The 1991 Daytona 500, the 33rd running of the event, was held February 17 at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Florida. Davey Allison won the pole. In the first Gatorade 125 on Thursday, Richard Petty edged Hut Stricklin for second place, placing The King 3rd on the grid.

A notable absentee was 1972 Daytona 500 winner A. J. Foyt. Foyt was badly injured in the Texaco-Havoline 200 IndyCar race at Road America in the fall of 1990. He suffered severe injuries to his feet and legs, and spent several months out of a racecar before returning to action at Indianapolis in May 1991. Foyt missed his first Daytona 500 since 1965.

Davey Allison led the first lap from Dale Earnhardt, who took the lead entering Turn 1. On the backstretch, Earnhardt obliterated a seagull. This adversely affected his car's water temperature, raising it at one point to 240 °F or 116 °C. It forced Earnhardt's team to make emergency repairs under one of the many early cautions in the race.

With 16 laps to go, Richard Petty and off-road racer Robby Gordon tangled on the backstretch. Polesitter and leader Davey Allison pitted with the leaders, allowing Rusty Wallace to take the lead. He was quickly shuffled off of the lead on the restart, and was touched by Kyle Petty in Turn 4. Derrike Cope, Harry Gant, Hut Stricklin, and Darrell Waltrip were also caught up in the mayhem. Leader Dale Earnhardt was passed by Ernie Irvan when the green flag returned, after which he spent several laps battling Davey Allison for 2nd. Earnhardt got loose under Allison with 2 laps to go. Allison spun towards Lake Lloyd, and Earnhardt spun into the path of Kyle Petty. Ernie Irvan coasted to the checkers to become the first Californian since Marvin Panch in 1961 to win the Daytona 500.