The Southeastern 500 was contested on October 22, 1961, as the 50th race of the NASCAR Grand National Series at the half‑mile Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. The 500‑lap race, covering 250 miles on the short‑track oval, saw an average speed of 72.452 mph and featured six lead changes over the course of the afternoon. A crowd of fans witnessed the season’s late‑year contest as drivers battled the tight confines and frequent traffic of NASCAR’s newest short track.
The race was marked by shifting fortunes among the leaders. The early laps saw Bobby Johns and Junior Johnson exchanging the point position before mechanical troubles and attrition reshuffled the field. Virginia veteran Joe Weatherly, driving a Pontiac prepared by Bud Moore Engineering, took the lead in the closing stages and led the final 81 laps to win the Southeastern 500. Weatherly won the race by seven car lengths and took home $3,680 for the victory. Finishing second was Rex White in a Chevrolet followed by Nelson Stacy, Jim Paschal, and Emanuel Zervakis.
Ned Jarrett entered the race as the point leader. With his sixth-place finish, Jarrett was able to secure his first Grand National title over Rex White.
