Official NASCAR Race Results
David Pearson won the 1978 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Champion Spark Plug 400 at Michigan International Speedway.
08-20-1978 | Champion Spark Plug 400 | Michigan International Speedway
Table initially ordered on Finish Position. Click a column header to re-sort by that value.
| Fin | St | # | Driver | Make | Sponsor | Pts | Laps | Led | Status | Money |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 21 | David Pearson | Mercury | Purolator | 180 | 200 | 56 | Running | 16,025 |
| 2 | 3 | 11 | Cale Yarborough | Oldsmobile | 1st National City Travelers Checks | 180 | 200 | 72 | Running | 14,275 |
| 3 | 4 | 88 | Darrell Waltrip | Chevrolet | Gatorade | 170 | 200 | 43 | Running | 10,950 |
| 4 | 7 | 2 | Dave Marcis | Chevrolet | Rod Osterlund | 165 | 200 | 12 | Running | 6,500 |
| 5 | 2 | 15 | Bobby Allison | Ford | Norris Industries | 160 | 198 | 4 | Running | 7,550 |
| 6 | 12 | 90 | Dick Brooks | Mercury | Truxmore | 150 | 198 | 0 | Running | 4,950 |
| 7 | 9 | 70 | J.D. McDuffie | Chevrolet | Bailey Excavating | 151 | 197 | 3 | Running | 4,330 |
| 8 | 15 | 54 | Lennie Pond | Oldsmobile | W.I.N. | 142 | 196 | 0 | Running | 5,400 |
| 9 | 17 | 5 | Neil Bonnett | Oldsmobile | Armor All | 138 | 195 | 0 | Running | 5,300 |
| 10 | 11 | 8 | Ferrel Harris | Chevrolet | Autowize | 134 | 194 | 0 | Running | 3,820 |
| 11 | 28 | 19 | Dick May | Chevrolet | Belden Asphalt | 130 | 194 | 0 | Running | 3,610 |
| 12 | 26 | 67 | Buddy Arrington | Dodge | Falls Radiator | 127 | 193 | 0 | Running | 3,390 |
| 13 | 5 | 72 | Benny Parsons | Oldsmobile | 1st National City Travelers Checks | 129 | 191 | 7 | Running | 5,550 |
| 14 | 14 | 43 | Richard Petty | Chevrolet | STP | 121 | 190 | 0 | Crash | 5,075 |
| 15 | 31 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Chevrolet | WIXC | 118 | 190 | 0 | Running | 2,810 |
| 16 | 24 | 64 | Tommy Gale | Ford | Sunny King Ford & Honda | 115 | 190 | 0 | Running | 2,370 |
| 17 | 33 | 24 | Cecil Gordon | Chevrolet | Transmissions Unlimited | 112 | 189 | 0 | Running | 2,135 |
| 18 | 36 | 8 | Ed Negre | Dodge | Ed Negre | 109 | 189 | 0 | Running | 1,050 |
| 19 | 27 | 30 | Tighe Scott | Chevrolet | Russ Togs | 106 | 187 | 0 | Running | 1,925 |
| 20 | 34 | 4 | Gary Myers | Chevrolet | Spencer's Baby Wear | 103 | 185 | 0 | Running | 1,000 |
| 21 | 30 | 45 | Baxter Price | Chevrolet | Baxter Price | 100 | 183 | 0 | Running | 1,610 |
| 22 | 29 | 7 | Joey Arrington | Dodge | Sam Dell | 97 | 183 | 0 | Running | 950 |
| 23 | 10 | 40 | D.K. Ulrich | Chevrolet | Midwestern Farm Lines | 99 | 181 | 1 | Running | 1,555 |
| 24 | 35 | 79 | Frank Warren | Dodge | Native Tan | 91 | 170 | 0 | Running | 1,520 |
| 25 | 23 | 39 | Blackie Wangerin | Mercury | Blackie Wangerin | 88 | 143 | 0 | Engine | 1,330 |
| 26 | 25 | 25 | Ronnie Thomas | Chevrolet | Louise Smith | 85 | 139 | 0 | Engine | 1,405 |
| 27 | 18 | 68 | Janet Guthrie | Buick | Kelly Girl | 0 | 128 | 0 | Engine | 780 |
| 28 | 21 | 22 | Ricky Rudd | Chevrolet | 1st National City Travelers Checks | 84 | 113 | 1 | Engine | 2,255 |
| 29 | 19 | 1 | Donnie Allison | Oldsmobile | Grog Pond | 76 | 96 | 0 | Engine | 740 |
| 30 | 16 | 17 | Roger Hamby | Chevrolet | Hamby-Ellis | 73 | 88 | 0 | Overheating | 720 |
| 31 | 8 | 3 | Richard Childress | Oldsmobile | Kansas Jack | 75 | 68 | 1 | Engine | 1,195 |
| 32 | 32 | 01 | Earle Canavan | Dodge | Pepsi | 67 | 59 | 0 | Transmission | 685 |
| 33 | 20 | 92 | Mel Larson | Oldsmobile | ThermaSol | 64 | 31 | 0 | Electrical | 1,175 |
| 34 | 13 | 05 | Bruce Hill | Oldsmobile | Bearfinder | 61 | 23 | 0 | Engine | 665 |
| 35 | 22 | 48 | James Hylton | Chevrolet | Palatine Automotive Parts | 58 | 17 | 0 | Engine | 1,155 |
| 36 | 6 | 27 | Buddy Baker | Oldsmobile | M.C. Anderson | 55 | 9 | 0 | Engine | 1,130 |
Race Recap
- Date: 08-20-1978
- Track: Michigan International Speedway
- Race: Champion Spark Plug 400
- Race #: 20
- Cars: 36
- Winner: David Pearson
- Start Position: 1st
- Car Make: Mercury
- Avg Speed: 129.566 mph
- Distance: 400 miles
- Purse: $126,885
- Cautions: 7
- Caution Laps: 35
- Lead Changes: 34
- Pole: 164.073 mph
