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1979 Firecracker 400

Auto race held at Daytona International Speedway in 1979

Auto race held at Daytona International Speedway in 1979

FieldValue
TypeCUST
DescriptionRace 17 of 31 in the [1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Series](1979-nascar-winston-cup-series) season
Race NameFirecracker 400
Fulldate
Year1979
Race_No17
Season_No31
Image1979_Firecracker_400_program_cover.png
CaptionThe 1979 Firecracker 400 program cover. "We Are America Day"
Official nameFirecracker 400
LocationDaytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida
Course_mi2.500
Course_km4.023
Distance_laps160
Distance_mi400
Distance_km643
Avg172.89 mi/h
WeatherHot with temperatures of 93.9 F; wind speeds of 12 mph with 0.28 in of rain reported within 24 hours of the racing event
Attendance45,000
Pole_DriverBuddy Baker
Pole_TeamRanier Racing
Most_DriverNeil Bonnett
Most_TeamWood Brothers Racing
Most_laps77
Car21
First_DriverNeil Bonnett
First_TeamWood Brothers Racing
NetworkABC's Wide World Of Sports
AnnouncersBill Flemming & Sam Posey
RadioMotor Racing Network
Booth_AnnJack Arute & Barney Hall
Turn_Ann**Turns 1 & 2:** Mike Joy
**Backstreatch:** Hal Hamrick
**Turns 3 & 4:** Eli Gold
**Pit Reporter:** Ned Jarrett

Backstreatch: Hal Hamrick Turns 3 & 4: Eli Gold Pit Reporter: Ned Jarrett

The 1979 Firecracker 400 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on July 4, 1979, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Race report

There were 41 drivers on the starting grid of this race; Bruce Hill was credited with the last-place finish due to an engine problem on the first lap. Fifteen drivers would fail to finish the race with problems varying from engine trouble, blown tires, and crashes. Claude Ballot-Léna from France would make his final NASCAR Cup Series appearance here; winning $1,130. ($ when adjusted for inflation). His race ended on lap 83 of 160 with engine problems.

Forty-five thousand fans were in attendance. The average speed was a record 172.89 mph. The green flag waved at 10 a.m. Buddy Baker earned the pole position during qualifying with a speed of 193.196 mph. Darrell Waltrip would become a frequent contender for the first-place position along with Buddy Baker and Neil Bonnett. Bonnett would go on to defeat Benny Parsons by a single second.

Terry Labonte went head on into the outside wall in one of the corners just past the halfway point and was sliding back down the track when Bobby Allison suddenly spun sideways and clobbered the #44 right in the door. Neither driver was hurt but the heavy crash put both drivers out of the race.

Notable crew chiefs who participated in the race include Buddy Parrott, Joey Arrington, Kirk Shelmerdine, Darrell Bryant, Dale Inman, Harry Hyde, Waddell Wilson, Bud Moore, Tim Brewer, and Jake Elder.

A souvenir program was sold for $3 USD ($ when adjusted for inflation). Kyle Petty attempted to qualify for this race, but crashed during qualifying with the consequence of having to work on his father's pit crew. He would make his NASCAR debut at Talladega.

Qualifying

Buddy Baker would score the pole, averaging 193.196 mph, a new track record at the time.

