Race: Talladega 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series: Race 20 of 31
Date: August 5, 1979
Track: Alabama International Motor Speedway
← Coca-Cola 500 | 1979 Season Results | Champion Spark Plug 400 →
Talladega 500 Race Information
| Winner | Darrell Waltrip | Car | No. 88 Oldsmobile |
| Team / Owner | DiGard Racing | Sponsor | Gatorade |
| Winner Start | 8th | Winner Laps Led | 102 |
| Started First | Neil Bonnett | Most Laps Led | Darrell Waltrip (102) |
| Race Distance | 500.08 miles (188 laps) | Track Length | 2.66 miles |
| Track Type | Paved oval | Starters | 41 |
| Total Purse | $205,680 | Winner Earnings | $32,325 |
| Different Leaders | 8 | Lead-Lap Finishers | 2 |
| Points Leader After Race | Darrell Waltrip | Season Race | 20 of 31 |
Talladega 500 Race Results
| Fin | Start | No. | Driver | Sponsor | Team / Owner | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Points | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | 88 | Darrell Waltrip | Gatorade | DiGard Racing | Oldsmobile | 188 | 102 | running | 185 | $32,325 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | David Pearson | Lowe's | Rod Osterlund | Oldsmobile | 188 | 17 | running | 175 | $20,925 |
| 3 | 11 | 90 | Ricky Rudd | Truxmore | Junie Donlavey | Mercury | 186 | 0 | running | 165 | $13,920 |
| 4 | 13 | 43 | Richard Petty | STP | Petty Enterprises | Oldsmobile | 186 | 4 | running | 165 | $11,475 |
| 5 | 25 | 77 | Jody Ridley | Sunny King | Junie Donlavey | Mercury | 186 | 0 | running | 155 | $6,025 |
| 6 | 3 | 30 | Tighe Scott | Russ Togs | Walter Ballard | Buick | 186 | 0 | running | 150 | $8,000 |
| 7 | 21 | 47 | Harry Gant | Race Hill Farm | Jack Beebe | Oldsmobile | 184 | 0 | running | 146 | $4,815 |
| 8 | 6 | 67 | Buddy Arrington | Rossmeyer | Buddy Arrington | Dodge | 181 | 0 | running | 142 | $5,960 |
| 9 | 18 | 42 | Kyle Petty | STP | Petty Enterprises | Dodge | 181 | 0 | running | 138 | $3,315 |
| 10 | 20 | 3 | Richard Childress | CRC Chemicals | Richard Childress | Oldsmobile | 179 | 0 | running | 134 | $5,520 |
| 11 | 24 | 5 | Dick Brooks | Bearfinder | Nelson Malloch | Oldsmobile | 177 | 0 | running | 130 | $4,560 |
| 12 | 22 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Yandle / Thermol King | George Elliott | Mercury | 176 | 0 | running | 127 | $2,865 |
| 13 | 37 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Mr. Transmission | Jimmy Means | Chevrolet | 175 | 0 | running | 124 | $4,740 |
| 14 | 38 | 19 | Bob Burcham | Belden Asphalt | Henley Gray | Chevrolet | 172 | 0 | running | 121 | $4,480 |
| 15 | 34 | 20 | Rick Newsom | MARS | Rick Newsom | Oldsmobile | 172 | 0 | running | 118 | $2,565 |
| 16 | 10 | 50 | Bruce Hill | Global Heat Exchanger | Walter Ballard | Oldsmobile | 171 | 0 | engine | 115 | $2,465 |
| 17 | 39 | 73 | Steve Moore | Gilbert Moore | Gilbert Moore | Chevrolet | 170 | 0 | running | 112 | $2,415 |
| 18 | 31 | 70 | J.D. McDuffie | Bailey Excavating | J.D. McDuffie | Chevrolet | 163 | 0 | running | 109 | $3,920 |
| 19 | 7 | 41 | Grant Adcox | Adcox-Kirby | Herb Adcox | Oldsmobile | 162 | 5 | running | 111 | $2,515 |
| 20 | 30 | 48 | James Hylton | Palatine Automotive Parts | James Hylton | Oldsmobile | 159 | 0 | running | 103 | $3,510 |
| 21 | 12 | 27 | Benny Parsons | Griffin Marine | M.C. Anderson | Oldsmobile | 146 | 5 | engine | 105 | $3,400 |
| 22 | 32 | 25 | Ronnie Thomas | Stone's Cafeteria | Don Robertson | Buick | 143 | 0 | engine | 97 | $3,965 |
| 23 | 9 | 79 | Frank Warren | Native Tan | Frank Warren | Dodge | 142 | 0 | running | 94 | $2,830 |
| 24 | 5 | 11 | Cale Yarborough | Busch | Junior Johnson | Oldsmobile | 138 | 14 | engine | 96 | $8,015 |
| 25 | 26 | 72 | Joe Millikan | Appliance Wheels | L.G. DeWitt | Oldsmobile | 120 | 1 | engine | 93 | $6,615 |
| 26 | 36 | 45 | Baxter Price | Iron Peddlers | Baxter Price | Oldsmobile | 95 | 0 | engine | 85 | $2,620 |
| 27 | 35 | 40 | D.K. Ulrich | — | D.K. Ulrich | Buick | 92 | 0 | engine | 82 | $2,600 |
| 28 | 19 | 15 | Bobby Allison | Hodgdon / Moore | Bud Moore | Ford | 90 | 0 | engine | 79 | $5,365 |
| 29 | 33 | 14 | Coo Coo Marlin | Cunningham-Kelley | H.B. Cunningham | Chevrolet | 87 | 0 | engine | 76 | $1,590 |
| 30 | 23 | 1 | Donnie Allison | Hawaiian Tropic | Hoss Ellington | Chevrolet | 83 | 0 | engine | 73 | $1,515 |
| 31 | 14 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Shoney's | Dave Marcis | Chevrolet | 83 | 0 | timing chain | 70 | $1,350 |
| 32 | 40 | 36 | Marty Robbins | Robbins Racing | Marty Robbins | Dodge | 75 | 0 | engine | 67 | $1,325 |
| 33 | 15 | 44 | Terry Labonte | Stratagraph | Billy Hagan | Buick | 75 | 0 | engine | 64 | $2,300 |
| 34 | 1 | 21 | Neil Bonnett | Purolator | Wood Brothers | Mercury | 71 | 40 | engine | 66 | $6,025 |
| 35 | 16 | 12 | Jack Ingram | Kencoal Mining | Kennie Childers | Oldsmobile | 70 | 0 | clutch | 58 | $1,250 |
| 36 | 27 | 64 | Tommy Gale | Sunny King Ford & Honda | Elmo Langley | Ford | 58 | 0 | engine | 55 | $1,725 |
| 37 | 29 | 39 | Blackie Wangerin | — | Blackie Wangerin | Mercury | 50 | 0 | oil pressure | 52 | $1,350 |
| 38 | 17 | 7 | Al Holbert | Holbert Porsche-Audi | Al Holbert | Oldsmobile | 47 | 0 | engine | — | $1,175 |
| 39 | 4 | 28 | Buddy Baker | W.I.N. | Harry Ranier | Oldsmobile | 41 | 0 | engine | 46 | $1,750 |
| 40 | 41 | 24 | Cecil Gordon | — | Cecil Gordon | Oldsmobile | 40 | 0 | engine | 43 | $1,550 |
| 41 | 28 | 87 | Dick May | Fast Lane Ltd. | Billie Harvey | Oldsmobile | 0 | 0 | oil pressure | — | $1,050 |
Season Navigation
1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results
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