1987 Pepsi Firecracker 400

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}

{{Short description|15th race of the 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Series}}

{{Infobox NASCAR race report|Type=NASWINSTON|Official_name=29th Annual Pepsi Firecracker 400|Caption=The 1987 Pepsi Firecracker 400 program cover.|Date=July 4|Avg={{convert|161.074|mph|km/h}}|Season_No=29|Race_No=15|Scheduled_laps=160|Course_km=4.0|Distance_laps=160|Distance_km=643.737|Course_mi=2.5|Scheduled_km=643.737|Scheduled_mi=400|Race_Name=Pepsi Firecracker 400|Location=Daytona Beach, Florida, Daytona International Speedway|Announcers=Keith Jackson, Donnie Allison|Radio=Motor Racing Network|Network=ABC|First_Team=Stavola Brothers Racing|First_Driver=Bobby Allison|Pole_Team=Ranier-Lundy Racing|Most_Team=Donlavey Racing
Ranier-Lundy Racing|Pole_Driver=Davey Allison|Most_Driver=Ken Schrader
Davey Allison|Most_laps=32|Car=22|Year=1987|Distance_mi=400|Pole_Time=45.435|Image=1987_Pepsi_Firecracker_400.jpeg|Attendance=85,000}}

The 1987 Pepsi Firecracker 400 was the 15th stock car race of the 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 29th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, July 4, 1987, before an audience of 85,000 in Daytona Beach, Florida at Daytona International Speedway, a 2.5 miles (4.0 km) permanent triangular-shaped superspeedway. The race took the scheduled 160 laps to complete.

In what is considered to be one of the most confusing finishes in NASCAR history, Stavola Brothers Racing's Bobby Allison managed to pass 12 cars in the span of five laps heading into the final lap of the race. Mistakenly, Allison was scored a lap down by the time the final lap started both on the track and by commentators; as a result, drivers behind Allison at the time, which included owner-drivers Buddy Baker and Dave Marcis, let Allison increase his gap between them as most thought Allison was a lap down. By the time the error was realized, Allison had a four second lead over Baker, taking the victory while drivers behind them wrecked for what they thought was the presumed battle for the lead. The victory was Allison's 83rd career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.{{Cite news |last=Higgins |first=Tom |date=July 5, 1987 |title=Bobby Allison Captures Wild Firecracker 400 |pages=1D, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-bobby-allison-cap/134238854/ 8D] |work=The Charlotte Observer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-bobby-allison-cap/134238836/ |access-date=October 29, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news |last=Coble |first=Don |date=July 5, 1987 |title=Firecracker 400 ends with a bang |pages=1C, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/florida-today-firecracker-400-ends-with/134239120/ 2C] |work=Florida Today |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/florida-today-firecracker-400-ends-with/134239111/ |access-date=October 29, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} To fill out the top three, the aforementioned Baker and Marcis finished second and third, respectively.