GridNo.DriverManufacturerTeam/OwnerTimeAvg. Speed (mph)1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041 (FIA)WithdrewWD
28Buddy BakerOldsmobileRanier-Lundy Racing46.585193.196
21Neil BonnettMercuryWood Brothers Racing46.730192.596
27Benny ParsonsOldsmobileM. C. Anderson Racing46.803192.296
41Grant AdcoxOldsmobileAdcox Racing46.864192.046
11Cale YarboroughOldsmobileJunior Johnson & Associates46.889191.943
88Darrell WaltripOldsmobileDiGard Motorsports47.067191.205
67Buddy ArringtonDodgeArrington Racing47.091191.120
51A.J. FoytOldsmobileA. J. Foyt Enterprises47.147190.893
30Tighe ScottBuickBallard Racing47.154190.864
44Terry LabonteBuickHagan Racing47.255190.457
43Richard PettyOldsmobilePetty Enterprises47.324190.179
68Chuck BownBuickTesta Racing47.392189.906
12Lennie PondOldsmobileKennie Childers Racing47.578189.164
79Frank WarrenDodgeFrank Warren47.713188.628
47Harry GantOldsmobileRace Hill Farm Team47.765188.423
3Richard ChildressOldsmobileRichard Childress Racing47.930187.774
17Roger HambyOldsmobileHamby Racing47.960187.657
7Al HolbertChevroletAl Holbert47.988187.547
90Ricky RuddMercuryDonlavey Racing48.036187.360
15Bobby AllisonFordBud Moore Engineering48.046187.321
2Dale EarnhardtOldsmobileOsterlund Racing47.881187.966
71Dave MarcisChevroletMarcis Auto Racing48.022187.415
1Donnie AllisonChevroletEllington Racing48.116187.048
72Joe MillikanOldsmobileDeWitt Racing48.144186.940
50Bruce HillBuickBallard Racing48.206186.699
87Gary BaloughOldsmobileBillie Harvey48.300186.336
9Bill ElliottMercuryElliott Racing48.398185.959
14Coo Coo MarlinChevroletCunningham-Kelley Racing48.603185.174
38Sandy SatulloBuickSandy Satullo48.793184.453
48James HyltonChevroletJames Hylton Motorsports48.860184.200
6Claude Ballot-LenaOldsmobileG. C. Spencer Racing48.479185.648
70J.D. McDuffieChevroletMcDuffie Racing48.574185.285
39Blackie WangerinMercuryBlackie Wangerin48.981183.745
32Jimmy FingerBuickDon Bierschwale48.987183.723
40D.K. UlrichBuickUlrich Racing49.125183.207
64Tommy GaleFordLangley Racing49.156183.091
05Dick BrooksOldsmobileNelson Malloch Racing49.255182.723
52Jimmy MeansChevroletJimmy Means Racing49.350182.371
46Travis TillerDodgeTravis Tiller49.351182.368
20Rick NewsomOldsmobileRick Newsom49.411182.146
24Cecil GordonOldsmobileGordon Racing50.654177.676
42Kyle PettyDodgePetty Enterprises0.0000.000

