1976 Firecracker 400
{{short description|Auto race held at Daytona International Speedway in 1976}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox NASCAR race report
| Type = CUST
| Description = Race 16 of 30 in the 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season
| Race Name = Firecracker 400
| Details ref = [http://www.almanac.com/weather/history/FL/Daytona%20Beach/1976-07-04 1976 Firecracker 400 weather information] at The Old Farmers' Almanac
| Fulldate = {{Start date|1976|07|4}}
| Year = 1976
| Race_No = 16
| Season_No = 30
| Image = 1976_Firecracker_400_program_cover.png
| Caption = The official program of the 1976 Firecracker 400 NASCAR Winston Cup Series race.
| Weather = Hot with temperatures up to {{convert|91.0|F|C}}; wind speeds up to {{convert|12|mph|km/h}}
| Official name = Firecracker 400
| Location = Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida
| Course_mi = 2.500
| Course_km = 4.023
| Distance_laps = 160
| Distance_mi = 400
| Distance_km = 643
| Avg = {{convert|160.966|mph|km/h}}
| Attendance = 50,000[http://racing-reference.info/race/1976_Firecracker_400/W Firecracker 400 racing information] at Racing Reference
| Pole_Driver = A. J. Foyt
| Pole_Team = Ellington Racing
| Pole_Time =
| Most_Driver = Cale Yarborough
| Most_Team = Junior Johnson & Associates
| Most_laps = 71
| Car = 11
| First_Driver = Cale Yarborough
| First_Team = Junior Johnson & Associates
| Network = ABC (tape delay)
| Announcers = Keith Jackson
}}
File:1976Firecracker400Brochure.PNG
The 1976 Firecracker 400 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race that took place on July 4, 1976, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Ticket prices for this race ranged from $8 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|8|1976|r=2}}}} when adjusted for inflation) to $30 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|30|1976|r=2}}}} when adjusted for inflation).[http://starport75.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/1976_Firecracker_400_Map-2.jpg 1976 Firecracker Ticket Prices] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328121636/http://starport75.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/1976_Firecracker_400_Map-2.jpg |date=2012-03-28 }} at Starport75.com
Race report
There were 40 drivers on the grid; all were American-born males except for Janet Guthrie. Buddy Arrington was first out due to ignition troubles before the start of the first lap out of the 160 laps.[http://www.driveraverages.com/nascar_stats/race.php?sked_id=1976016 1976 Firecracker 400 racing information] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005054558/http://www.driveraverages.com/nascar_stats/race.php?sked_id=1976016 |date=2011-10-05 }} at Driver Averages A. J. Foyt won the pole position with a speed of {{convert|183.090|mph|km/h}} while the average speed of the race was {{convert|160.966|mph|km/h}}.
Cale Yarborough defeated David Pearson by eight seconds in front of an audience of 40,000 people. Two cautions (for 14 laps) and 41 different lead changes made the race two hours and twenty-nine minutes long.[http://www.databaseracing.com/races/raceinfo.htm?rid=1178 1976 Firecracker 400 racing information] at Database Racing The green flag was waved at 10:00 A.M.
The winner of the race received $22,215 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|22215|1976|r=2}}}} when adjusted for inflation) while the last place finisher went home with $1,310 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|1310|1976|r=2}}}} when adjusted for inflation). Notable crew chiefs for this race included Billy Hagan, Junie Donlavey, Buddy Parrott, Jake Elder, Harry Hyde, Dale Inman, Bud Moore, Sterling Marlin, Herb Nab and Tim Brewer.[https://www.racing-reference.info/entrylist/1976-16/W/C 1976 Firecracker 400 crew chiefs] at Racing Reference
The race was run on America's 200th birthday and was the site of Dick Skillen's best career finish of 17th. This race was the first career finish for Bill Elliott.
Buck and Buddy Baker both exited the race on lap 32, as the 57-year-old elder champion made his final Daytona start.
