The 1981 Pocono 500, the 11th running of the event, was held at the Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, June 21, 1981. Branded as the 1981 Van Scoy Diamond Mine 500 for sponsorship reasons, the race is notable as the final win for all-time IndyCar race winner, A. J. Foyt. It is also notable for its role in the confrontation between separate Indy car racing sanctioning bodies, USAC and CART, as well as the inclusion of older indycars and 8 front-engined dirt cars from the USAC Silver Crown Series in the race.

Anthony Joseph Foyt Jr. is an American former racing driver who competed in numerous disciplines of motorsport. He is best known for his open wheel racing career, and for becoming the first four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500. He holds the most American National Championship titles in history, winning seven.