1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Series explained

The 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 32nd season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 9th modern-era NASCAR Cup season. It was the final year with the Gen 2 car. The season began on Sunday, January 13 and ended on Sunday, November 15. Dale Earnhardt won his first Winston Cup championship, winning by 19 points over Cale Yarborough. Jody Ridley was crowned NASCAR Rookie of the Year.

Teams and drivers

TeamMakeNo.DriverCar OwnerCrew Chief
A. J. Foyt EnterprisesOldsmobile Cutlass51A. J. FoytA. J. Foyt
Don Whittington
Arrington RacingDodge Magnum67Buddy ArringtonBuddy ArringtonJoey Arrington
77Dick May
Eddie Dickerson
97
B&B RacingBuick Century03Jimmy FingerDon Bierschwale
Ballard RacingOldsmobile Cutlass30Tighe ScottWalter BallardHarry Hyde
Billie Harvey RacingChevrolet Monte CarloOldsmobile Cutlass87Billie HarveyBillie Harvey
Gary Balough
Billy Matthews RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo41Dick BrooksBilly Matthews
Borneman MotorsportsChevrolet Monte Carlo81John BornemanJohn Borneman
Bud Moore EngineeringFord Thunderbird15Bobby AllisonBud MooreBud Moore
DiGard MotorsportsChevrolet Monte Carlo88Darrell WaltripBill GardnerBuddy Parrott
Jake Elder
Donlavey RacingFord Thunderbird90Jody RidleyJunie Donlavey
Ellington RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo
Oldsmobile Cutlass
1David PearsonHoss EllingtonRunt Pittman
Elliott RacingMercury Cougar9Bill ElliottGeorge ElliottErnie Elliott
G. C. Spencer Racing4G. C. Spencer
Gordon RacingOldsmobile Cutlass24Cecil GordonCecil Gordon
Gray RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo19John Anderson (R)Henley Gray
Hagan RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo44Terry LabonteBilly HaganDarrell Bryant
Halpern EnterprisesOldsmobile CutlassChevrolet Monte Carlo02Donnie AllisonJoel Halpern
Chuck BownHarold Fagan
Hamby MotorsportsChevrolet Monte Carlo17Roger HambyRoger Hamby
Hollar RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo99Dick MayBill Hollar
Hylton RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo48James HyltonJames Hylton
John KieperDodge Magnum93Chuck BownJohn Kieper
Chevrolet Monte Carlo98Hershel McGriff
Johnson RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo53Slick JohnsonJ. D. Johnson
Junior Johnson & AssociatesChevrolet Monte Carlo11Cale YarboroughJunior JohnsonTim Brewer
Junior Miller RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo79Junior MillerJunior Miller
Kennie Childers RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo12Donnie AllisonKennie Childers
Langley RacingFord Thunderbird64Tommy GaleElmo Xey
M. C. Anderson RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo27Benny ParsonsM. C. AndersonDavid Ifft
Marcis Auto RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo71Dave MarcisDave Marcis
McDuffie RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo70J. D. McDuffieJ. D. McDuffie
Means RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo52Jimmy MeansJimmy Means
Nelson Malloch RacingFord Thunderbird7Nelson Malloch
Ricky Rudd
Lake Speed
Osterlund RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo2Dale EarnhardtRod OsterlundJake Elder
Doug Richert
Petty EnterprisesChevrolet Monte Carlo42Richard PettyMaurice Petty
43Richard PettyDale Inman
Price RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo45Baxter PriceBaxter PriceRobert Beadle
Charlie Chamblee
Jimmy Means
Roy Smith
Joel Stowe
Race Hill Farm TeamChevrolet Monte Carlo47Harry GantJack BeebeBob Johnson
RahMoc EnterprisesChevrolet Monte Carlo75Bob RahillyButch Mock
Ranier-Lundy RacingOldsmobile Cutlass28Buddy BakerHarry RanierWaddell Wilson
Buddy Parrott
Richard Childress RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo3Richard ChildressRichard Childress
Robertson RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo25Ronnie ThomasDon Robertson
Speed RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo66Lake Speed (R)Lake Speed
Testa RacingChevrolet Monte CarloOldsmobile Cutlass68Jim TestaRon Kelly
Ulrich RacingChevrolet Monte CarloBuick Century40D. K. Ulrich
D. K. Ulrich
Tommy Gale
D. K. Ulrich
Warren RacingDodge MagnumChevrolet Monte Carlo79Frank Warren
Wawak RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo
Buick Century
74Bobby Wawak
Wood Brothers RacingMercury Cougar21Neil BonnettGlen WoodLeonard Wood

