Lennie Pond won the 5th of his 5 poles in 1978 in Harry Ranier's W-I-N Chevy Monte Carlo for the Old Dominion 500. 14-time Martinsville winner Richard Petty put his Monte on the front row alongside Pond. The King would pick up his 15th and final Martinsville victory the following spring in the 1979 Virginia 500. But after a frustrating season with the Dodge Magnum, it probably felt good to have a solid run in a 43 car - especially at a place he knew so well like Martinsville.
Pond had a solid day and picked up a 5th place finish. Petty who started one spot behind Lennie FINISHED one spot behind him in 6th. Young Terry Labonte finished 9th in only his third career Cup start.
(Source: Motor Racing Programme Covers )
But the battle up front was between Cale Yarborough and Darrell Waltrip. Cale dominated the race and had a commanding lead. With about 30 laps to go, however, he cut a right front and had to pit. The unplanned stop put him a half-lap behind Waltrip. A Dick Brooks caution with a handful of laps to go helped him close the gap. And when the checkers fell, the current driver of the 11 Junior Johnson Chevy nipped the driver who would take over the seat 3 seasons later.
[ Dennis Beck ] has shared a series of great photos from this race. Here are a few of them:
Green, green, green! Pond and Petty lead the field at the start with Waltrip and Benny Parsons on the 2nd row.
Pole winner Pond leads the field through turn 4
The Petty Enterprises crew - including 18 year-old Kyle - relax a bit in their pits awaiting the King's next stop.
And then Richard makes his stop
Petty racing Neil Bonnett who was driving a #5 Chevy fielded by Rod Osterland - NOT Jim Stacy.
Winner: Cale Yarborough
Ed Negre's Dodge Magnum loaded on the trailer after his 18th place finish. Note the fan sporting the always easy to see orange-and-blue Petty hat. Man oh man, I wish I'd held onto mine from that era.
Race report from Spartanburg Herald
Thought it was interesting the writer noted Petty's most recent win prior to this race as the 1977 Rebel 400 vs. the Firecracker 400. I'm not sure if he had a DOH! moment after the article went to press.
| Fin | Driver | Car |
| 1 | Cale Yarborough | Oldsmobile |
| 2 | Darrell Waltrip | Chevrolet |
| 3 | Benny Parsons | Chevrolet |
| 4 | Neil Bonnett | Chevrolet |
| 5 | Lennie Pond | Chevrolet |
| 6 | Richard Petty | Chevrolet |
| 7 | Bobby Allison | Ford |
| 8 | Dave Marcis | Chevrolet |
| 9 | Terry Labonte | Chevrolet |
| 10 | Buddy Arrington | Dodge |
| 11 | James Hylton | Chevrolet |
| 12 | Richard Childress | Oldsmobile |
| 13 | Dick Brooks | Ford |
| 14 | Satch Worley | Oldsmobile |
| 15 | Gary Myers | Chevrolet |
| 16 | Ronnie Thomas | Chevrolet |
| 17 | Dick May | Buick |
| 18 | Ed Negre | Dodge |
| 19 | Baxter Price | Chevrolet |
| 20 | Ferrel Harris | Chevrolet |
| 21 | Frank Warren | Dodge |
| 22 | J.D. McDuffie | Chevrolet |
| 23 | Jimmy Means | Chevrolet |
| 24 | Roger Hamby | Chevrolet |
| 25 | David Pearson | Mercury |
| 26 | Buddy Baker | Chevrolet |
| 27 | Tommy Gale | Ford |
| 28 | Harry Gant | Chevrolet |
| 29 | Tighe Scott | Chevrolet |
| 30 | Cecil Gordon | Chevrolet |
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Schaefer: It's not just for racing anymore.
updated by @tmc-chase: 09/24/17 11:27:39PM