<TABLE> <S> <C>

<PAGE>
<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
THE SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF ADVANCE STORES COMPANY, INCORPORATED AS OF JULY 18,
1998, JANUARY 3, 1998, AND DECEMBER 28, 1996 AND FOR THE TWENTY-EIGHT WEEK
PERIOD ENDED JULY 18, 1998, AND THE FISCAL YEARS ENDED JANUARY 3, 1998 (53 WKS),
DECEMBER 28, 1996 (52 WKS) AND DECEMBER 30, 1995 (52 WKS), AND IS QUALIFIED IN
ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
       
<S>                             <C>                     <C>                     <C>                     <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   OTHER                   OTHER                   YEAR                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          JUL-18-1998             JAN-03-1998             DEC-28-1996             DEC-30-1995
<PERIOD-END>                               JUL-18-1998             JAN-03-1998             DEC-28-1996             DEC-30-1995
<CASH>                                          44,759                   7,447                   6,932                  14,285
<SECURITIES>                                         0                       0                       0                       0
<RECEIVABLES>                                    5,325                   3,359                       0                       0
<ALLOWANCES>                                         0                       0                       0                       0
<INVENTORY>                                    348,523                 280,267                 252,544                 179,899
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               431,079                 313,251                 275,779                 204,532
<PP&E>                                         233,086                 212,836                 166,256                 122,933
<DEPRECIATION>                                (89,910)                (77,940)                (57,804)                (41,006)
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 593,221                 450,201                 384,620                 287,716
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          281,393                 200,115                 173,822                 111,833
<BONDS>                                        335,000                 106,542                  93,653                  79,277
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0                       0                       0                       0
<PREFERRED>                                          0                       0                       0                       0
<COMMON>                                             0                       0                       0                       0
<OTHER-SE>                                    (40,070)                 129,169                 108,797                  88,585
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   593,221                 450,201                 384,620                 287,716
<SALES>                                        544,000                 848,108                 705,983                 602,559
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               544,000                 848,108                 705,983                 602,559
<CGS>                                          332,825                 524,586                 437,615                 369,962
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  332,825                 524,586                 437,615                 369,962
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               192,705                 279,924                 228,049                 196,153
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0                       0                       0                       0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              11,821                   7,732                   6,221                   6,327
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                  6,768                  35,042                  33,947                  28,353
<INCOME-TAX>                                     3,116                  14,670                  13,735                  11,648
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                              3,652                  20,372                  20,212                  16,705
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0                       0                       0                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0                       0                       0                       0
<CHANGES>                                            0                       0                       0                       0
<NET-INCOME>                                     3,652                  20,372                  20,212                  16,705
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.00                    0.00                    0.00                    0.00
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.00                    0.00                    0.00                    0.00
        

</TABLE>