1978 Firecracker 400

[@augustinecerronejr7968]

I saw this on KZbin and I had to watch. I was at the Rebel 500 at Darlington SC in April of 1977. Me and 3 other Marines..We got there Saturday morning 3rd in line when they opened the gate to enter inside the track. I remember it cost $10. For 4 of Us in my 1967 Chevy. Ten Bucks. It was 1 of the greatest times in my life. Those Good Ole Boys sure know how to party.. White Lighting from Mason Jars and big STARS & BARS Confederate Flags flying. GOD BLESS AMERICA 🇺🇸💪✌🙏

[@funboy7754]

salute

[@dwscane4life]

This is the first race I remember being at; I was 7 years old.

[@robertrobinson9920]

Thanks for posting these old races 👍👍👍.

[@augustinecerronejr7968]

Great Race. Awesome piece of driving by Cale Yarlburgh. That Darlington race there was a crash near the end and Daryll Waltrip won and David Pearson had been leading much of the race..I was rooting for Richard Petty and he came in 4th that day. I've been to 4 NASCAR races. Darlington, Dover, Richmond & Pocono. I don't care for the new system they do. 🇺🇸💪🙏✌

[@thefrydaddy1]

My favorite driver won!. I’m sure i saw this back in the day, but it’s like watching for the first time! ❤️✌️

[@marcuserickson9083]

Race starts out great. Broadcasting icons Economaki and McKay do the intro and then the 1-2-3 cars are future broadcast greats Baker, Waltrip and Benny Parsons. Love this stuff.

[@josephconciatori9824]

This was David Pearson's final Daytona race, as well as his second-to-last win driving for the Wood Brothers. He would only win three more times after this event: the Michigan 400 that August, the 1979 Southern 500 at Darlington, and the 1980 CRC Chemicals Rebel 500, also at Darlington.

[@teddrewflack400]

Such beauty on the track , this was my favourite era

[@dirtymo5232]

Dale Earnhardt finished 7th. Driving a car owned by Will Cronkrite. The car was an ex Bud Moore ford that Buddy Baker had won 3 races in a row with at Talladega in 1975 and 1976.

[@Jmeon4eva]

What's really amazing is, driving this car less to Osterlund signing Dale. Problem, Osterlund wanted a test race...... would've disqualified Dale for being a rookie in 79. Solution one of the races dale did in 78 for Will, he didn't start, if you don't start it doesn't count against.

[@Jmeon4eva]

What's really more amazing Dale went to Will and asked if it was alright, it was, and down the road, Will was one of the guys Dale would drop spare tires they'd get from good qualifying spots, to on the dl. Apparently Dave Marcus was another.

[@clarenceghammjr1326]

God, couldn’t you see dale bumming a ride from DK Ulrich 😂😂

[@BroMark1611]

I watch a lot of your old Cup uploads and forget to like them before moving onto the next. Just saying I appreciate your time doing this.

[@rogertynerthinkthiswastheo3112]

The Silver Fox. Wish he had entered more races. Driver of the Century.

[@cc2450]

Thank you for sharing these old videos. I have surely enjoyed watching/rewatching them. 👍

[@MrMakemyday3]

three wide in second corner of the first lap!! no plates, no stages just men racing

[@artisticgizmo8654]

David Pearson's 102nd Career NASCAR Winston Cup Victory 31:49 White Flag

[@matthewmcsweeney5996]

Awesome to see another missing race on KZbin!

[@Fania54]

Great race, thanks for posting it!

[@Ezisnotaman]

Chris Economaki= LEGEND

[@beeemm2578]

He was a wacky ass dude, but his voice is synonymous with auto racing, period. Salute.

[@MrChristopherHaas]

Blackie Wangerin in the eighth row? Unbelieveable. Earnhardt in row 11.

[@clarenceghammjr1326]

Dale in a ford too

[@MrChristopherHaas]

Never knew that Buddy Baker lost his sister as she was en route to Daytona.

[@backporchdriver3763]

This was one of the first races for the Race Hill Farm team. Satch Worley drove the car.

