The 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 31st season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 8th modern-era Cup series. It began on Sunday, January 14, and ended on Sunday, November 18. Richard Petty won his seventh and final Winston Cup championship, winning by 11 points over Darrell Waltrip. Dale Earnhardt was crowned NASCAR Rookie of the Year.
Teams and drivers
Complete schedule MakeTeamDriverCrew Chief Dodge Warren Racing 79 Frank Warren Ford Bud Moore Engineering 15 Bobby Allison Bud Moore Buick Chevrolet Ulrich Racing 40 D. K. Ulrich Al Elmore Buick Chevrolet Oldsmobile Rod Osterlund Racing 2 Dale Earnhardt (R) Jake Elder David Pearson Hagan Racing 44 Terry Labonte (R) Darrell Bryant Chevrolet Oldsmobile DeWitt Racing 72 Joe Millikan (R) Tex Powell Hylton Racing James Hylton Kirk Shelmerdine Junior Johnson & Associates 11 Cale Yarborough Travis Carter M. C. Anderson Racing 27 Benny Parsons David Ifft McDuffie Racing 70 J. D. McDuffie Petty Enterprises 43 Richard Petty Dale Inman Richard Childress Racing 3 Richard Childress Dodge Ford Arrington Racing 67 Buddy Arrington Joey Arrington
Limited schedule MakeTeamDriverCrew ChiefRounds Buick Ballard Racing 30 Tighe Scott Harry Hyde 50 Bruce Hill Gray Racing 19 Steve Spencer Dick May Thirkettle Racing 51 Jim Thirkettle Robertson Racing 25 Ronnie Thomas Chevrolet Al Rudd Auto 22 Richard White Kevin Housby Darrell Waltrip Al Rudd Jr. Al Holbert Racing 7 Al Holbert Cunningham-Kelley Racing14 Coo Coo Marlin Dick Kranzler Sterling Marlin Jimmy Means DiGard Motorsports 88 Darrell Waltrip Buddy Parrott Donlavey Racing 90 Ricky Rudd 2 Ellington Racing 1 Donnie Allison Runt Pittman Gray Racing 19 Vince Giamformaggio Bill Dennis Dick May Joe Fields Lennie Pond Billy Hagan Bob Burcham Steve Spencer Steve Gray Cecil Gordon Glenn Jarrett Gordon Racing 24 Larry Isley Goularte Racing17 Harry Goularte Hamby Motorsports Skip Manning Roger Hamby Jim Vandiver Steve Pfeifer Bill Elliott Kennie Childers Racing12 Harry GantKennie Childers Lennie Pond Jack Ingram Butch Lindley Buck Simmons Means Racing52 Don Graham Jimmy Means Marcis Auto Racing 02Dave Marcis 71 Nelson Malloch Racing 05 Dick Brooks Elmo Langley Petty Enterprises 42 Kyle Petty Maurice Petty Puskarich Racing13 Don Puskarich Halverson Racing Jeff Halverson Price Racing 45 Ferrel Harris Baxter Price Roy Smith Race Hill Farm Team 47 Harry Gant (R) Ranier-Lundy Racing 28 Buddy Baker Waddell Wilson Robertson Racing 25 Ronnie Thomas Schmitt Racing 73 Steve Moore Slick Johnson Racing 51 Slick Johnson Williamson Racing74 Tim Williamson Wawak Racing Bobby Wawak Dodge Arrington Racing 7 Earl Brooks Canavan Racing 01 Earle Canavan Robbins Racing 6 Marty Robbins 36 42 Petty Enterprises Kyle Petty Maurice Petty Marcis Auto Racing 71 Joey Arrington Ford Donlavey Racing 90 Ricky Rudd Langley Racing64 Tommy Gale Elmo Langley Mercury Donlavey Racing 90 Ricky Rudd 15Wood Brothers Racing21 David PearsonLeonard Wood Neil Bonnett Elliott Racing 9 Bill Elliott Ernie Elliott 17 Oldsmobile A. J. Foyt Enterprises 51 A. J. Foyt Al Holbert Racing 7 Al Holbert Ballard Racing 50 Bruce Hill Craker Racing 01 Jimmy Insolo DiGard Motorsports 88 Darrell Waltrip Buddy Parrott Ellington Racing 1 Donnie Allison Runt Pittman Gordon Racing24 Cecil Gordon D. K. Ulrich Hamby Motorsports 17Roger Hamby 0 Kennie Childers Racing12 Harry GantKennie Childers Neil Bonnett Lennie Pond Jack Ingram Nelson Malloch Racing 05 Dick Brooks Price Racing 45 Baxter Price Race Hill Farm Team47 Geoff Bodine Harry Gant (R) Ranier-Lundy Racing 28 Buddy Baker Waddell Wilson Schmitt Racing 73 Bill Schmitt Wawak Racing74 Bobby Wawak Callentine Racing Hal Callentine
