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The 1981 IndyCar season , the third in the CART era of U.S. open-wheel racing , consisted of 11 races, beginning in Avondale , Arizona on March 22 and concluding at the same location on October 31. The PPG Indy Car World Series Drivers' Champion was Rick Mears . Rookie of the Year was Bob Lazier . After the disagreement with the USAC during the previous season, the 65th Indianapolis 500 was not part of the Series, however no competing race was scheduled and most CART teams and drivers did take part.
Drivers and constructors
The following teams and drivers competed for the 1981 CART World Series .
Full Series Results
Grands Prix
Rd
Date
Race Name
Circuit
City/Location
Pole Position
Winning driver
Winning team
1
March 22
Kraco Car Stereo 200
Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix, Arizona
Bobby Unser
Johnny Rutherford
Chaparral
2
June 7
Gould-Rex Mays 150
Milwaukee Mile
West Allis, Wisconsin
Gordon Johncock
Mike Mosley
All American Racers
3
June 21
Kraco Twin 125
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Hampton, Georgia
Johnny Rutherford
Rick Mears
Penske Racing
4
Rick Mears
Rick Mears
Penske Racing
5
July 25
Norton Michigan 500
Michigan International Speedway
Brooklyn, Michigan
Tom Sneva
Pancho Carter
Alex Foods
6
August 30
Los Angeles Times 500
Riverside International Raceway
Riverside, California
Geoff Brabham
Rick Mears
Penske Racing
7
September 5
Tony Bettenhausen 200
Milwaukee Mile
West Allis, Wisconsin
Johnny Rutherford
Tom Sneva
Bignotti-Cotter
8
September 20
Detroit News Grand Prix
Michigan International Speedway
Brooklyn, Michigan
Rick Mears
Rick Mears
Penske Racing
9
October 4
Watkins Glen 150
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen, New York
Mario Andretti
Rick Mears
Penske Racing
10
October 18
II Copa Mexico 150
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
Mexico City, Mexico
Bobby Unser
Rick Mears
Penske Racing
11
October 31
Miller High Life 150
Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix, Arizona
Bobby Unser
Tom Sneva
Bignotti-Cotter
Oval/Speedway
Road Course/Street Circuit
Final driver standings
Color
Result
Gold
Winner
Silver
2nd place
Bronze
3rd place
Green
4th & 5th place
Light Blue
6th-10th place
Dark Blue
Finished (Outside Top 10)
Purple
Did not finish (Ret)
Red
Did not qualify (DNQ)
Brown
Withdrawn (Wth)
Black
Disqualified (DSQ)
White
Did not start (DNS)
Blank
Did not participate (DNP)
Not competing
In-line notation
Bold
Pole position (2 points)
Italics
Ran fastest race lap
*
Led most race laps (1 point)
DNS
Any driver who qualifies but does not start (DNS), earns all the points had they taken part.
Rookie of the Year
Rookie
See also
References