Stock Car History Online | Don Hunter Collection

VICTORY LANE

With Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough so far out in front, Richard Petty was all but out of competition for the win in the 1979 Daytona 500.

But then … then all heck break loose as Allison and Yarborough hurtled down the backstretch on the last lap. They touched. And they touched again. And again. When all was said and done, their cars were in a heap on the apron, their tempers flaring past the breaking point.

The mishap allowed Petty to dash into the lead, although the win wasn’t quite secure yet. He had to hold off Darrell Waltrip and A.J. Foyt as they came to the finish line. It was the sixth and next-to-last win for Petty in the Daytona 500.