The Volunteer 400, held on August 28th at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee was the 21st race of the 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and was dominated by Cale Yarborough in the No. 11 Junior Johnson Chevrolet. Yarborough, who started from the pole, and led 299 of the 400 laps on the .533‑mile concrete oval before taking the checkered flag. Yarborough’s victory came over a competitive field that included Darrell Waltrip, who finished second after leading 19 laps, and Benny Parsons, who finished third and led 62 laps, while the rest of the top finishers included Dick Brooks, Tighe Scott, and Janet Guthrie — the latter scoring a career‑best sixth‑place finish in the event. A total of 29 cars competed, and the race was slowed by six caution periods for 92 laps and saw 14 lead changes among several drivers as attrition and mechanical issues took out a number of competitors. The Volunteer 400 not only marked Yarborough’s eighth win of the 1977 season but also continued his strong short‑track performance, helping him extend his championship points lead as the series headed into the stretch run of the season.
