| Official Race Results | |||||||||
| Southern 500 | Darlington International Raceway | |||||||||
| September 04, 1978 | Race 22 of 30 | |||||||||
| Average Speed: 116.828 mph | |||||||||
| Margin of Victory: 3 seconds | Time of Race: 04:17:28 | ||||||||
| Lead Changes: 21 | |||||||||
| Cautions: 9 for 72 laps. | |||||||||
| Fin | St | Car | Driver | Make | Sponsor | Pts / Bonus | Laps | Status | Winnings |
| 1 | 6 | #11 | Cale Yarborough | Oldsmobile | 1st Nat'l City Trav. Cks. | 185/10 | 367 | Running | $26,200 |
| 2 | 2 | #88 | Darrell Waltrip | Chevrolet | Gatorade | 175/5 | 367 | Running | $15,390 |
| 3 | 9 | #43 | Richard Petty | Chevrolet | STP | 170/5 | 366 | Running | $10,775 |
| 4 | 19 | #92 | Terry Labonte | Chevrolet | Duck Industries | 160/0 | 356 | Running | $9,000 |
| 5 | 3 | #15 | Bobby Allison | Ford | Norris Industries | 160/5 | 355 | Running | $10,375 |
| 6 | 16 | #9 | Bill Elliott | Mercury | Dahlonega Ford Sales | 150/0 | 355 | Running | $5,200 |
| 7 | 25 | #48 | James Hylton | Chevrolet | Southland Industries | 146/0 | 353 | Running | $7,000 |
| 8 | 29 | #67 | Buddy Arrington | Dodge | Falls Radiator | 142/0 | 350 | Running | $6,380 |
| 9 | 28 | #25 | Ronnie Thomas * | Chevrolet | Autowize | 138/0 | 349 | Running | $6,270 |
| 10 | 4 | #72 | Benny Parsons | Chevrolet | 1st Nat'l City Trav. Cks. | 139/5 | 348 | Running | $7,650 |
| 11 | 35 | #52 | Jimmy Means | Chevrolet | Means Racing | 130/0 | 345 | Running | $5,260 |
| 12 | 40 | #79 | Frank Warren | Dodge | Native Tan | 127/0 | 340 | Running | $5,065 |
| 13 | 33 | #64 | Tommy Gale | Ford | Sunny King Ford & Honda | 124/0 | 337 | Running | $4,780 |
| 14 | 32 | #4 | Gary Myers | Chevrolet | Spencer's Baby Wear | 121/0 | 336 | Running | $3,150 |
| 15 | 31 | #45 | Baxter Price | Chevrolet | Ray Cook | 118/0 | 326 | Engine Failure | $4,320 |
| 16 | 14 | #96 | Dale Earnhardt | Ford | Cardinal Tractor | 115/0 | 313 | Running | $3,100 |
| 17 | 36 | #18 | Joe Frasson | Chevrolet | Satterfield Racing | 112/0 | 305 | Running | $2,850 |
| 18 | 39 | #97 | Ralph Jones | Ford | Jones | 109/0 | 303 | Running | $2,700 |
| 19 | 18 | #17 | Roger Hamby | Chevrolet | Hamby/Ellis Automotive | 106/0 | 297 | Running | $2,550 |
| 20 | 24 | #70 | J.D. McDuffie | Chevrolet | Bailey Excavating | 103/0 | 281 | Blown Head Gasket | $3,460 |
| 21 | 34 | #8 | Ed Negre | Chrysler | Jones | 100/0 | 259 | Running | $3,175 |
| 22 | 38 | #19 | Bob Burcham | Chevrolet | Belden Asphalt | 97/0 | 243 | Accident | $2,790 |
| 23 | 23 | #30 | Tighe Scott | Chevrolet | Scotty's Fashions | 94/0 | 241 | Running | $2,730 |
| 24 | 7 | #1 | Donnie Allison | Chevrolet | Hawaiian Tropic | 96/5 | 224 | Accident | $3,725 |
| 25 | 11 | #90 | Dick Brooks | Mercury | Truxmore | 88/0 | 221 | Broken Push Rod | $2,645 |
| 26 | 5 | #54 | Lennie Pond | Chevrolet | W.i.n. | 85/0 | 215 | Steering | $4,950 |
| 27 | 21 | #3 | Richard Childress | Chevrolet | Kansas Jack | 82/0 | 179 | Broken Valve | $2,175 |
| 28 | 1 | #21 | David Pearson | Mercury | Purolator | 84/5 | 166 | Accident | $3,575 |
| 29 | 17 | #40 | D.k. Ulrich | Chevrolet | Midwestern Farm Lines | 76/0 | 163 | Accident | $2,275 |
| 30 | 15 | #14 | Coo Coo Marlin | Chevrolet | Cunningham-Kelley | 78/5 | 162 | Accident | $1,625 |
| 31 | 22 | #41 | Grant Adcox | Chevrolet | Krystal | 70/0 | 153 | Accident | $1,675 |
| 32 | 12 | #27 | Buddy Baker | Chevrolet | U.S. Army | 72/5 | 149 | Engine Failure | $2,175 |
| 33 | 37 | #39 | Blackie Wangerin | Mercury | Wangerin | 64/0 | 142 | Engine Failure | $1,375 |
| 34 | 8 | #5 | Neil Bonnett | Chevrolet | Armor All | 61/0 | 124 | Engine Failure | $4,550 |
| 35 | 10 | #2 | Dave Marcis | Chevrolet | Osterlund | 58/0 | 122 | Accident | $1,325 |
| 36 | 13 | #22 | Ricky Rudd | Chevrolet | 1st Nat'l City Trav. Cks. | 60/5 | 122 | Accident | $3,025 |
| 37 | 30 | #74 | Bobby Wawak | Chevrolet | Wawak | 52/0 | 112 | Accident | $1,335 |
| 38 | 26 | #57 | Dick May | Ford | McClure Motors | 49/0 | 101 | Oil Pump | $1,250 |
| 39 | 27 | #01 | Earle Canavan | Dodge | Addy | 46/0 | 84 | Overheating | $1,325 |
| 40 | 20 | #05 | Bruce Hill | Oldsmobile | Bearfinder | 43/0 | 80 | Rear End | $1,200 |
| * Denotes Rookie | |||||||||