The 1979 Texas 400, held on June 3 at the two-mile Texas World Speedway in College Station before a sparse crowd of just 11,500, featured a 34-car field as the 14th race of the NASCAR Winston Cup season. Buddy Baker took the pole in the No. 28 Harry Ranier Chevrolet with a speed of 167.903 mph.
Darrell Waltrip, driving the No. 88 DiGard Chevrolet, dominated by leading 155 laps and won by a full lap over Bobby Allison, with Baker third, Cale Yarborough fourth, and Terry Labonte fifth. Waltrip averaged 156.216 mph and earned $21,750 in a race slowed by only one caution for five laps. Dale Earnhardt and Waltrip were the cars to beat and battled throughout much of the event; Earnhardt (who led 41 laps) blew a tire and hit the wall with 11 laps remaining, finishing 12th. The victory extended Waltrip’s points lead over Allison to 58.