Schedule No. Race title Track Date 1 Winston Western 500 Riverside International Raceway, Riverside January 14 Busch ClashDaytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach February 11 125 Mile Qualifying Races February 15 2 Daytona 500 February 18 3 Carolina 500 North Carolina Motor Speedway, Rockingham March 4 4 Richmond 400 Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway, Richmond March 11 5 Atlanta 500 Atlanta International Raceway, Hampton March 18 6 Northwestern Bank 400 North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro March 25 7 Southeastern 500 Bristol International Raceway, Bristol April 1 8 CRC Chemicals Rebel 500 Darlington Raceway, Darlington April 8 9 Virginia 500 Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway April 22 10 Winston 500 Alabama International Motor Speedway, Talladega May 6 11 Sun-Drop Music City USA 420 Nashville Speedway, Nashville May 12 12 Mason-Dixon 500 Dover Downs International Speedway, Dover May 20 13 World 600 Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord May 27 14 Texas 400 Texas World Speedway, College Station June 3 15 NAPA Riverside 400 Riverside International Raceway, Riverside June 10 16 Gabriel 400 Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn June 17 17 Firecracker 400 Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach July 4 18 Busch Nashville 420 Nashville Speedway, Nashville July 14 19 Coca-Cola 500 Pocono International Raceway, Long Pond July 30 20 Talladega 500 Alabama International Motor Speedway, Talladega August 5 21 Champion Spark Plug 400 Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn August 19 22 Volunteer 500 Bristol International Raceway, Bristol August 25 23 Southern 500 Darlington Raceway, Darlington September 3 24 Capital City 400 Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway, Richmond September 9 25 CRC Chemicals 500 Dover Downs International Speedway, Dover September 16 26 Old Dominion 500 Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway September 23 27 NAPA National 500 Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord October 7 28 Holly Farms 400 North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro October 14 29 American 500 North Carolina Motor Speedway, Rockingham October 21 30 Dixie 500 Atlanta International Raceway, Hampton November 4 31 Los Angeles Times 500 Ontario Motor Speedway, Ontario November 18
Races Winston Western 500
The 1979 Winston Western 500 was run on January 14 at Riverside International Raceway at Riverside, California. David Pearson won the pole.
Top Ten ResultsFinDriverStatus188Darrell Waltrip2:53:30221David PearsonRunning311Cale YarboroughRunning473Bill Schmitt -1 lap51Donnie Allison -1 lap672Joe Millikan -1 lap728Buddy Baker -1 lap851Jim Thirkettle -2 laps974Tim Williamson -3 laps1012Harry Gant -3 laps
This would be the final pole that Pearson would win with The Wood Brothers. This would also be the final top 5 finish Pearson would achieve with The Wood Brothers.
Busch Clash
The inaugural Busch Clash, a non-points race for all of the pole winners from the previous season, was run on February 11 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Benny Parsons started on the pole via a random draw.
Full ResultsFinDriverLapsStatus128Buddy Baker200:15:26288Darrell Waltrip20Running311Cale Yarborough20Running427Benny Parsons20Running515Bobby Allison20Running621David Pearson20Running754Lennie Pond20Running85Neil Bonnett20Running970J. D. McDuffie17Engine
125 Mile Qualifying Races
The two Daytona 500 125-mile qualifying races were run on February 15 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Buddy Baker and Donnie Allison started on the pole for races one and two, respectively. Race OneTop Ten ResultsRace TwoTop Ten ResultsFinDriverStatusFinDriverStatus128Buddy Baker0:44:45188Darrell Waltrip0:49:01211Cale YarboroughRunning251A. J. FoytRunning327Benny ParsonsRunning305Dick BrooksRunning415Bobby AllisonRunning42Dale EarnhardtRunning521David PearsonRunning502Dave MarcisRunning690Ricky RuddRunning612Harry GantRunning743Richard PettyRunning747Geoff BodineRunning867Buddy ArringtonRunning817Roger HambyRunning950Bruce HillRunning95Neil BonnettRunning1044Terry LabonteRunning1000John UtsmanRunning
Cale Yarborough was pessimistic about rivals' chances against Baker, saying "Baker is just pure horsepower."
