# NASCAR’s Talladega 50 Years Ago

> Talladega Superspeedway’s 1976 race had a 29-second gap between winner and runner-up.
- Title: NASCAR’s Talladega 50 Years Ago · Autoweek | Shortify
- Summary: Talladega Superspeedway’s 1976 race had a 29-second gap between winner and runner-up. Dave Marcis won the 1976 Talladega 500 by 29 seconds over Buddy Baker.
- Keywords: talladega, nascar, 1976, dave marcis, buddy baker, nascar cup, nascar hall of fame, cars, sports, Years, Ago, Autoweek
- Source: Autoweek — https://autoweek.com/racing/nascar/a74205939/nascar-talladega-unrecognizable-50-years-ago
- Author: Mike Hembree
- Published: 2026-10-21T16:26:52+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: talladega, nascar, 1976, dave marcis, buddy baker, nascar cup, nascar hall of fame, cars, sports
## Talladega’s 1976 race
Talladega Superspeedway hosted the August 1976 race with a 29-second gap between winner and runner-up.
## Dave Marcis wins
Dave Marcis won the August 1976 Talladega 500 by 29 seconds over Buddy Baker.
## Only two drivers on lead lap
Marcis and Baker were the only drivers on the lead lap during the August 1976 race.
## Baker’s pit decision
Baker lost the race due to pit decisions after being upset with his Bud Moore Engineering crew.
## Marcis credits crew chief
Marcis credited crew chief Harry Hyde for his fuel and pit strategy that kept him on track longer.
## 1976 race highlights
Only 21 of 40 starters finished the August 1976 Talladega 500 race.
## Key takeaway

Dave Marcis won the 1976 Talladega 500 by 29 seconds over Buddy Baker.