De 24 uur van Daytona 1981 was de 19e editie van deze endurancerace. De race werd verreden op 31 januari en 1 februari 1981 op de Daytona International Speedway nabij Daytona Beach, Florida.

De race werd gewonnen door de Garretson Racing #9 van Bob Garretson, Bobby Rahal en Brian Redman. Voor Redman was het zijn derde Daytona-zege, terwijl Garretson en Rahal allebei hun eerste overwinning behaalden. De GTU-klasse werd gewonnen door de Kegel Enterprises #62 van Bill Koll, Jeff Kline en Rob McFarlin. De GTO-klasse werd gewonnen door de Bavarian Motors International #98 van Walter Brun, Hans-Joachim Stuck en Alf Gebhardt.

Race Winnaars in hun klasse zijn vetgedrukt.

Pos. Klasse No. Team Coureurs Chassis Ronden Motor 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 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 DNF GTU 82 Trinity Racing Bob Bergstrom John Casey Jim Cook Mazda RX-7 513 Mazda 1.3 L Rotary 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 DNF GTX 65 Prancing Horse Farms Racing Tony Adamowicz Rick Knoop Ferrari 512 BB LM 373 Ferrari Tipo F102B 4.9 L Flat-12 DNF GTO 01 Kirby-Hitchcock Racing Siegfried Brunn Robert Kirby John Hotchkis Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 361 Porsche 3.0 L Flat-6 DNF GTO 25 Red Lobster Racing Kenper Miller Dave Cowart Ricardo Londoño BMW M1 346 BMW M88 3.5 L I6 DNF GTX 30 Momo/Penthouse Gianpiero Moretti Charles Mendez Mauricio de Narváez Porsche 935 J 339 Porsche 3.2 L Twin-turbo Flat-6 DNF GTU 57 Personalized Autohaus Jeff Scott David Goodell Volker Bruckmann Porsche 914-6 GT 339 Porsche 2.0 L Flat-6 DNF GTO 71 Philip Keirn Philip Keirn Gail Engle Bard Boand Chevrolet Corvette C3 328 Chevrolet V8 DNF GTO 67 Levi's Team Highball Dennis Shaw Steve Whitman Les Blackburn AMC Spirit AMX 303 AMC 5.0 L V8 DNF GTO 03 Angelo Pallavicini Angelo Pallavicini John Sheldon Neil Crang Porsche 934 290 Porsche 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6 DNF GTX 0 Interscope Racing Ted Field Milt Minter Danny Ongais Porsche 935 K3/80 287 Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6 DNF GTO 11 Holbert Racing Al Holbert Rick Mears Doc Bundy Porsche 924 Carrera GTR 263 Audi EA831 2.0 L Turbo I4 DNF GTX 4 Martini Lancia Racing Michele Alboreto Piercarlo Ghinzani Beppe Gabbiani Lancia Montecarlo Turbo 235 Lancia Lampedri 1.4 L Turbo I4 DNF GTX 23 Bayside Disposal Racing Hurley Haywood Jürgen Barth Bruce Leven Porsche 935/80 232 Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6 DNF GTO 78 Howey Farms Clark Howey Tracy Wolf Dale Koch Chevrolet Camaro 208 Chevrolet V8 DNF GTO 19 Van Every Racing Lance Van Every Ash Tisdelle Rusty Bond Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 194 Porsche 3.0 L Flat-6 DNF GTX 20 Chris Cord Racing Chris Cord Jim Adams Chevrolet Monza 191 Chevrolet 6.0 L V8 DNF GTX 80 Maurice Carter Racing Maurice Carter Eppie Wietzes Richard Valentine Chevrolet Camaro 188 Chevrolet V8 DNF GTU 38 Case Racing Ron Case Dave Panaccione Ren Tilton Porsche 911 169 Porsche Flat-6 DNF GTX 1 Kremer Racing John Fitzpatrick Jim Busby Bob Wollek Porsche 935 K3/80 167 Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6 DNF GTU 22 Personalized Autohaus Wayne Baker Dan Gilliland Frank Harmstad Porsche 914/4 143 