May 9, 1981 - 250 Miles - Purse $101,525

Legendary Car Owner Bud Moore with driver Benny Parsons in Victory Lane (Photo: David Allio)

"This was a very important win for us," stated Parsons.  "It's been a frustrating year but we were able to win this one in front of many of the company people (race sponsor Melling Tool)

 

   Benny Parsons would record his second Fairgrounds Speedway victory. The Ellerbe, NC driver drove a Bud Moore Ford to a one car-length win over Darrell Waltrip.  A late-race caution on lap 414 lead to a two-lap dash for Parsons, Waltrip and third-place finisher Bobby Allison.

This would be the first appearance at the track of the downsized 110 inch wheelbase cars.

Kyle Petty would make his first start at Nashville.

Ed Negre would make his last career start as a car owner.  Over a 16 year span, his cars would start 294 Cup series events.  He is best remembered for giving Dale Earnhardt his first ride, which came at Charlotte's 1975 World 600

 


Richard Petty and teammate Kyle Petty head into turn three		  

The Buick Regal of NASCAR veteran driver Cecil Gordon
     


Batesville, Arkansas's Mark Martin makes his second career start at Nashville.  He qualified an impressive sixth		  

Buddy Arrington would record the last NASCAR car owner start for series veteran Ed Negre. 

 

 

 
Average Speed:    89.756 Time of Race:    2:47:02 Margin:   1 car length
Pole Winner:          Ricky Rudd /  104.409 Attendance:       18,000 Cautions:  5 for 23 laps
Lap Leaders:        Rudd 1-209, Parsons 210-280, Rudd 281, Parsons 282-335, Waltrip 336, Parsons 337-420
 
Driver Fin Str Car Team  /  Owner Car Laps Money Status Led
Benny Parsons 1 3 15 Melling Tool - 
Bud Moore		 Ford 420 15,950 Running 209
Darrell Waltrip 2 5 11 Mountain Dew  - 
Jr Johson & Assoc		 Buick 420 10,950 Running 1
Bobby Allison 3 14 28 Jim Stacy  -
Harry Ranier		 Pontiac 420 8,500 Running 0
Richard Petty 4 7 43 STP -
Petty Enterprises 		Buick 419 6,950 Running 0
Ricky Rudd 5 1 88 Gatorade  - 
DiGard Racing		 Buick 419 7,375 Running 210
Terry Labonte 6 11 44 Stratagraph
Billy Hagan 		Buick 418 5,975 Running 0
Kyle Petty 7 13 42 STP -
Petty Enterprises 		Buick 417 3,095 Running 0
Morgan Shepherd 8 4 5 Performance Connection    -
Cliff Stewart		 Pontiac 416 6,025 Running 0
Buddy Arrington 9 25 67 Hills Racing  -
Ed Negre 
 Dodge 414 3,095 Running 0
Dave Marcis 10 8 71 Dave Marcis Chevrolet 413 2,975 Running 0
Mike Alexander 11 2 37 Rogers Auto Leasing   - Bob Rogers Buick 410 1,525 Running 0
Tim Richmond 12 19 99 UNO  -   D K Ulrich Buick 408 2,540 Running 0
Richard Childress 13 18 3 Nichols Pontiac  -  Richard Childress  Racing Pontiac 405 2,395 Running 0
Jimmy Means 14 20 52 Broadway Motors  -  Jimmy Means Chevrolet 402 2,260 Running 0
Mike Potter 15 21 17 Kings Inn - Daytona  -  Roger Hamby Chevrolet 401 2,175 Running 0
J.D. McDuffie 16 23 70 Bailey Excavating   -
J D McDuffie		 Pontiac 400 1,940 Running 0
Tommy Gale 17 16 64 Sunny King Ford   -  Elmo Langley Ford 399 1,805 Running 0
Bobby Wawak 18 22 94 Louise Smith - 
Bobby Wawak		 Buick 397 600 Running 0
Cecil Gordon 19 27 24 Cecil Gordon Pontiac 383 1,645 Running 0
Dale Earnhardt 20 12 2 Wrangler  -
Rod Osterlund 		Pontiac 379 6,500 Running 0
James Hylton 21 24 48 Palatine Auto Parts -  James Hylton Pontiac 378 1,490 Running 0
Harry Gant 22 9 12 Kencoal Mining  -  Kennie Childers Oldsmobile 227 530 Engine 0
D.K. Ulrich 23 10 40 Baxter Price Buick 200 520 Engine 0
Lake Speed 24 26 66 Dinwiddie Racing   Pontiac 125 1,360 Alternator 0
Jody Ridley 25 15 90 Truxmore / Sunny King  Junie Donlavey Ford 116 2,045 Engine 0
  Charlie Chamblee 26 17 25 Broadway Motors  -  Jimmy Means Pontiac 10 830 Oil
 Pressure		 0
Mark Martin 27 6 02 Ams Oil / Prototype   - Mark Martin Pontiac 2 475 Camshaft 0