[4] This event marked the first Daytona 500 starts for Joe Ruttman, Ron Bouchard, Jim Sauter, Rick Wilson, Tom Sneva, Mark Martin, Delma Cowart, Rusty Wallace, and Lake Speed,[2] the only Daytona 500 start for Lowell Cowell,[2] and the last Daytona 500 starts for Roy Smith, Gary Balough, Tighe Scott, Stan Barrett, Bobby Wawak, Donnie Allison, Billie Harvey, and Joe Millikan.

On lap 4, Harry Gant led Terry Labonte, with Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough battling nose-to-tail for third.

Several cars took evasive action to avoid it, before it hit the windshield of Joe Millikan (running in 20th position), causing him to veer to the outside wall coming out of turn four.

After the bumper was off Allison's car, it was consistently faster than the competition allowing him to pull away to a significant lead despite other drivers working together in the draft.

Yarborough's crew chief, Tim Brewer, later intimated that Allison's team had intended for the bumper to come off because they knew it would offer a major aerodynamic advantage, either using hollow bolts or very thin wire to attach it superficially to the car.