[@nathanielwaters6730]

Wow, 1978 was a winless year for Richard Petty, if NASCAR didn't change the rules for that STP/ Petty Enterprises Dodge Charger, he woulda ran that car instead of the Dodge Magnum!!! That Magnum was a very stylish car, I liked the way it looked!!! Richard Petty said, "This car handles like a brick", then Chrysler really wasn't supplying the parts for that 340 small block, it was gettin' harder to get aftermarket parts for Mopar at the time!!! In August of '78, Richard Petty parked that Dodge Magnum, and came out with the Colonade body styled Chevy Monte Carlo, that was a true disappointment to Mopar Guys like me!!! Mopar Nate Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

[@robertanderson2898]

Terry Labonte's first Cup races in '78, but wasn't in this one. Interesting to see Dale Earnhardt and his future crew chief Richard Childress in the same race (Childress actually finished 5th in the overall standings in 1975, 10th in '78, never won a race). Bill Elliott and Ricky Rudd were some other young future starts in this one. Cool to see Coo Coo Marlin qualify well, Sterling was already running Cup events I think, actually had a top 10 in 2 starts in '78.

[@DanArnets1492]

POINTS STANDINGS and WINS BEFORE the 1978 FIRECRACKER 400: · Cale Yarborough (2362 with 4 wins, Oldsmobile) · Benny Parsons (-47 with 3 wins, Chevrolet) · Dave Marcis (-134, Chevrolet) · Bobby Allison (-331 with 2 wins, Ford) · Richard Petty (-335, Dodge) · Darrell Waltrip (-390 with 4 wins with Chevrolet) · Lennie Pond (-396, Chevrolet) · Buddy Arrington (-461, Dodge) · Richard Childress 9th (-524, Chevrolet), Cecil Gordon 16th (-909, Chevrolet) while David Pearson was running a partial schedule (2 wins with Mercury)

[@funboy7754]

thax 4 the upload

[@gary24fan]

Chris Economaki was very good at inflating the brevity of a situation, using pretty words to do so, and not much else. Skip Manning did not "clobber" Bruce Hill. They hit each other, but it was hardly a "clobber."

[@CueBallRacer]

Thanks. I see why Richard moved to Chevy. Late 78

[@LS-mw6lc]

Because of lack of Chrysler support, parts supply. Impending doom with bankruptcy. Cars still were fast

[@AmericanFlyOnTheWall]

Maurice Petty was scavenging in junk yards to find engine parts. True story. Chrysler was broke and cut almost all NASCAR support.

[@Thunder_6278]

Too bad you can't get the original Tape from ABC, and transfer it to HD.

[@Slinger43]

That rolling piece of 💩 Magnum poor King Richard was driving might as well have had a barn door bolted to the front bumper! 🤮 Ol' King Richard was ring'n that dog's neck though the last 5 lap's, flat smoke'n the right rear off turn 2, & especially off 4 the last lap! That's what I call "Drive it like you stole it Son!!" 😂👍 Thank's for a great post, enjoyed the mess outta it! 💪😎👉YOU!!

[@GoodOlRoll]

The Magnum was terrible, making Richard go winless. He wasn't all that bad though in 1978, he was still consistent.

[@hemihead001]

@@GoodOlRoll I wouldn't call it that bad . He came in 4th . It had the same chassis under it as the 73 - 74 Charger just a different body . I think Petty wanted to ditch Chrysler because of Chrysler's financial problems and Petty wasn't getting factory support but probably was under contract that he had to finish up .

[@GoodOlRoll]

@@hemihead001 I never said he was bad. I said the car was, particularly the body. So much worse aerodynamically.

[@beeemm2578]

6:56 Chris E said the debris on the track that stopped the race was a lens cap from a photographer ...lol. Bet that guy felt like a giant 🥒

[@randydubin7118]

Coo Coo Marlin & Skip Manning qualified ahead of DW & The King, WUT????

[@chrissnyder3430]

And some dude in the#96 named Earnhardt????

[@robertanderson2898]

That did happen off and on. Maybe it was their names......

[@johnriggle5336]

Coo Coo ran good on super speedways for what he had

[@Slinger43]

Actually was surprised RP qualified as far up as he did, that damn MagNUMB was not only ugly, but VERY UN-aerodynamic! No wonder Richard ended up with bleeding ulcers 🤥

[@68air]

Who came here to see Dale Earnhardt's 7th place finish in his first race here?

[@GoodOlRoll]

I came here to see Pearson's 102nd personally.

[@clarenceghammjr1326]

And dale in a ford too

[@AustinLaPlante]

👍👍👍