The 1979 Virginia 500 was the 9th stock car race of the 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season. The race took place at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia on April 22, 1979 before a crowd of 35,500. Richard Petty, driving for his team Petty Enterprises would win the race by 4 seconds, leading 247 laps. Buddy Baker of Ranier-Lundy Racing and Darrell Waltrip of DiGard Motorsports would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

1979 Virginia 500
Race details
Race 9 of 31 in the 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1979 Virginia 500 program cover, parodying the Star Wars film.
The 1979 Virginia 500 program cover, parodying the Star Wars film.
Date April 22, 1979
Location Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Virginia
Course Permanent racing facility
0.525 mi (0.847 km)
Distance 500 laps, 262.5 mi (423.5 km)
Scheduled Distance 500 laps, 262.5 mi (423.5 km)
Attendance 35,500
Pole position
Driver DiGard Motorsports
Most laps led
Driver Richard Petty Petty Enterprises
Laps 247
Winner
No. 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises
The layout of Martinsville Speedway, the venue where the race was held.

Background

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Entry list
#[1] Driver Team Make Sponsor
1 Donnie Allison Ellington Racing Chevrolet Hawaiian Tropic
2 Dale Earnhardt Rod Osterlund Racing Chevrolet Rod Osterlund Racing
02 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Shoney's
3 Richard Childress Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet CRC Chemicals
05 Dick Brooks Nelson Malloch Racing Oldsmobile Bearfinder
11 Cale Yarborough Junior Johnson & Associates Oldsmobile Busch
12 Lennie Pond Kennie Childers Racing Chevrolet Kencoal Mining
15 Bobby Allison Bud Moore Engineering Ford Hodgdon, Moore
19 Dick May Gray Racing Chevrolet Belden Asphalt
21 Neil Bonnett Wood Brothers Racing Mercury Purolator
24 Cecil Gordon Gordon Racing Oldsmobile Gordon-Barnicle
25 Ronnie Thomas Robertson Racing Chevrolet 1st National City Travelers Checks
27 Benny Parsons M. C. Anderson Racing Chevrolet Power Tool Service
28 Buddy Baker Ranier-Lundy Racing Chevrolet Spectra
30 Tighe Scott Ballard Racing Buick Russ Togs
40 D.K. Ulrich Ulrich Racing Chevrolet Midwestern Farm Lines
43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Chevrolet STP
44 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Chevrolet Stratagraph
45 Baxter Price Price Racing Chevrolet Price Racing
47 Harry Gant Race Hill Farm Team Chevrolet Race Hill Farm
48 James Hylton Hylton Racing Chevrolet Palatine Automotive Parts
52 Jimmy Means Means Racing Chevrolet Mr. Transmission
64 Tommy Gale Langley Racing Ford Sunny King Ford & Honda
67 Buddy Arrington Arrington Racing Dodge Reid Trailer Sales
68 Chuck Bown Testa Racing Buick Kings Mountain Truck Plaza
70 J.D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Chevrolet Bailey Excavating
72 Joe Millikan DeWitt Racing Chevrolet Appliance Wheels
79 Frank Warren Warren Racing Dodge Native Tan
88 Darrell Waltrip DiGard Motorsports Chevrolet Gatorade
90 Ricky Rudd Donlavey Racing Ford Truxmore

Qualifying

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 88 Darrell Waltrip DiGard Motorsports Chevrolet
2 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Chevrolet
3 15 Bobby Allison Bud Moore Engineering Ford
4 28 Buddy Baker Ranier-Lundy Racing Chevrolet
5 11 Cale Yarborough Junior Johnson & Associates Oldsmobile
6 12 Lennie Pond Kennie Childers Racing Chevrolet
7 68 Chuck Bown Testa Racing Buick
8 72 Joe Millikan DeWitt Racing Chevrolet
9 21 Neil Bonnett Wood Brothers Racing Mercury
10 70 J.D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Chevrolet
11 2 Dale Earnhardt Rod Osterlund Racing Chevrolet
12 1 Donnie Allison Ellington Racing Chevrolet
13 27 Benny Parsons M. C. Anderson Racing Chevrolet
14 48 James Hylton Hylton Racing Chevrolet
15 40 D.K. Ulrich Ulrich Racing Chevrolet
16 3 Richard Childress Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
17 90 Ricky Rudd Donlavey Racing Ford
18 67 Buddy Arrington Arrington Racing Dodge
19 44 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Chevrolet
20 79 Frank Warren Warren Racing Dodge
21 47 Harry Gant Race Hill Farm Team Chevrolet
22 30 Tighe Scott Ballard Racing Buick
23 19 Dick May Gray Racing Chevrolet
24 02 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet
25 64 Tommy Gale Langley Racing Ford
26 25 Ronnie Thomas Robertson Racing Chevrolet
27 05 Dick Brooks Nelson Malloch Racing Oldsmobile
28 52 Jimmy Means Means Racing Chevrolet
29 45 Baxter Price Price Racing Chevrolet
30 24 Cecil Gordon Gordon Racing Oldsmobile

