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1978 Daytona 500 Results
| Fin. Pos. | Str. Car Pos. | Car No. | Driver | Laps | Money | Car |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 33 | 15 | Bobby Allison | 200 | $56,300 | Ford |
| 2 | 1 | 11 | Cale Yarborough | 200 | $41,900 | Oldsmobile |
| 3 | 8 | 72 | Benny Parsons | 199 | $31,865 | Oldsmobile |
| 4 | 2 | 53 | Ron Hutcherson | 199 | $22,250 | Buick |
| 5 | 32 | 90 | Richard Brooks | 198 | $19,925 | Mercury |
| 6 | 10 | 2 | Dave Marcis | 198 | $15,600 | Chevrolet |
| 7 | 31 | 27 | Buddy Baker | 196 | $16,395 | Oldsmobile |
| 8 | 9 | 9 | Bill Elliott | 195 | $12,085 | Mercury |
| 9 | 23 | 6 | Ferrell Harris | 195 | $11,175 | Dodge |
| 10 | 28 | 54 | Lennie Pond | 195 | $10,285 | Oldsmobile |
| 11 | 11 | 30 | Tighe Scott | 194 | $10,605 | Oldsmobile |
| 12 | 18 | 92 | Skip Manning | 194 | $9,560 | Buick |
| 13 | 19 | 3 | Richard Childress | 194 | $8,665 | Oldsmobile |
| 14 | 13 | 41 | Grant Adcox | 193 | $6,370 | Chevrolet |
| 15 | 30 | 17 | Roger Hamby | 193 | $6,185 | Chevrolet |
| 16 | 17 | 67 | Buddy Arrington | 192 | $6,845 | Dodge |
| 17 | 40 | 40 | D.K. Ulrich | 192 | $6,150 | Chevrolet |
| 18 | 25 | 57 | Dick May | 192 | $4,410 | Ford |
| 19 | 15 | 98 | Roland Wlodyka | 192 | $4,150 | Buick |
| 20 | 26 | 28 | Jerry Jolly | 191 | $3,720 | Chevrolet |
| 21 | 41 | 24 | Cecil Gordon | 191 | $4,110 | Chevrolet |
| 22 | 35 | 49 | Claude Ballot-Lena | 190 | $2,835 | Dodge |
| 23 | 27 | 26 | Jimmy Lee Capps | 189 | $2,805 | Chevrolet |
| 24 | 34 | 79 | Frank Warren | 188 | $3,125 | Dodge |
| 25 | 38 | 64 | Tom Gale | 185 | $3,350 | Ford |
| 26 | 16 | 14 | Coo Coo Marlin | 179 | $2,425 | Chevrolet |
| 27 | 12 | 5 | Neil Bonnett | 150 | $5,750 | Dodge |
| 28 | 4 | 88 | Darrell Waltrip | 138 | $16,050 | Chevrolet |
| 29 | 14 | 48 | Al Holbert | 136 | $3,065 | Chevrolet |
| 30 | 22 | 70 | J.D. McDuffie | 132 | $2,880 | Chevrolet |
| 31 | 21 | 61 | Joe Mihalic | 110 | $2,200 | Oldsmobile |
| 32 | 3 | 51 | A.J. Foyt | 68 | $12,675 | Buick |
| 33 | 6 | 43 | Richard Petty | 60 | $11,600 | Dodge |
| 34 | 5 | 21 | David Pearson | 60 | $6,775 | Mercury |
| 35 | 39 | 52 | Jimmy Means | 41 | $2,395 | Chevrolet |
| 36 | 29 | 39 | Ervin Wangerin | 30 | $1,950 | Mercury |
| 37 | 36 | 22 | Ricky Rudd | 21 | $4,375 | Chevrolet |
| 38 | 24 | 89 | Jim Vandiver | 19 | $1,975 | Chevrolet |
| 39 | 7 | 1 | Donnie Allison | 9 | $4,325 | Oldsmobile |
| 40 | 37 | 84 | Morgan Shepherd | 8 | $1,650 | Mercury |
| 41 | 20 | 66 | Harry Gant | 1 | $1,975 | Buick |
| Time of Race: | 3 hours, 7 minutes, 49 seconds |
| Average Speed: | 159.730 mph |
| Fastest Qualifier: | Cale Yarborough, 187.536 mph |
| Pole: | Cale Yarborough |
| Margin of Victory: | 33.2 seconds |
| Caution Flags: | 5 for 24 laps |
| Lead Changes: | 37 lead changes among 6 drivers. Lap Leaders: Cale Yarborough 1-4, Darrell Waltrip 5, Yarborough 6, Waltrip 7, Yarborough 8-9, Waltrip 10, Richard Petty 11-17, Waltrip 18-20, Yarborough 21-22, Waltrip 23-28, Petty 29-60, Yarborough 61, Buddy Baker 62-63, Yarborough 64-67, Benny Parsons 68-69, Yarborough 70-71, Bobby Allison 72-73, Baker 74-80, Yarborough 81, Baker 82-84, Yarborough 85, Baker 86, Yarborough 87-92, Baker 93-94, Yarborough 95-97, Baker 98-99, B. Allison 100, Yarborough 101-102, Baker 103-106, Yarborough 107-117, Baker 118-133, Yarborough 134-136, Baker 137-167, B. Allison 168, Baker 169-173, B. Allison 174-186, Baker 187-189, B. Allison 190-200. |
| Total Laps Led: | Buddy Baker 76, Cale Yarborough 43, Richard Petty 39, Bobby Allison 28, Darrell Waltrip 12, Benny Parsons 2. |
Daytona 500 photography © Motorsports Images and Archives, unless otherwise stated.