| Official Race Results | |||||||||
| Daytona 500 | Daytona International Speedway | |||||||||
| February 19, 1978 | Race 2 of 30 | |||||||||
| Average Speed: 159.73 mph | |||||||||
| Margin of Victory: 33.2 seconds | Time of Race: 03:07:49 | ||||||||
| Lead Changes: 37 | |||||||||
| Cautions: 5 for 24 laps. | |||||||||
| Fin | St | Car | Driver | Make | Sponsor | Pts / Bonus | Laps | Status | Winnings |
| 1 | 33 | #15 | Bobby Allison | Ford | Norris | 180/5 | 200 | Running | $44,300 |
| 2 | 1 | #11 | Cale Yarborough | Oldsmobile | 1st Nat'l City Trav. Cks. | 175/5 | 200 | Running | $39,550 |
| 3 | 8 | #72 | Benny Parsons | Oldsmobile | 1st Nat'l City Trav. Cks. | 170/5 | 199 | Running | $26,550 |
| 4 | 2 | #53 | Ron Hutcherson | Buick | Valvolline | 160/0 | 199 | Running | $19,950 |
| 5 | 32 | #90 | Dick Brooks | Mercury | Truxmore | 155/0 | 198 | Running | $18,275 |
| 6 | 10 | #2 | Dave Marcis | Chevrolet | Shoney's | 150/0 | 198 | Running | $14,450 |
| 7 | 31 | #27 | Buddy Baker | Oldsmobile | M.C. Anderson | 156/10 | 196 | Engine Failure | $16,395 |
| 8 | 9 | #9 | Bill Elliott | Mercury | Dahlonega Equipment | 142/0 | 195 | Running | $11,935 |
| 9 | 23 | #6 | Ferrel Harris | Dodge | Autowize | 138/0 | 195 | Running | $11,025 |
| 10 | 28 | #54 | Lennie Pond | Oldsmobile | W.i.n., Inc. | 134/0 | 195 | Running | $10,035 |
| 11 | 11 | #30 | Tighe Scott | Oldsmobile | Scotty's Fashions | 130/0 | 194 | Running | $10,605 |
| 12 | 18 | #92 | Skip Manning | Buick | Valvoline | 127/0 | 194 | Running | $9,560 |
| 13 | 19 | #3 | Richard Childress | Oldsmobile | Crc | 124/0 | 194 | Running | $8,665 |
| 14 | 13 | #41 | Grant Adcox | Chevrolet | Krystal | 121/0 | 193 | Running | $6,370 |
| 15 | 30 | #17 | Roger Hamby | Chevrolet | Burger King | 118/0 | 193 | Running | $6,185 |
| 16 | 17 | #67 | Buddy Arrington | Dodge | Rossmeyer | 115/0 | 192 | Running | $6,845 |
| 17 | 40 | #40 | D.k. Ulrich | Chevrolet | Ulrich | 112/0 | 192 | Running | $6,150 |
| 18 | 25 | #57 | Dick May | Ford | McClure Motors | 109/0 | 192 | Running | $4,410 |
| 19 | 15 | #98 | Roland Wlodyka | Buick | Osterlund | 106/0 | 192 | Running | $4,150 |
| 20 | 26 | #28 | Jerry Jolly | Chevrolet | Ski Machine | 103/0 | 191 | Running | $3,720 |
| 21 | 41 | #24 | Cecil Gordon | Chevrolet | Transmissions Unlimited | 100/0 | 191 | Running | $4,110 |
| 22 | 35 | #49 | Claude Ballott-Lena | Dodge | Jms | PE | 190 | Running | $2,835 |
| 23 | 27 | #26 | Jimmy Lee Capps | Chevrolet | Hearn Produce | 94/0 | 189 | Running | $2,805 |
| 24 | 34 | #79 | Frank Warren | Dodge | Native Tan | 91/0 | 188 | Running | $3,125 |
| 25 | 38 | #64 | Tommy Gale | Ford | Sunny King Ford & Honda | 88/0 | 185 | Running | $3,350 |
| 26 | 16 | #14 | Coo Coo Marlin | Chevrolet | Cunningham-Kelley | 85/0 | 179 | Running | $2,425 |
| 27 | 12 | #5 | Neil Bonnett | Dodge | Armor All | 82/0 | 150 | Engine Failure | $5,750 |
| 28 | 4 | #88 | Darrell Waltrip | Chevrolet | Gatorade | 84/5 | 138 | Running | $15,450 |
| 29 | 14 | #48 | Al Holbert | Chevrolet | Southland Industries | 76/0 | 136 | No Oil Pressure | $3,065 |
| 30 | 22 | #70 | J.D. McDuffie | Chevrolet | Bailey Excavating | 73/0 | 132 | Running | $2,880 |
| 31 | 21 | #61 | Joe Mihalic | Oldsmobile | Norris | 70/0 | 110 | Blown Head Gasket | $2,200 |
| 32 | 3 | #51 | AJ Foyt | Buick | Valvoline | PE | 68 | Accident | $12,075 |
| 33 | 6 | #43 | Richard Petty | Dodge | STP | 69/5 | 60 | Accident | $11,600 |
| 34 | 5 | #21 | David Pearson | Mercury | Purolator | 61/0 | 60 | Accident | $6,775 |
| 35 | 39 | #52 | Jimmy Means | Chevrolet | Howard's Machine Shop | 58/0 | 41 | Engine Failure | $2,395 |
| 36 | 29 | #39 | Blackie Wangerin | Mercury | Wangerin | 55/0 | 30 | Broken Piston | $1,950 |
| 37 | 36 | #22 | Ricky Rudd | Chevrolet | 1st Nat'l City Trav. Cks. | 52/0 | 21 | Not Handling | $3,375 |
| 38 | 24 | #89 | Jim Vandiver | Chevrolet | O.l. Nixon | 49/0 | 19 | Engine Failure | $1,975 |
| 39 | 7 | #1 | Donnie Allison | Oldsmobile | Hawaiian Tropic | 46/0 | 9 | Left Front Fender | $4,325 |
| 40 | 37 | #84 | Morgan Shepherd | Mercury | Makar | 43/0 | 8 | Blown Head Gasket | $1,650 |
| 41 | 20 | #66 | Harry Gant | Buick | C.c.c. | 40/0 | 1 | Burned Piston | $1,975 |
| * Denotes Rookie | |||||||||