Daytona 500
The 21st annual Daytona 500 was run on February 18 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Buddy Baker won the pole. The race, the first televised nationally in its entirety, ended in spectacular fashion, as races leaders Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough crashed on the last lap in turn three, allowing Richard Petty to take the lead and win his sixth Daytona 500. During the cool-down lap, Allison and Yarborough got into a heated argument which later escalated into a fist-fight, which was later joined by Bobby Allison, who stepped to try to defend his brother. TV ratings were bolstered that day due to much of the U.S. Northeast being snowed in by a major blizzard. Petty would use the win as a springboard to his record seventh and final, championship but the going was anything but easy.
Top Ten Results
- 43–Richard Petty
- 88–Darrell Waltrip
- 51–A. J. Foyt
- 1–Donnie Allison
- 11–Cale Yarborough
- 30–Tighe Scott
- 68–Chuck Bown
- 2–Dale Earnhardt
- 14–Coo Coo Marlin
- 79–Frank Warren
Read more about this topic: 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Series