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.
Top Ten ResultsFinDriverStatus143Richard Petty3:28:22288Darrell WaltripRunning351A. J. FoytRunning41Donnie Allison -1 lap (Crash)511Cale Yarborough -1 lap (Crash)630Tighe Scott -1 lap768Chuck Bown -1 lap82Dale Earnhardt -1 lap914Coo Coo Marlin -2 laps1079Frank Warren -3 laps
The race, the first televised nationally in its entirety, ended in spectacular fashion, as race 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 in 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 seventh and final championship, but it was going to be anything but easy.
Carolina 500
The 1979 Carolina 500 was run on March 4 at North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina. Bobby Allison won the pole.
Top Ten Results
15–Bobby Allison 72–Joe Millikan 05–Dick Brooks 30–Tighe Scott 3–Richard Childress 40–D. K. Ulrich 48–James Hylton 37–Dave Watson 79–Frank Warren 27–Benny Parsons
The story of the race was Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison, who crashed out of the lead on lap 10 in a wreck that swept up five other cars. Richard Petty who was involved in the lap 10 crash, had a crew member, one Maurice Petty involved in a post crash scuffle with NASCAR officials. Maurice was suspended by NASCAR for the next two Cup Series races. Bobby Allison's victory would make him the last Ford driver to win this particular race until Bill Elliott in 1992.
Richmond 400
The 1979 Richmond 400 was scheduled for February 25 at Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway in Richmond, Virginia but it was postponed due to heavy snow. It was finally run on March 11 even though the track had a snow shower before race time which delayed the start by fifteen minutes. Bobby Allison won the pole.
Top Ten Results
11–Cale Yarborough 15–Bobby Allison 88–Darrell Waltrip 27–Benny Parsons 43–Richard Petty 72–Joe Millikan 70–J. D. McDuffie 44–Terry Labonte 1 –Donnie Allison 40–D. K. Ulrich
Atlanta 500
The 1979 Atlanta 500 was run on March 18 at Atlanta International Raceway in Hampton, Georgia. Buddy Baker won the pole.
Top Ten Results
28–Buddy Baker 15–Bobby Allison 88–Darrell Waltrip 11–Cale Yarborough 27–Benny Parsons 02–Dave Marcis 1–Donnie Allison 72–Joe Millikan 90–Ricky Rudd 05–Dick Brooks
After a late race yellow, Baker got tires and stormed away from Bobby Allison (who led the most laps) for his first win since May 1976. The race was marred by the death of pit crew member Dennis Wade, who was struck and killed on pit road by Dave Watson.
Northwestern Bank 400
The 1979 Northwestern Bank 400 was run on March 25 at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Benny Parsons won the pole.
Top Ten Results
15–Bobby Allison 43–Richard Petty 27–Benny Parsons 2–Dale Earnhardt 88–Darrell Waltrip 70–J. D. McDuffie 3–Richard Childress 28–Buddy Baker 11–Cale Yarborough 72–Joe Millikan
When Bobby Allison crossed the line to win the race, his right front tire blew. His car was too damaged from running on the wheel rim to make the trip to victory lane, so Allison had to walk to victory lane. This was Fords first victory in the Cup Series spring race since 1968. This was Fords first victory at the track since the 1969 Cup Series fall race.
Southeastern 500
The 1979 Southeastern 500 was run on April 1 at Bristol International Raceway in Bristol, Tennessee. Buddy Baker won the pole.
Top Ten Results
2–Dale Earnhardt 15–Bobby Allison 88–Darrell Waltrip 43–Richard Petty 27–Benny Parsons 1–Donnie Allison 44–Terry Labonte 72–Joe Millikan 48–James Hylton 90–Ricky Rudd