The Winston Cup Championship That Time Forgot

Darrell Waltrip led the 1979 title hunt. Richard Petty chased him down. And what followed was one of the most dramatic and chaotic championship collapses in NASCAR history. This wasn’t the modern playoff system. It was a full-season brawl where every point mattered, tempers boiled over, and pit crews changed engines faster than you can drink a beer. Welcome to the real “chase” — before anyone called it that.

• D.W. had the title in hand after six wins, but blew it — literally — at Darlington, Dover, and Martinsville
• Buddy Parrott and crew changed an engine in 11 minutes just to keep hope alive
• Richard Petty quietly clawed back race by race, passing Waltrip in points with just two events left
• Ontario’s finale ended in heartbreak, black flags, and rumors of sabotage — and cost Waltrip both a title and his crew chief

This was NASCAR’s version of Shakespeare. Betrayal, redemption, and a king reclaiming his throne, Richard Petty won his record seventh title by just 11 points. But that wasn’t the end. DiGard imploded. Buddy Parrott was fired. Waltrip wrote him a personal check for Christmas. Then they won together again… until they didn’t. This is the story of how a season unraveled, and a rivalry burned hotter than ever.

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