| Official Race Results | |||||||||
| Daytona 500 | Daytona International Speedway | |||||||||
| February 14, 1988 | Race 1 of 29 | |||||||||
| Average Speed: 137.531 mph | |||||||||
| Margin of Victory: 2 car lengths | Time of Race: 03:38:08 | ||||||||
| Lead Changes: 26 | |||||||||
| Cautions: 7 for 42 laps. | |||||||||
| Fin | St | Car | Driver | Make | Sponsor | Pts / Bonus | Laps | Status | Winnings |
| 1 | 3 | #12 | Bobby Allison | Buick | Miller High Life | 185/10 | 200 | Running | $202,940 |
| 2 | 2 | #28 | Davey Allison | Ford | Havoline | 175/5 | 200 | Running | $113,760 |
| 3 | 19 | #55 | Phil Parsons | Oldsmobile | Skoal Classic | 170/5 | 200 | Running | $81,625 |
| 4 | 14 | #75 | Neil Bonnett | Pontiac | Valvoline | 165/5 | 200 | Running | $67,290 |
| 5 | 8 | #11 | Terry Labonte | Chevrolet | Budweiser | 160/5 | 200 | Running | $62,415 |
| 6 | 1 | #25 | Ken Schrader | Chevrolet | Folgers | 155/5 | 200 | Running | $72,215 |
| 7 | 5 | #27 | Rusty Wallace | Pontiac | Kodiak | 151/5 | 200 | Running | $59,990 |
| 8 | 12 | #44 | Sterling Marlin | Oldsmobile | Piedmont Airlines | 147/5 | 200 | Running | $43,765 |
| 9 | 18 | #88 | Buddy Baker | Oldsmobile | Red Baron Frozen Pizza | 138/0 | 200 | Running | $36,490 |
| 10 | 6 | #3 | Dale Earnhardt | Chevrolet | GM Goodwrench | 139/5 | 200 | Running | $52,540 |
| 11 | 4 | #17 | Darrell Waltrip | Chevrolet | Tide | 135/5 | 200 | Running | $73,840 |
| 12 | 31 | #9 | Bill Elliott | Ford | Coors | 127/0 | 200 | Running | $31,015 |
| 13 | 9 | #8 | Bobby Hillin, Jr | Buick | Miller High Life | 124/0 | 200 | Running | $28,320 |
| 14 | 15 | #5 | Geoffrey Bodine | Chevrolet | Levi Garrett | 121/0 | 200 | Running | $27,305 |
| 15 | 13 | #4 | Rick Wilson | Oldsmobile | Kodak Films | 118/0 | 200 | Running | $23,165 |
| 16 | 36 | #1 | Dale Jarrett | Buick | Port-A-Lube | 115/0 | 200 | Running | $18,845 |
| 17 | 27 | #26 | Ricky Rudd | Buick | Quaker State | 112/0 | 200 | Running | $20,125 |
| 18 | 21 | #21 | Kyle Petty | Ford | CITGO | 109/0 | 199 | Running | $23,505 |
| 19 | 28 | #95 | Trevor Boys | Chevrolet | Sadler Racing | 106/0 | 199 | Running | $15,085 |
| 20 | 29 | #71 | Dave Marcis | Chevrolet | Lifebuoy Soap | 103/0 | 198 | Running | $18,175 |
| 21 | 33 | #31 | Brad Teague | Oldsmobile | Slender You Figure Salons | 100/0 | 198 | Running | $13,570 |
| 22 | 24 | #89 | Michael Waltrip | Pontiac | Country Time | 97/0 | 197 | Running | $14,065 |
| 23 | 35 | #22 | Steve Moore | Chevrolet | Danny Belyeu | 94/0 | 195 | Running | $13,810 |
| 24 | 40 | #98 | Ed Pimm | Buick | Sunoco | 91/0 | 191 | Running | $11,605 |
| 25 | 37 | #52 | Jimmy Means | Chevrolet | Eureka Vacuum Cleaners | 88/0 | 191 | Running | $14,250 |
| 26 | 39 | #92 | Ralph Jones | Ford | War Eagle Construction | 85/0 | 190 | Running | $10,595 |
| 27 | 22 | #68 | Derrike Cope | Ford | Purolator Filters | 82/0 | 183 | Running | $15,235 |
| 28 | 23 | #23 | Eddie Bierschwale | Oldsmobile | Waynepaging | 79/0 | 181 | Running | $12,080 |
| 29 | 20 | #33 | Harry Gant | Chevrolet | Skoal Bandit | 81/5 | 175 | Accident | $15,575 |
| 30 | 26 | #86 | Rick Jeffrey | Chevrolet | Slenderizers | 73/0 | 174 | Running | $11,420 |
| 31 | 42 | #90 | Benny Parsons | Ford | Bull's Eye Barbecue Sauce | 70/0 | 156 | Engine Failure | $13,390 |
| 32 | 16 | #7 | Alan Kulwicki | Ford | Zerex Anti-Freeze | 67/0 | 148 | Running | $14,410 |
| 33 | 17 | #14 | AJ Foyt | Oldsmobile | Copenhagen | 64/0 | 105 | Accident | $11,455 |
| 34 | 34 | #43 | Richard Petty | Pontiac | STP | 61/0 | 104 | Accident | $11,475 |
| 35 | 41 | #15 | Brett Bodine | Ford | Crisco | 58/0 | 104 | Accident | $17,870 |
| 36 | 25 | #73 | Phil Barkdoll | Ford | Helen Rae Special | 55/0 | 103 | Accident | $10,340 |
| 37 | 10 | #83 | Lake Speed | Oldsmobile | Wynn's | 57/5 | 65 | Engine Failure | $12,860 |
| 38 | 32 | #29 | Cale Yarborough | Oldsmobile | Hardee's | 49/0 | 46 | Accident | $8,780 |
| 39 | 30 | #99 | Connie Saylor | Chevrolet | Eagle Engines | PE | 32 | Accident | $9,645 |
| 40 | 7 | #50 | Greg Sacks | Pontiac | Dingman Brothers Racing | 43/0 | 22 | Engine Failure | $12,110 |
| 41 | 38 | #6 | Mark Martin | Ford | Stroh's Light | 40/0 | 19 | Overheating | $7,910 |
| 42 | 11 | #97 | Morgan Shepherd | Buick | AC Spark Plugs | 37/0 | 11 | Engine Failure | $11,410 |
| * Denotes Rookie | |||||||||