1979 season recap

Richard Petty won an unprecedented seventh NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship with a dramatic come-from-behind rally.

For the first of six straight years, the title was not decided until the last race of the season.

TEN RACES TO GO: Brooklyn, MI - Six-time champion Richard Petty trails Darrell Waltrip by 155 points after winning the race at Michigan International Speedway to reduce the gap by 74 points as Darrell Waltrip finished 19th.

TEN RACES TO GO: Bristol, TN - Richard Petty's deficit falls to 160 points as Darrell Waltrip wins the race at Bristol Motor Speedway. However, the King placed runner-up to Waltrip.

NINE RACES TO GO: Darlington, SC - Richard Petty trails Darrell Waltrip by 162 points as the King finishes ninth in the Southern 500, compared to an 11th place finish for Waltrip. Waltrip earned the 5-point bonus for leading a lap and five more for leading the most laps in the race, while Petty did not lead a lap.

EIGHT RACES TO GO: Richmond, VA - Richard Petty trailed Darrell Waltrip by 187 points as Darrell Waltrip finished in the runner-up position at Richmond International Raceway. Petty turned in a 6th place finish and did not lose to much ground to the points leader.

SEVEN RACES TO GO: Dover, DE - Richard Petty turned the tides on Darrell Waltrip by winning the race at Dover Downs International Speedway, while Waltrip finished in the 29th position. Richard Petty cut Waltrip's lead to 83 points with his impressive performance.

SIX RACES TO GO: Martinsville, VA - Richard Petty trails Darrell Waltrip by 48 points as he finishes runner-up at Martinsville Speedway. Darrell Waltrip turned in an 11th place effort.

FIVE RACES TO GO: Charlotte, NC - Darrell Waltrip and Richard Petty battled it out the entire race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Waltrip edged the King for third place as Petty came in fourth. Waltrip increased his lead to 53 points by finishing one spot ahead of his rival.

FOUR RACES TO GO: North Wilkesboro, NC - Six-time champion Richard Petty trims much off of Darrell Waltrip's lead as he finishes third at North Wilkesboro. Darrell Waltrip ends the race in 13th place and leaves the track 17 points ahead of Petty.

THREE RACES TO GO: Rockingham, NC - Richard Petty continues his march to the championship as he takes the points lead from Darrell Waltrip with his victory at Rockingham. Waltrip trails the King by eight points after a sixth place finish.

TWO RACES TO GO: Hampton, GA - With two races remaining, Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip are deadlocked. Waltrip regains the points by two points he finishes one spot ahead of the King. His fifth place finish, as opposed to Petty's sixth, sent the rivals into the season finale with the championship up for grabs.

FINAL RACE: Ontario, CA - Six-time champion Richard Petty adds a seventh trophy to his collection as he turns in a fifth place finish at the LA Times 500 in Ontario. The final margin of victory was 11 points as Darrell Waltrip finished 8th, a dramatic close to the second-closest points race in NASCAR Winston Cup Series history.