The 1979 Gabriel 400 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race that took place on June 17, 1979, at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan.
The NASCAR Winston Cup Series races that were being shown at Michigan International Speedway between the late-1970s and the late-1980s were exceptionally good by modern standards.
Background Michigan International Speedway is a four-turn superspeedway that is long. Opened in 1968, the track's turns are banked at eighteen degrees, while the 3,600-foot-long front stretch, the location of the finish line, is banked at twelve degrees. The back stretch, has a five degree banking and is 2,242 feet long.
Race report Two hundred laps were done on a paved oval track spanning . The total time of the race was two hours, fifty-six minutes, and forty-four seconds. There were six cautions for thirty-three laps with the race finishing under caution. Speeds were: as the average and as the pole position speed.
Sixty-two thousand fans managed to see Buddy Baker defeat Donnie Allison under caution. The race was also Bill Seifert's final start in addition to being Bill Elliott's 33rd start in the NASCAR Cup Series; Elliott would lead the first lap of his NASCAR Cup Series career during this event. Other famous drivers like Darrell Waltrip (who retained the championship points lead after this race but lost it at the 1979 running of the Los Angeles Times 500 by 11 points), Richard Childress (now the owner of Richard Childress Racing), Benny Parsons, and Terry Labonte have participated in this race.
This was Marty Robbins' last race in his signature #42. He would switch to using a variety of different numbers from here on out, normally the #6. He changed numbers to free up the #42 for young Kyle Petty to use it, reviving his family's use of the digit his grandfather Lee Petty had made so famous.
Engine problems took out Bill Seifert on lap 32 in addition to Marty Robbins on lap 64 and Bill Green on lap 76. Problems with the vehicle's shocks eliminated Tommy Gale from the race on lap 84. Lap 97 would be very unkind to Paul Fess and Benny Parsons; whose vehicles would suffer from faulty engines. Joe Millikan would notice that his vehicle's engine stopped working on lap 103 while Roger Hamby would inflict terminal vehicle damage on lap 122. Further engine problems knocked David Sosebee out of the race on lap 135 and Ronnie Thomas on lap 150. Dave Marcis would inflict terminal vehicle damage on lap 173. Bob Burcham noticed that his vehicle's engine stopped working on lap 184. Frank Warren inflicted terminal vehicle damage on lap 186 while Darrell Waltrip had to leave the race due to a faulty engine on lap 197.
While substituting for Roger Hamby during the middle of this racing event, Steve Pfeifer lost control of his car during a caution period and injured a couple of spectators on the pit wall while attempting to stop his vehicle for maintenance. He would be later sent to Foote West Hospital in nearby Jackson; where the doctors gave him a good prognosis and eventually released him with cuts on his right knee and chest.
The lead changed 47 times among 11 drivers. Dale Earnhardt was criticized by Darrell Waltrip and Richard Petty when he nearly spun out trying to pass Neil Bonnett late in the race in front of both ("He nearly took us all out in the third turn," Waltrip said after the race).
Notable crew chiefs to actively participate in the race were Buddy Parrott, Tex Powell, Joey Arrington, Kirk Shelmerdine, Darrell Bryant, Dale Innman, Harry Hyde, Bud Moore, Tim Brewer, and Jake Elder. The total winnings of this race were $148,505 ($ when adjusted for inflation). Buddy Baker earned $16,780 in cash prizes for his win ($ when adjusted for inflation) while Bill Seifert walked away only $960 wealthier ($ when adjusted for inflation).