Finishing order

FinSt#DriverMakeTeam/OwnerSponsorLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041WithdrewWD
221Neil BonnettMercuryWood Brothers RacingPurolator16077running185$21,705
327Benny ParsonsOldsmobileM. C. Anderson RacingGriffin Marine1606running175$16,875
212Dale EarnhardtOldsmobileOsterlund RacingRod Osterlund1601running170$14,980
688Darrell WaltripOldsmobileDiGard MotorsportsGatorade15954running165$12,280
1143Richard PettyOldsmobilePetty EnterprisesSTP1582running160$9,480
1268Chuck BownBuickTesta RacingKings Mountain Truck Plaza1570running150$4,990
1547Harry GantOldsmobileRace Hill Farm TeamRace Hill Farm1570running146$4,240
2472Joe MillikanOldsmobileDeWitt RacingAppliance Wheels1560running142$7,540
3705Dick BrooksOldsmobileNelson Malloch RacingSub-Tropic1560running138$5,575
851A.J. FoytOldsmobileA. J. Foyt EnterprisesValvoline1563running$3,140
279Bill ElliottMercuryElliott RacingYandle, Thermol King, Dahlonega Ford Sales1560running130$2,960
231Donnie AllisonChevroletEllington RacingHawaiian Tropic1550running127$2,935
1990Ricky RuddMercuryDonlavey RacingTruxmore1550running124$5,075
930Tighe ScottBuickBallard RacingRuss Togs1540running121$4,865
767Buddy ArringtonDodgeArrington RacingRossmeyer1540running118$4,555
2687Gary BaloughOldsmobileBillie HarveyFast Lane Ltd.1540running$1,750
2271Dave MarcisChevroletMarcis Auto RacingShoney's1510running112$3,635
3540D.K. UlrichBuickUlrich RacingU.S. Army1510running109$3,775
3048James HyltonChevroletJames Hylton MotorsportsPalatine Automotive Parts1511running111$3,415
511Cale YarboroughOldsmobileJunior Johnson & AssociatesBusch Beer1490running103$6,960
3270J.D. McDuffieChevroletMcDuffie RacingBailey Excavating1460running100$2,855
3852Jimmy MeansChevroletJimmy Means RacingMr. Transmission1460running97$2,645
4020Rick NewsomOldsmobileRick NewsomMARS Inc.1450running94$1,410
3339Blackie WangerinMercuryBlackie WangerinWangerin Inc.1440blew tire91$1,385
2814Coo Coo MarlinChevroletCunningham-Kelley RacingCunningham-Kelley1380engine88$1,360
1717Roger HambyOldsmobileHamby RacingKings Inn1370running85$2,260
3664Tommy GaleFordLangley RacingSunny King Ford & Honda1210rear end82$2,225
1312Lennie PondOldsmobileKennie Childers RacingBurger King1050engine79$1,285
1044Terry LabonteBuickHagan RacingStratagraph890crash76$2,165
2015Bobby AllisonFordBud Moore EngineeringHodgdon, Moore890crash73$4,925
316Claude Ballot-LenaOldsmobileG. C. Spencer RacingLady & Son Auction830engine$1,130
187Al HolbertChevroletAl HolbertHolbert Porsche-Audi820spindle$895
441Grant AdcoxOldsmobileAdcox RacingAdcox-Kirby810engine64$1,180
128Buddy BakerOldsmobileRanier-Lundy RacingW.I.N.5716ignition66$4,225
4124Cecil GordonOldsmobileGordon RacingGordon Barnical Racing500engine58$1,915
3946Travis TillerDodgeTravis TillerRing Enterprises460engine55$1,025
163Richard ChildressOldsmobileRichard Childress RacingCRC Chemicals280engine52$1,520
2938Sandy SatulloBuickSandy SatulloCopper Kettle Marina180crash49$1,015
3432Jimmy FingerBuickDon BierschwaleVita Fresh, Pharis Chevy170crash46$1,010
1479Frank WarrenDodgeFrank WarrenNative Tan70engine43$1,505
2550Bruce HillBuickBallard RacingGlobal Heat Exchanger10engine40$1,035
42Kyle PettyDodgePetty EnterprisesSTP

Standings after the race

PosDriverPointsDifferential1 [[File:1rightarrow.png10px]]2 [[File:1rightarrow.png10px]]345 [[File:1rightarrow.png10px]]678 [[File:1rightarrow.png10px]]910
**Darrell Waltrip****2720**0
Bobby Allison2587-133
Richard Petty2522-198
Cale Yarborough2500-220
Dale Earnhardt2342-378
Benny Parsons2237-483
Joe Millikan2221-499
Terry Labonte2009-711
J.D. McDuffie1997-723
Richard Childress1983-737

References

before = 1979 Gabriel 400 | after = 1979 Busch Nashville 420| title = NASCAR Winston Cup Series Season| years = 1979 |

References

  1. [http://www.almanac.com/weather/history/FL/Daytona%20Beach/1979-07-04 Weather information for the ''1979 Firecracker 400''] at The Old Farmer's Almanac
  2. [http://www.racing-reference.info/race/1979_Firecracker_400/W ''1979 Firecracker 400''] racing information at Racing-Reference
  3. [http://www.race-database.com/results/results.php?year=1979&race=17&series_id=2 ''1979 Firecracker 400''] racing results at Race-Database
  4. [https://www.racing-reference.info/entrylist/1979-17/W/C 1979 Firecracker 400 crew chiefs] at Racing Reference
Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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