Race results

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Fin[2][1][3] St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 2 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Chevrolet 500 247 running 185 $23,400
2 4 28 Buddy Baker Ranier-Lundy Racing Chevrolet 500 196 running 175 $14,700
3 1 88 Darrell Waltrip DiGard Motorsports Chevrolet 499 49 running 170 $10,200
4 3 15 Bobby Allison Bud Moore Engineering Ford 498 1 running 165 $7,100
5 8 72 Joe Millikan DeWitt Racing Chevrolet 497 0 running 155 $6,550
6 21 47 Harry Gant Race Hill Farm Team Chevrolet 497 0 running 150 $2,500
7 14 48 James Hylton Hylton Racing Chevrolet 495 7 engine 151 $4,200
8 11 2 Dale Earnhardt Rod Osterlund Racing Chevrolet 495 0 running 142 $4,200
9 19 44 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Chevrolet 494 0 running 138 $3,350
10 10 70 J.D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Chevrolet 493 0 running 134 $3,080
11 5 11 Cale Yarborough Junior Johnson & Associates Oldsmobile 492 0 running 130 $5,050
12 17 90 Ricky Rudd Donlavey Racing Ford 489 0 running 127 $2,470
13 22 30 Tighe Scott Ballard Racing Buick 488 0 running 124 $2,300
14 16 3 Richard Childress Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 485 0 running 121 $2,140
15 15 40 D.K. Ulrich Ulrich Racing Chevrolet 476 0 running 118 $1,980
16 25 64 Tommy Gale Langley Racing Ford 476 0 running 115 $1,820
17 30 24 Cecil Gordon Gordon Racing Oldsmobile 474 0 running 112 $1,685
18 20 79 Frank Warren Warren Racing Dodge 472 0 running 109 $1,500
19 13 27 Benny Parsons M. C. Anderson Racing Chevrolet 458 0 running 106 $675
20 26 25 Ronnie Thomas Robertson Racing Chevrolet 454 0 running 103 $2,150
21 27 05 Dick Brooks Nelson Malloch Racing Oldsmobile 437 0 running 100 $640
22 18 67 Buddy Arrington Arrington Racing Dodge 312 0 engine 97 $1,130
23 7 68 Chuck Bown Testa Racing Buick 263 0 engine $620
24 29 45 Baxter Price Price Racing Chevrolet 247 0 engine 91 $860
25 9 21 Neil Bonnett Wood Brothers Racing Mercury 207 0 engine 88 $850
26 24 02 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 167 0 engine 85 $590
27 12 1 Donnie Allison Ellington Racing Chevrolet 137 0 engine 82 $3,030
28 28 52 Jimmy Means Means Racing Chevrolet 132 0 overheating 79 $820
29 6 12 Lennie Pond Kennie Childers Racing Chevrolet 10 0 engine 76 $810
30 23 19 Dick May Gray Racing Chevrolet 0 0 engine $800

References

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  1. ^ a b "1979 Virginia 500 race results". Racing-Reference. Archived from the original on 2021-04-28.
  2. ^ "1979 Virginia 500 - The Third Turn". www.thethirdturn.com. Retrieved 2021-09-06.
  3. ^ "Virginia 500". www.ultimateracinghistory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-06.
Preceded by NASCAR Winston Cup Series Season
1979
Succeeded by