=Qualifying=
| class="wikitable" |
| Grid
! {{Tooltip|No.|Car number}} ! Driver ! Manufacturer ! Owner |
|---|
| 1
| 28 || A.J. Foyt || Chevrolet || Hoss Ellington |
| 2
| 11 || Cale Yarborough || Chevrolet || Junior Johnson |
| 3
| 43 || Richard Petty || Dodge || Petty Enterprises |
| 4
| 2 || Bobby Allison || Mercury || Roger Penske |
| 5
| 72 || Benny Parsons || Chevrolet || L.G. DeWitt |
| 6
| 71 || Dave Marcis || Dodge || Nord Krauskopf |
| 7
| 21 || David Pearson || Mercury || Wood Brothers |
| 8
| 14 || Coo Coo Marlin || Chevrolet || H.B. Cunningham |
| 9
| 41 || Grant Adcox || Chevrolet || Herb Adcox |
| 10
| 48 || James Hylton || Chevrolet || James Hylton |
Failed to qualify: Sam Sommers (#27) and Jerry Mabie (#34)[http://racing-reference.info/getqualify/1976-16/W Qualifying information] at Racing Reference
Finishing order
| class="wikitable"
!ST !# !DRIVER !SPONSOR / OWNER !CAR !LAPS !MONEY !STATUS !LED !PTS |
| 1
|2 |11 | Cale Yarborough |Holly Farms (Junior Johnson) |Chevrolet |160 |22215 |running |71 |185 |
| 2
|7 |21 | David Pearson |Purolator (Wood Brothers) |Mercury |160 |13615 |running |1 |175 |
| 3
|4 |2 | Bobby Allison |CAM 2 (Roger Penske) |Mercury |160 |13245 |running |64 |170 |
| 4
|1 |28 | A.J. Foyt |Gilmore (Hoss Ellington) |Chevrolet |159 |7440 |running |6 | |
| 5
|6 |71 | Dave Marcis |K & K Insurance (Nord Krauskopf) |Dodge |157 |7810 |running |0 |155 |
| 6
|8 |14 | Coo Coo Marlin |Cunningham-Kelley (H.B. Cunningham) |Chevrolet |157 |6300 |running |0 |150 |
| 7
|5 |72 | Benny Parsons |King's Row Fireplace (L.G. DeWitt) |Chevrolet |156 |6630 |running |0 |146 |
| 8
|30 |90 | Dick Brooks |Truxmore (Junie Donlavey) |Ford |156 |5170 |running |0 |142 |
| 9
|15 |05 | David Sisco |David Sisco |Chevrolet |153 |4660 |running |1 |143 |
| 10
|22 |22 | Ricky Rudd |Al Rudd Auto Parts (Al Rudd) |Chevrolet |152 |2590 |running |0 |134 |
| 11
|29 |52 | Jimmy Means |Howard's Machine Shop (Bill Gray) |Chevrolet |149 |2390 |running |0 |130 |
| 12
|34 |3 | Richard Childress |Kansas Jack (Richard Childress) |Chevrolet |148 |4150 |running |0 |127 |
| 13
|20 |79 | Frank Warren |Native Tan (Frank Warren) |Dodge |148 |3940 |running |0 |124 |
| 14
|28 |36 | Bobby Wawak |J & B Corvette (John Gwinn) |Chevrolet |148 |2115 |running |0 |121 |
| 15
|33 |68 | Janet Guthrie |Kelly Services (Lynda Ferreri) |Chevrolet |147 |1570 |running |0 | |
| 16
|36 |40 | D.K. Ulrich |Garden State Auto (J.R. DeLotto) |Chevrolet |144 |3530 |running |0 |115 |
| 17
|31 |78 | Dick Skillen |Goffco (Tom Goff) |Chevrolet |143 |1790 |running |0 |112 |
| 18
|39 |91 | Harold Miller |Bartow Paving (Harold Miller) |Chevrolet |142 |1690 |running |0 |109 |
| 19
|38 |10 | Bill Elliott |Sunny King (Bill Champion) |Ford |141 |3070 |running |0 |106 |
| 20
|21 |77 | Johnny Rutherford |Hy Gain (Johnny Ray) |Chevrolet |139 |1740 |rear end |0 | |
| 21
|25 |26 | Jimmy Lee Capps |Sellers Automotive (David Lee Sellers) |Chevrolet |132 |1290 |running |0 |100 |
| 22
|3 |43 | Richard Petty |STP (Petty Enterprises) |Dodge |126 |5960 |engine |1 |102 |
| 23
