF	GTO	19	Van Every Racing	Lance van Every Ash Tisdelle Rusty Bond	Porsche 911 Carrera RSR	194
					Porsche 3.0 L Flat-6
45 DNF	GTX	20	Chris Cord Racing	Chris Cord Jim Adams	Chevrolet Monza	191
					Chevrolet 6.0 L V8
46 DNF	GTX	80	Maurice Carter Racing	Maurice Carter Eppie Wietzes R. J. Valentine	Chevrolet Camaro	188
					Chevrolet V8
47 DNF	GTU	38	Case Racing	Ron Case Dave Panaccione Ren Tilton	Porsche 911	169
					Porsche Flat-6
48 DNF	GTX	1	Kremer Racing	John Fitzpatrick Jim Busby Bob Wollek	Porsche 935 K3/80	167
					Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6
49 DNF	GTU	22	Personalized Autohaus	Wayne Baker Dan Gilliland Frank Harmstad	Porsche 914/4	143
					Volkswagen 411E 1.6 L Flat-4
50 DNF	GTU	33	Zotz Garage	Harro Zitza Doug Zitza Ara Dube	Porsche 914-6 GT	128
					Porsche 2.0 L Flat-6
51 DNF	GTO	17	Bavarian Motors International	Bruno Beilcke Kurt König Rudi Walch	BMW 3.5 CSL	126
					BMW M30B35 3.5 L I6
52 DNF	GTX	37	Pepe Romero	Pepe Romero Mandy Gonzalez Luis Méndez	Porsche 935 M16	121
					Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6
53 DNF	GTO	40	David Deacon Racing	Rudy Bartling Mike Freberg David Deacon	BMW M1	118
					BMW M88 3.5 L I6
54 DNF	GTO	54	Montura Racing	Tony Garcia Albert Naon Luis Sereix	Porsche 911 Carrera RSR	112
					Porsche 3.0 L Flat-6
55 DNF	GTO	99	Gassaway/Oftedahl	Dave Heinz Chris Gleason Joe Cogbill Mike Gassaway	Chevrolet Camaro	108
					Chevrolet V8
56 DNF	GTO	60	Bob's Speed Products	Vicki Smith Sam Miller Bob Lee	AMC Spirit AMX	87
					AMC 5.0 L V8
57 DNF	GTX	94	Whittington Brothers Racing	Don Whittington Bill Whittington Dale Whittington	Porsche 935 K3	84
					Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6
58 DNF	GTO	75	Z&W Enterprises	Eddy Joosen Dirk Vermeersch Jean-Paul Libert	Mazda RX-7	83
					Mazda 1.3 L Rotary
59 DNF	GTX	6	Joest Racing	Volkert Merl Jochen Mass Reinhold Jöst	Porsche 935 J	59
					Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6
60 DNF	GTX	18	JLP Racing	John Paul John Paul Jr. Gordon Smiley	Porsche 935 JLP	53
					Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6
61 DNF	GTX	44	Stratagraph	Terry Labonte David Pearson Billy Hagan	Chevrolet Camaro	50
					Chevrolet V8
62 DNF	GTO	87	Bob Beasley	George Stone Bob Beasley Werner Frank	Porsche 911 Carrera RSR	48
					Porsche 3.0 L Flat-6
63 DNF	GTO	15	D. L. Performance Engineering	Doug Lutz Robin Boone Dave White	Porsche 911 Carrera RSR	47
					Porsche 3.0 L Flat-6
64 DNF	GTX	09	Thunderbird Swap Shops	Preston Henn Bob Bondurant Dale Whittington	Porsche 935 K3	30
					Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6
65 DNF	GTO	28	NTS Racing	Sam Posey Fred Stiff	Datsun 280ZX Turbo	29
					Nissan L28ET 2.8 L Turbo I6
66 DNF	GTU	66	Richard J. Dunham	Jack Dunham John Maffucci Stanton Barrett	Mazda RX-7	20
					Mazda 1.3 L Rotary
67 DNF	GTU	49	Alfred Cosentino	Bob Speakman Al Cosentino	Mazda RX-7	12
					Mazda 1.3 L Rotary
68 DNF	GTO	06	Crevier Imports	Pete Halsmer Joe Crevier Al Unser Jr.	Ferrari 365 GTB/4	9
					Ferrari Tipo 251 4.4 L V12
69 DNF	GTX	10	Jolly Club	Carlo Facetti Martino Finotto	Ferrari 308 GTB Turbo	4
					Ferrari F106AB 2.9 L Turbo V8
DNS	GTX	00	Interscope Racing	Ted Field Milt Minter Danny Ongais	Porsche 935 K3/80
					Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6
DNS	GTO	88	Herb Adams VSE	Herb Adams Jerry Thompson Don Sherman	Chevrolet Camaro
					Chevrolet V8
DNS	GTO	05	T&R Racing	Tico Almeida Rene Rodriguez Fred Flaquer	Porsche 911 Carrera RSR
					Porsche 3.0 L Flat-6
DNS	GTO	69	Southwind Enterprises	Tico Almeida Rene Rodriguez Fred Flaquer	Plymouth Volaré
					Chrysler V8
DNS	GTU	89	Klaus Bitterauf	Klaus Bitterauf James Moxley Jim Leo	Porsche 911 S
					Porsche Flat-6
DNQ	GTX	13	Kemp Motoracing	Charlie Kemp Art Pasmas Carson Baird	Ford Mustang II Cobra II
					Ford Cleveland 5.8 L V8
DNQ	GTX	73	Z&W Enterprises	Jean-Paul Libert Hervé Regout Jean Xhenceval	Mazda RX-7
					Mazda Rotary
DNQ	GTX	74	Z&W Enterprises	Pierre Honegger Pierre Dieudonné Ernesto Soto	Mazda RX-7
					Mazda Rotary
DNQ	GTO	97	The Cummings Marque	Don Cummings Bill McDill Guido Levetto	Shelby GT350
					Ford V8
Source:

Notes and References

1. Web site: Daytona 24 Hours 1981. Racing Sports Cars. December 7, 2022.
2. Web site: Daytona 24 Hours 1981. Racing Sports Cars. December 7, 2022.
3. Web site: 1981 Daytona 24 Hours | Motorsport Database. Motorsport Database – Motor Sport Magazine.