• History Overview
  • Statistical Information
  • All Time Lists
Newsletters

Now you don't have to worry about being out of touch with Daytona International Speedway. Sign up for the Daytona newsletter below and get ticket information, new site videos, and articles pushed right to your inbox. You don’t have to miss another beat!

Sign Up Now!
Tickets

Get your tickets and travel packages at RaceTickets.com or call 866.989.RACE.

1961 Daytona 500 Results

Fin. Pos. Str. Car Pos. Car No. Driver Laps Money Car
1 4 20 Marvin Panch 200 $21,050 Pontiac
2 2 8 Joe Weatherly 200 $9,150 Pontiac
3 17 31 Paul Goldsmith 200 $5,900 Pontiac
4 45 80 Fred Lorenzen 198 $3,825 Ford
5 6 6 Cotton Owens 198 $2,975 Pontiac
6 5 47 Jack Smith 197 $2,075 Pontiac
7 9 11 Ned Jarrett 196 $1,550 Chevrolet
8 47 96 Johnny Allen 196 $1,050 Chevrolet
9 7 87 Buck Baker 196 $850 Chrysler
10 18 59 Tom Pistone 196 $750 Pontiac
11 29 49 Bob Welborn 194 $600 Pontiac
12 41 4 Rex White 194 $500 Chevrolet
13 16 7 Jim Reed 194 $400 Chevrolet
14 46 23 Sal Tovella 191 $350 Ford
15 22 65 Charlie Glotzbach 191 $350 Pontiac
16 10 32 Darel Dieringer 191 $325 Pontiac
17 32 52 Tom Dill 190 $325 Ford
18 14 85 Emanuel Zervakis 189 $300 Chevrolet
19 49 37 Joe Kelly 188 $300 Ford
20 1 22 Fireball Roberts 187 $4,750 Pontiac
21 30 66 David Pearson 186 $200 Pontiac
22 37 30 Friday Hassler 186 $200 Chevrolet
23 57 41 Elmo Henderson 184 $200 Ford
24 31 83 Tim Flock 184 $200 Ford
25 38 16 Elmo Langley 184 $200 Pontiac
26 50 88 Harlan Richardson 184 $200 Ford
27 8 94 Banjo Matthews 181 $250 Ford
28 26 91 Bob Roeber 179 $200 Pontiac
29 34 68 Ed Livingston 177 $200 Ford
30 24 54 Jimmy Pardue 176 $200 Chevrolet
31 36 40 Bobby Allison 175 $200 Chevrolet
32 53 64 Paul Parks 173 $200 Ford
33 27 24 Roscoe Thompson 169 $200 Pontiac
34 39 19 Herman Beam 167 $200 Ford
35 40 33 Reb Wickersham 158 $200 Oldsmobile
36 15 53 Bob Burdick 157 $200 Pontiac
37 12 89 Joe Lee Johnson 153 $200 Chevrolet
38 25 76 Larry Frank 152 $200 Ford
39 48 1 Paul Lewis 149 $200 Chevrolet
40 28 86 Buddy Baker 145 $200 Chrysler
41 54 39 Marshall Sargent 115 $200 Pontiac
42 58 36 Brian Naylor 85 $200 Ford
43 56 38 Ed Markstellar 81 $200 Ford
44 13 29 Nelson Stacy 79 $200 Ford
45 19 2 Tommy Irwin 67 $200 Chevrolet
46 35 18 Darrell Dake 47 $200 Chevrolet
47 43 27 Junior Johnson 44 $300 Pontiac
48 51 15 Red Hollingsworth 35 $200 Chevrolet
49 3 3 Jim Paschal 30 $200 Pontiac
50 11 72 Bobby Johns 26 $200 Ford
51 55 60 George Tet 24 $200 Ford
52 21 10 T.C. Hunt 23 $200 Dodge
53 23 62 Curtis Crider 12 $200 Ford
54 20 75 Don Odell 10 $200 Ford
55 33 21 Curtis Turner 6 $200 Ford
56 44 99 Wilbur Rakestraw 5 $200 Ford
57 52 55 Ernie Gahan 3 $200 Chevrolet
58 42 50 Ken Johnson 3 $200 Ford
Time of Race: 3 hours, 20 minutes, 32 seconds
Average Speed: 149.601 mph
Fastest Qualifier: Fireball Roberts, 155.709 mph
Pole: Fireball Roberts
Margin of Victory: 16 seconds
Caution Flags: None
Lead Changes: 10 lead changes among 5 drivers. Lap Leaders: Fireball Roberts 1-12, Banjo Matthews 13-15, Nelson Stacy 16-17, Roberts 18-30, Stacy 31-33, Junior Johnson 34-37, Stacy 38-39, Johnson 40-42, Roberts 43-187, Marvin Panch 188-200.
Total Laps Led: Fireball Roberts 170, Marvin Panch 13, Banjo Matthews 3, Nelson Stacy 7, Junior Johnson 7.

Daytona 500 photography © Motorsports Images and Archives, unless otherwise stated.