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Fists flew and NASCAR racing helmets were swung.

Across the United States millions watching on television gasped, or shouted, or cheered in disbelief.

Three Cup Series megastars were fighting in a furious, stunning melee. Cale Yarborough was taking on the Brothers Allison, Bobby and Donnie. As the trio tussled, Richard Petty, coming from far behind, outran Darrell Waltrip and A.J. Foyt to the checkered flag.

It was Feb. 18, 1979, a date that I and many others consider the most important in NASCAR’s 67-year history

The event was the Daytona 500, stock car racing’s biggest, most ballyhooed show. And it was being aired nationally by CBS, becoming the first major NASCAR race carried live flag to flag by a big network.

The audience was massive beyond all expectations because a blizzard covered much of the country in deep snow as far south as Savannah, Ga. People confined to their homes decided to tune into the race.

The action that developed so dramatically created an influx of new fans, creating a boom in NASCAR popularity that was to continue into the 1990s.

The 500 had progressed rather uneventfully for the first 170 of 200 laps on the famous Daytona International Speedway, an ultrafast 2.5-mile track. Then, during the final 30 laps, or 75 miles, Donnie Allison and Yarborough engaged in a tense two-driver duel after both had made up lost laps. Petty, running third, was 19 seconds behind the lead pair.

Starting the final lap, Donnie Allison was in front with Yarborough only inches behind and positioned perfectly, it seemed, to make an aerodynamic slingshot pass on the backstretch. Halfway down the straightaway, Yarborough darted inside to make his move. Donnie maneuvered left to block the challenge.

Suddenly the two, racing abreast, smacked sheet metal and Yarborough went into the grass lining the pavement. They hit again as Yarborough drove back onto the asphalt. They made hard contact a third time and the cars appeared melded together as they angled up the third turn banking and hard into the outer concrete wall.

The cars, both Oldsmobiles and badly damaged, then slid down to the apron.

Petty, followed closely by Waltrip and Foyt, was so far behind coming through turn two that he didn’t see the leaders collide.

“I saw the yellow caution light flash on showing that something had happened,” Petty said later. “Knowing Cale and Donnie and how competitive they were, I figured it involved them.” Sure enough.

As King Richard sped across the finish line to win by a scant car length, Donnie and Cale emerged from their cockpits. Both were enraged and shouted at each other angrily. Bobby Allison stopped his car to check on his brother. Bobby instantly became involved in the heated verbal exchange, which almost immediately became physical.

As cameras showed the fisticuffs, CBS anchorman Ken Squeir shouted, “There’s a fight in turn three!”

I KNEW there was going to be a fight, and said so to all within earshot in the press box. The media facility at Daytona at that time was on a level with the uppermost row of spectator seats. When something exciting happened and fans stood up, they blocked much of the view for the press. My pal and fellow journalist, Steve Waid, sitting beside me, stood in his chair to try and look over the fans and see what was happening. Steve began screaming repeatedly, “Richard’s gonna win the race!” “Yeah, but I want to see the fight,” I said calmly and matter-of-factly, turning to watch a TV monitor behind my left shoulder.

There was no doubt a doozy was coming. Blows and kick were exchanged and Donnie swung his helmet. Cale raised his helmet to swing, then track workers managed to separate the three drivers

“As I came back around after the race ended it looked like a Saturday night at a quarter-mile track in the old days,” said an amused Petty, who posted the sixth of his record seven victories in the 500. Said Yarborough:

“It’s the worst thing I’ve ever seen in racing. I had Donnie set up perfectly and he knew it. He put me in the grass. He knew he couldn’t beat me any other way.” Countered Donnie:

“Cale had made up his mind he was going to pass me low. I had made up my mind that if he was going to pass me at all, it was going to be high. When he went low he went off the track, lost control and hit me.” Donnie was credited with finishing fourth, Yarborough placed fifth. Bobby Allison finished 11th, three laps behind. Steve Waid and I were up early the next morning to hustle to the office of NASCAR president Bill France, Jr., who had summoned the Allisons and Yarborough there for consultation and possible punishment. Cale and Donnie had met with France and departed before we arrived. Bobby was still in the office.

Bobby shortly emerged and readily gave his version of what happened, including a quote that will endure forever in NASCAR lore:

“When I stopped to see about Donnie, Cale immediately called me an S.O.B. and punched me through the window screen of my car.

“I knew I had to do something about it right away, or Cale would try to intimidate me from then on. So I got out of the car and all of a sudden I found Cale Yarborough’s nose pounding on my fist.”

France strongly admonished all three drivers and put Donnie Allison on probation.

Considering all the positives that were to come for NASCAR as a result of the rumble, he should have given them medals.