Sunday 14th January 1979

Darrell Waltrip beat the rain to win the season opening Western 500 NASCAR Grand National race at Riverside International Raceway. Waltrip led the final 14 laps in his DiGard Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo, taking the checkered flag 3 seconds ahead of David Pearson in the Wood Brothers Mercury. Thunder clapped and rain began to fall in the closing laps. Cale Yarborough, Western Grand National star Bill Schmitt and polesitter Donnie Allison rounded out the top five.