Volkswagen 411E 1.6 L Flat-4 DNF GTU 33 Zotz Garage Harro Zitza Doug Zitza Ara Dube Porsche 914-6 GT 128 Porsche 2.0 L Flat-6 DNF GTO 17 Bavarian Motors International Bruno Beilcke Kurt König Rudi Walch BMW 3.5 CSL 126 BMW M30 B35 3.5 L I6 DNF GTX 37 Pepe Romero Pepe Romero Mandy Gonzalez Luis Méndez Porsche 935 M16 121 Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6 DNF GTO 40 David Deacon Racing Rudy Bartling Mike Freberg David Deacon BMW M1 118 BMW M88 3.5 L I6 DNF GTO 54 Montura Racing Tony Garcia Albert Naon Luis Sereix Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 112 Porsche 3.0 L Flat-6 DNF GTO 99 Gassaway/Oftedahl Dave Heinz Chris Gleason Joe Cogbill Mike Gassaway Chevrolet Camaro 108 Chevrolet V8 DNF GTO 60 Bob's Speed Products Vicki Smith Sam Miller Bob Lee AMC Spirit AMX 87 AMC 5.0 L V8 DNF GTX 94 Whittington Brothers Racing Don Whittington Bill Whittington Dale Whittington Porsche 935 K3 84 Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6 DNF GTO 75 Z&W Enterprises Eddy Joosen Dirk Vermeersch Jean-Paul Libert Mazda RX-7 83 Mazda 1.3 L Rotary DNF GTX 6 Joest Racing Volkert Merl Jochen Mass Reinhold Joest Porsche 935 J 59 Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6 DNF GTX 18 JLP Racing John Paul sr. John Paul jr. Gordon Smiley Porsche 935 JLP 53 Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6 DNF GTX 44 Stratagraph Terry Labonte David Pearson Billy Hagan Chevrolet Camaro 50 Chevrolet V8 DNF GTO 87 Bob Beasley George Stone Bob Beasley Werner Frank Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 48 Porsche 3.0 L Flat-6 DNF GTO 15 D. L. Performance Engineering Doug Lutz Robin Boone Dave White Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 47 Porsche 3.0 L Flat-6 DNF GTX 09 Thunderbird Swap Shops Preston Henn Bob Bondurant Dale Whittington Porsche 935 K3 30 Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6 DNF GTO 28 NTS Racing Sam Posey Fred Stiff Datsun 280ZX Turbo 29 Nissan L28ET 2.8 L Turbo I6 DNF GTU 66 Richard J. Dunham Jack Dunham John Maffucci Stanton Barrett Mazda RX-7 20 Mazda 1.3 L Rotary DNF GTU 49 Alfred Cosentino Bob Speakman Al Cosentino Mazda RX-7 12 Mazda 1.3 L Rotary DNF GTO 06 Crevier Imports Pete Halsmer Joe Crevier Al Unser jr. Ferrari 365 GTB/4 9 Ferrari Tipo 251 4.4 L V12 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 0 Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6 DNS GTO 88 Herb Adams VSE Herb Adams Jerry Thompson Don Sherman Chevrolet Camaro 0 Chevrolet V8 DNS GTO 05 T&R Racing Tico Almeida Rene Rodriguez Fred Flaquer Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 0 Porsche 3.0 L Flat-6 DNS GTO 69 Southwind Enterprises Tico Almeida Rene Rodriguez Fred Flaquer Plymouth Volaré 0 Chrysler V8 DNS GTU 89 Klaus Bitterauf Klaus Bitterauf James Moxley Jim Leo Porsche 911 S 0 Porsche Flat-6 DNQ GTX 13 Kemp Motoracing Charlie Kemp Art Pasmas Carson Baird Ford Mustang II Cobra II 0 Ford Cleveland 5.8 L V8 DNQ GTX 73 Z&W Enterprises Jean-Paul Libert Hervé Regout Jean Xhenceval Mazda RX-7 0 Mazda Rotary DNQ GTX 74 Z&W Enterprises Pierre Honegger Pierre Dieudonné Ernesto Soto Mazda RX-7 0 Mazda Rotary DNQ GTO 97 The Cummings Marque Don Cummings Bill McDill Guido Levetto Shelby GT350 0 Ford V8

1981 Daytona