|32 |61 | Joe Mihalic |Lou Viglione |Chevrolet |125 |1140 |running |0 |94 |
| 24
|23 |70 | J.D. McDuffie |Butler's (J.D. McDuffie) |Chevrolet |122 |2390 |engine |0 |91 |
| 25
|13 |47 | Bruce Hill |Howson Algraphy (Bruce Hill) |Chevrolet |110 |1990 |driveshaft |0 |88 |
| 26
|10 |48 | James Hylton |Hylton Engineering (James Hylton) |Chevrolet |102 |1815 |engine |2 |90 |
| 27
|40 |25 | Dick May |Don Robertson |Chevrolet |81 |1540 |rear end |0 |82 |
| 28
|26 |82 | Ferrel Harris |Rossmeyer (Ferrel Harris) |Dodge |75 |1015 |rear end |0 |79 |
| 29
|18 |19 | Tommy Gale |Belden Asphalt (Henley Gray) |Chevrolet |70 |990 |electrical |0 |76 |
| 30
|9 |41 | Grant Adcox |Adcox-Kirby (Herb Adcox) |Chevrolet |67 |965 |engine |0 |73 |
| 31
|35 |92 | Skip Manning |Stratagraph (Billy Hagan) |Chevrolet |60 |940 |electrical |0 |70 |
| 32
|14 |54 | Lennie Pond |Pepsi-Cola (Ronnie Elder) |Chevrolet |48 |1415 |engine |0 |67 |
| 33
|11 |12 | Neil Bonnett |Hawaiian Tropic (Neil Bonnett) |Chevrolet |39 |890 |wheel bearing |0 |64 |
| 34
|16 |24 | Cecil Gordon |Burger King (Cecil Gordon) |Chevrolet |33 |1360 |crash |0 |61 |
| 35
|12 |15 | Buddy Baker |Norris Industries (Bud Moore) |Ford |32 |3835 |engine |14 |63 |
| 36
|24 |18 | Buck Baker |Excuse Lounge (Joe Frasson) |Chevrolet |32 |830 |crash |0 |55 |
| 37
|37 |7 | Ed Negre |Dean Dalton |Chevrolet |16 |825 |electrical |0 |52 |
| 38
|19 |60 | Jackie Rogers |Red Dog's (Lou Viglione) |Chevrolet |13 |820 |overheating |0 |49 |
| 39
|17 |88 | Darrell Waltrip |Gatorade (DiGard Racing) |Chevrolet |9 |3815 |engine |0 |46 |
| 40
|27 |67 | Buddy Arrington |Sub-Tropic (Buddy Arrington) |Dodge |0 |1310 |ignition |0 |43 |
| colspan="11" |Failed to qualify |
|---|
| POS
!NAME !NBR !SPONSOR !OWNER !CAR ! colspan="5" rowspan="3" | |
| |Sam Sommers
|27 |M.C. Anderson Racing |M.C. Anderson |Chevrolet |
| |Jerry Mabie
|34 |J-2 Racing |Jerry Mabie |Chevrolet |
Standings after the race
| class="wikitable" |
| Pos
! Driver ! Differential |
|---|
| 1 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 2503 | 0 |
| 2 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 2413 | -90 |
| 3 {{Increase}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 2331 | -172 |
| 4 {{Decrease}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 2303 | -200 |
| 5 {{Increase}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 2060 | -443 |
| 6 {{Decrease}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 2031 | -472 |
| 7 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 1994 | -509 |
| 8 {{Increase}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 1918 | -585 |
| 9 {{Decrease}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 1886 | -617 |
| 10 {{Increase}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 1798 | -705 |
References
{{reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{succession box |
before = 1976 Cam 2 Motor Oil 400 |
after = 1976 Nashville 420|
title = NASCAR Winston Cup Season|
years = 1976 |
}}
{{s-end}}
{{s-start}}
{{succession box
|before = 1975
|after = 1977
|title = Firecracker 400 races
|years = 1976
}}
{{s-end}}
{{authority control}}