Qualifying Grid Driver Manufacturer Owner 1 21 Neil Bonnett Mercury Wood Brothers 2 1 Donnie Allison Chevrolet Hoss Ellington 3 28 Buddy Baker Chevrolet Harry Ranier 4 72 Joe Millikan Chevrolet L.G. DeWitt 5 11 Cale Yarborough Oldsmobile Junior Johnson 6 15 Bobby Allison Ford Bud Moore 7 44 Terry Labonte Chevrolet Billy Hagan 8 90 Ricky Rudd Mercury Junie Donlavey 9 88 Darrell Waltrip Chevrolet DiGard Racing 10 43 Richard Petty Chevrolet Petty Enterprises 11 9 Bill Elliott Mercury George Elliott 12 30 Tighe Scott Buick Walter Ballard 13 2 Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet Rod Osterlund 14 49 Bill Green Chevrolet Charles Dean 15 71 Dave Marcis Chevrolet Dave Marcis
Finishing order Section reference: POSST#DRIVERSPONSOR / OWNERCARLAPSMONEYSTATUSLEDPTS1328 Buddy BakerSpectra (Harry Ranier)Chevrolet20016870running121185221 Donnie AllisonHawaiian Tropic (Hoss Ellington)Chevrolet20012970running251753511 Cale YarboroughBusch (Junior Johnson)Oldsmobile20012620running41704121 Neil BonnettPurolator (Wood Brothers)Mercury2007410running916551043 Richard PettySTP (Petty Enterprises)Chevrolet2008325running231606132 Dale EarnhardtRod OsterlundChevrolet2007540running11557615 Bobby AllisonHodgdon / Moore (Bud Moore)Ford2006830running11518890 Ricky RuddTruxmore (Junie Donlavey)Mercury1995665running014291230 Tighe ScottRuss Togs (Walter Ballard)Buick1995480running0138103405 Dick BrooksBearfinder (Nelson Malloch)Chevrolet1994650running0111912 Lennie PondKencoal Mining (Kennie Childers)Chevrolet1992425running013012119 Bill ElliottKnutsons Ski-Doo (George Elliott)Mercury1982315running113213988 Darrell WaltripGatorade (DiGard Racing)Chevrolet1975655engine8129142270 J.D. McDuffieBailey Excavating (J.D. McDuffie)Chevrolet1964060running0121153067 Buddy ArringtonReid Trailer Sales (Buddy Arrington)Dodge1963865running0118162652 Jimmy MeansMr. Transmission (Jimmy Means)Chevrolet1933625running0115172447 Harry GantRace Hill Farm (Jack Beebe)Chevrolet1931440running011218270 John KennedyAvanti CB (John Kennedy)Chevrolet1921385running0109193638 Sandy SatulloCopper Kettle Marina (Sandy Satullo)Buick1921345running0106202148 James HyltonPalatine Automotive Parts (James Hylton)Chevrolet1903125running0103213140 D.K. UlrichMidwestern Farm Lines (D.K. Ulrich)Buick1902830running0100222079 Frank WarrenNative Tan (Frank Warren)Dodge1862585crash09723233 Richard ChildressCRC Chemicals (Richard Childress)Oldsmobile1862380running094242519 Bob BurchamBelden Asphalt (Henley Gray)Chevrolet1842085engine09125744 Terry LabonteStratagraph (Billy Hagan)Chevrolet1842050running088261571 Dave MarcisTransmissions Unlimited (Dave Marcis)Chevrolet1731765crash490271725 Ronnie ThomasStone's Cafeteria (Don Robertson)Chevrolet1502970engine187283581 David SosebeeGober SosebeeChevrolet1351060engine0291817 Roger HambyKings Inn (Roger Hamby)Chevrolet1221545crash07630472 Joe MillikanAppliance Wheels (L.G. DeWitt)Chevrolet1034725engine073311627 Benny ParsonsGriffin Marine (M.C. Anderson)Chevrolet971510engine070322882 Paul FessLasky Construction (Stan Lasky)Oldsmobile971000engine067333264 Tommy GaleSunny King Ford & Honda (Elmo Langley)Ford841490shocks064341449 Bill GreenA.K. Cartage (Charles Dean)Chevrolet76980engine2352942 Marty RobbinsRobbins Racing (Marty Robbins)Dodge64970engine058363309 Bill SeifertCRC Chemicals (Nelson Oswald)Oldsmobile32960engine055 † signifies that the driver is known to be deceased * Driver failed to finish race
Standings after the race Pos Driver Points 1 Darrell Waltrip 2555 2 Bobby Allison 2514 3 Cale Yarborough 2397 4 Richard Petty 2362 5 Dale Earnhardt 2172 6 Joe Millikan 2079 7 Benny Parsons 2069 8 Terry Labonte 1933 9 Richard Childress 1931 10 J.D. McDuffie 1897
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