1977 NAPA National 500

The 1977 NAPA National 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that was held on October 9, 1977, at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.

1977 NAPA National 500
Race details[1][2]
Race 27 of 30 in the 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season
Layout of Charlotte Motor Speedway
Date October 9, 1977 (1977-October-09)
Official name NAPA National 600
Location Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, North Carolina
Course Permanent racing facility
1.500 mi (2.414 km)
Distance 334 laps, 500 mi (865 km)
Weather Mild with temperatures of 78.1 °F (25.6 °C); wind speeds of 14 miles per hour (23 km/h)
Average speed 142.780 miles per hour (229.782 km/h)
Attendance 79,400[2]
Pole position
Driver
Wood Brothers Racing
Most laps led
Driver Benny Parsons DeWitt Racing
Laps 250
Winner
No. 72 Benny Parsons DeWitt Racing
Television in the United States
Network ABC
Announcers Al Michaels
Chris Economaki

Race report

41 drivers competed at this event. Benny Parsons defeated Cale Yarborough by 19.2 seconds in front of 79,400 spectators.[2] Parsons scored a dominant Winston Cup victory, in terms of percentage of laps led.[2] There were 18 lead changes and four cautions; the race lasted three hours and thirty minutes.[2] Bruce Hill received the last-place finish due to engine problems on lap 15 of this 334-lap race.[2] David Pearson would win the pole position with a qualifying speed of 160.982 miles per hour (259.075 km/h) while the average race speed was 142.780 miles per hour (229.782 km/h).[2] By all evidence, this would be the last win for a Chevrolet Laguna in NASCAR Cup Series history.[2]

His next pole position would come at the 1978 World 600 where he would get his 10th consecutive pole position start at Charlotte Motor Speedway.[3] Pearson's final pole position at Charlotte Motor Speedway would come at the 1978 NAPA National 500 - setting a record.[3] Other notable drivers at this event included: Bill Elliott, Janet Guthrie, Neil Bonnett, A. J. Foyt, Dick Brooks, Darrell Waltrip, and Buddy Baker.[2] Tom Sneva would make his NASCAR debut at this racing event. Dale Earnhardt would start his only race in 1977 driving for Henley Gray.

Individual earnings for each driver ranged from the winner's share of $41,075 ($173,300 when adjusted for inflation) to the last-place finisher's share of $820 ($3,460 when adjusted for inflation). The total prize purse for this event was $223,530 ($943,098 when adjusted for inflation).[4]

Qualifying
Grid No. Driver Manufacturer Speed[5] Qualifying time[5] Owner
1 21David PearsonMercury160.98233.544Wood Brothers
2 11Cale YarboroughChevrolet159.84833.782Junior Johnson
3 1Donnie AllisonChevrolet159.84833.782Hoss Ellington
4 15Buddy BakerFord159.77333.798Bud Moore
5 43Richard PettyDodge159.36333.885Petty Enterprises
6 88Darrell WaltripChevrolet158.81034.003DiGard Racing
7 5Neil BonnettDodge158.75334.015Jim Stacy
8 72Benny ParsonsChevrolet158.73534.019L.G. DeWitt
9 51A.J. FoytChevrolet158.15834.143A.J. Foyt
10 92Skip ManningChevrolet158.09434.157Billy Hagan

Finishing order

Section reference: [2]

  1. Benny Parsons†
  2. Cale Yarborough
  3. David Pearson
  4. Buddy Baker
  5. Darrell Waltrip
  6. Dick Brooks†
  7. A.J. Foyt
  8. Neil Bonnett†
  9. Janet Guthrie
  10. Bill Elliott
  11. Ron Hutcherson
  12. Coo Coo Marlin†
  13. Dick May†
  14. James Hylton†
  15. J.D. McDuffie†
  16. Richard Childress
  17. Buddy Arrington
  18. G.C. Spencer†
  19. D.K. Ulrich
  20. Peter Knab
  21. Tommy Gale†
  22. Ed Negre†
  23. Dave Marcis*
  24. Ricky Rudd
  25. Tighe Scott*
  26. Bobby Allison*
  27. Tom Sneva*
  28. Jimmy Means*
  29. Dick Trickle*
  30. Lennie Pond*
  31. Butch Hartman*†
  32. Richard Petty*
  33. Frank Warren*
  34. Sam Sommers*
  35. Skip Manning*
  36. Donnie Allison*
  37. Cecil Gordon*†
  38. Dale Earnhardt*†
  39. Roland Wlodyka*
  40. Jim Raptis*
  41. Bruce Hill*

* Driver failed to finish race
† signifies that the driver is known to be deceased

Standings after the race
Pos Driver Points[2] Differential
1 Cale Yarborough 4505 0
2 Benny Parsons 4127 -378
3 Richard Petty 4109 -396
4 Darrell Waltrip 4067 -438
5 Buddy Baker 3579 -926
6 Dick Brooks 3380 -1125
7 James Hylton 3124 -1381
8 Richard Childress 3120 -1385
9 Cecil Gordon 3030 -1475
10 Bobby Allison 3028 -1477

References
  1. "Weather information for the 1977 NAPA National 500". The Old Farmers' Almanac. Retrieved 2012-09-13.
  2. "1977 NAPA National 500 racing information". Racing Reference. Retrieved 2012-09-13.
  3. "David Pearson's pole position accomplishment". Scene Daily. Retrieved 2011-08-06.
  4. "1977 NAPA National 500 racing information". Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet. Retrieved 2012-12-06.
  5. "1977 NAPA National 500 qualifying information". Racing Reference. Retrieved 2017-04-03.
Preceded by
1977 Wilkes 400		 NASCAR Winston Cup Season
1977		 Succeeded by
1977 American 500
Preceded by
1976		 National 500/NAPA National 500 races
1977		 Succeeded by
1978
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