The 1979 Sun-Drop Music City USA 420, the 11th race of the NASCAR Winston Cup season, was held on May 12 at Nashville Speedway before 16,000 fans. A 28-car field contested 420 laps on the 0.596-mile track. Joe Millikan won the pole in the #72 L.G. DeWitt Chevrolet with a speed of 104.155 mph—his only career Cup pole.
Cale Yarborough took the victory in the #11 Junior Johnson Oldsmobile by 2.8 seconds over Richard Petty, with Bobby Allison third, Dale Earnhardt fourth, and J.D. McDuffie fifth. Yarborough led the final 83 laps and averaged 88.652 mph in a race slowed by three cautions for 27 laps. Yarborough earned $12,275 for his 61st career win. McDuffie turned in one of the strongest runs of his career, leading four times for 111 laps. The race featured nine lead changes among five drivers.
