Official NASCAR Race Results
Richard Petty won the 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Champion Spark Plug 400 at Michigan International Speedway.
08-19-1979 | 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 | 5 | 43 | Richard Petty | Chevrolet | STP | 180 | 200 | 9 | Running | 21,100 |
| 2 | 11 | 28 | Buddy Baker | Chevrolet | W.I.N. | 180 | 200 | 115 | Running | 12,425 |
| 3 | 6 | 27 | Benny Parsons | Chevrolet | Melling Tool | 165 | 200 | 0 | Running | 12,820 |
| 4 | 1 | 2 | David Pearson | Chevrolet | Rod Osterlund | 160 | 199 | 0 | Running | 10,215 |
| 5 | 20 | 08 | John Anderson | Chevrolet | Draime Race Engines | 155 | 199 | 0 | Running | 4,355 |
| 6 | 7 | 72 | Joe Millikan | Chevrolet | Appliance Wheels | 155 | 199 | 8 | Running | 7,195 |
| 7 | 16 | 90 | Ricky Rudd | Mercury | Truxmore | 146 | 199 | 0 | Running | 5,320 |
| 8 | 28 | 30 | Tighe Scott | Buick | Russ Togs | 142 | 197 | 0 | Running | 4,890 |
| 9 | 15 | 70 | J.D. McDuffie | Chevrolet | Bailey Excavating | 138 | 197 | 0 | Running | 4,670 |
| 10 | 12 | 3 | Richard Childress | Oldsmobile | CRC Chemicals | 134 | 197 | 0 | Running | 4,550 |
| 11 | 13 | 17 | Bill Elliott | Mercury | Knutsons RV | 130 | 195 | 0 | Running | 4,120 |
| 12 | 31 | 48 | James Hylton | Chevrolet | Palatine Automotive Parts | 127 | 195 | 0 | Running | 3,850 |
| 13 | 34 | 42 | Kyle Petty | Dodge | STP | 124 | 195 | 0 | Running | 1,675 |
| 14 | 18 | 64 | Tommy Gale | Ford | Sunny King Ford & Honda | 121 | 193 | 0 | Running | 3,130 |
| 15 | 29 | 0 | John Kennedy | Chevrolet | Avanti CB | 0 | 188 | 0 | Running | 1,490 |
| 16 | 30 | 79 | Frank Warren | Dodge | Native Tan | 115 | 188 | 0 | Running | 2,725 |
| 17 | 8 | 11 | Cale Yarborough | Chevrolet | Busch | 117 | 185 | 3 | Engine | 6,270 |
| 18 | 35 | 24 | Cecil Gordon | Oldsmobile | Gordon Racing | 109 | 183 | 0 | Running | 2,300 |
| 19 | 10 | 88 | Darrell Waltrip | Chevrolet | Gatorade | 106 | 173 | 0 | Running | 4,775 |
| 20 | 22 | 67 | Buddy Arrington | Dodge | Hills Racing | 103 | 150 | 0 | Engine | 1,965 |
| 21 | 26 | 45 | Baxter Price | Oldsmobile | Iron Peddlers | 100 | 146 | 0 | Running | 1,920 |
| 22 | 19 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Chevrolet | Mr. Transmission | 97 | 145 | 0 | Running | 1,875 |
| 23 | 2 | 15 | Bobby Allison | Ford | Hodgdon / Moore | 99 | 141 | 38 | Engine | 4,935 |
| 24 | 32 | 25 | Ronnie Thomas | Chevrolet | Stone's Cafeteria | 91 | 131 | 0 | Overheating | 2,785 |
| 25 | 9 | 47 | Harry Gant | Chevrolet | Race Hill Farm | 93 | 129 | 5 | Clutch | 875 |
| 26 | 4 | 44 | Terry Labonte | Chevrolet | Stratagraph | 90 | 108 | 5 | Engine | 1,475 |
| 27 | 33 | 6 | Marty Robbins | Dodge | Marty Robbins | 82 | 96 | 0 | Engine | 825 |
| 28 | 17 | 40 | D.K. Ulrich | Buick | Midwestern Farm Lines | 79 | 85 | 0 | Running | 1,300 |
| 29 | 14 | 05 | Dick Brooks | Chevrolet | Bearfinder | 76 | 81 | 0 | Exhaust | 785 |
| 30 | 21 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Chevrolet | Transmissions Unlimited | 73 | 67 | 0 | Engine | 765 |
| 31 | 24 | 19 | Lennie Pond | Chevrolet | Belden Asphalt | 70 | 57 | 0 | Overheating | 1,250 |
| 32 | 23 | 22 | Al Rudd, Jr. | Chevrolet | Bill Lewis | 0 | 39 | 0 | Clutch | 740 |
| 33 | 3 | 21 | Neil Bonnett | Mercury | Purolator | 69 | 28 | 17 | Ignition | 1,405 |
| 34 | 36 | 01 | Earle Canavan | Dodge | Scope Mount | 0 | 23 | 0 | Engine | 720 |
| 35 | 25 | 36 | H.B. Bailey | Pontiac | Caldwell Knapp Cadillac | 58 | 2 | 0 | Crash | 710 |
| 36 | 27 | 39 | Blackie Wangerin | Mercury | Blackie Wangerin | 55 | 2 | 0 | Crash | 700 |
Race Recap
- Date: 08-19-1979
- Track: Michigan International Speedway
- Race: Champion Spark Plug 400
- Race #: 21
- Cars: 36
- Winner: Richard Petty
- Start Position: 5th
- Car Make: Chevrolet
- Avg Speed: 130.376 mph
- Distance: 400 miles
- Purse: $142,905
- Cautions: 5
- Caution Laps: 35
- Lead Changes: 21
- Pole: 162.992 mph