Season recap

No.DateRace titleTrackWinning driver
1 January 13
January 19
Darrell Waltrip
February 10 Dale Earnhardt
February 14125 Mile Qualifying RacesNeil Bonnett
Donnie Allison
2 February 17 Buddy Baker
3 February 24 Darrell Waltrip
4 March 9 Cale Yarborough
5 March 16 Dale Earnhardt
6 March 30 Dale Earnhardt
7 April 13 David Pearson
8 April 20 Richard Petty
9 April 27Darrell Waltrip
10May 4 Buddy Baker
11 May 10 Music City 420Richard Petty
12 May 18 Bobby Allison
13 May 25 Benny Parsons
14 June 1 NASCAR 400Cale Yarborough
15 June 8 Darrell Waltrip
16 June 15 Benny Parsons
17 July 4 Bobby Allison
18 July 12 Busch Nashville 420Dale Earnhardt
19 July 27 Neil Bonnett
20 August 3 Neil Bonnett
21 August 17 Cale Yarborough
22August 23 Busch Volunteer 500Cale Yarborough
23 September 1 Terry Labonte
24 September 7 Bobby Allison
25 September 14 Darrell Waltrip
26 September 21 Bobby Allison
27 September 28 Dale Earnhardt
28 October 5 Dale Earnhardt
29 October 19 Cale Yarborough
30 November 2 Cale Yarborough
31 November 15 Benny Parsons

Notable races

Full Drivers’ Championship

See also: List of NASCAR points scoring systems. (key) 

Bold – Pole position awarded by time. Italics – Pole position set by owner's points. * – Most laps led.
DriverRSDDAYRCHCARATLBRIDARNWSMARTALNSVDOVCLTTWSRSDMCHDAYNSVPOCTALMCHBRIDARRCHDOVNWSMARCLTCARATLONT
1Dale Earnhardt245311*2961326102095123143352743451*1*18354661
2Cale Yarborough2319251*8*5124463*16*171*42402*3211*2926410321*1*34642
3Benny Parsons3352821304252822212331*632048541056433233214278
4Richard Petty3253233891*3311242855533185492171815271421304255
5Darrell Waltrip1*401*42824121*424202*41*2631426114*325*61*2211832625*4239
6Bobby Allison182273330325405126315*81*634357661*301*2229263844019
7Jody Ridley (R)161018296111077108612261167818301812305999856183972
8Terry Labonte7624101510322223327535331132226311123182877314583766
9Dave Marcis1722494923218291125297635331483926787123519622153745
10Richard Childress61322141329211111122981161814899627912113719251179213742
11Harry Gant1242128167322137942887281629553714320242916236413703
12Buddy Arrington1441625192114131018272610281423101013381320171213268131211103461
13James Hylton1126713391418171813131923101224241715142517211719151021914243449
14Ronnie Thomas102926112212262322202111221116301726232129292222102518108383066
15Cecil Gordon218332422341723199371410202921162321191918151413241525172993
16J. D. McDuffie152793291322303041203330299152311362520111829382426202117142968
17Jimmy Means211530201224281412122714192226161415142216132712301320312947
18Tommy Gale20212618171529291615123325192818192922133119362011222015162885
19Neil Bonnett3436413662718524341*1256193025222865
20Roger HambyQL16183418162517231322232127152422301635162022142817122606
21Buddy Baker1*15735241*33934232*6263232742603
22Lake Speed (R)29DNQ1187DNQ1226173830816271121207282461853
23Slick Johnson (R)14301026259925323013311915824408DNQ1851
24John Anderson182417282624181391236153632271635323391805
25Bobby Wawak101731131631301829252422292324333927111742
26Donnie Allison7526253130361927263327652237391730
27Dick Brooks223629165275272693017152731331010311698
28Kyle Petty (R)DNQ3114815217779122327935331690
29Baxter PriceDNQ3127212331191922142118271922273218241689
30Lennie Pond9236441112884038282834297291558
31Junior Miller382514163134202127232913172633351402
32Dick May32DNQ2019162415201517716302910192628242917161323
33Joe Millikan43427283767105242371274
34Bill Elliott1229214291279336181232
35Ricky Rudd1231199321328102034283441213
36Bill Elswick2415231920242735303414361053
37David Pearson1*3625217238311004
38D. K. Ulrich2628341536151013253037935
39Tighe Scott3937325233610363234791
40Frank WarrenQL20191733312325559
41Tim Richmond1231121229527
42Bill Schmitt5231311503
43Buck SimmonsDNQ224032271624495
44Rick NewsomDNQ193620322632483
45Dave Dion1791431441
46Don Whittington9163834352238429
47Steve Moore143518QL13412
48Tommy Houston17153124396
49Sterling Marlin81116736387
50Bruce Hill332736383541348
51Chuck Bown3635313735112527329
52Jim Vandiver3739825328
53Jeff McDuffie181719327
54Coo Coo MarlinQL111437303
55Don Sprouse14241523303
56Joe Booher171135191634294
57Rusty Wallace214291
58Jim Robinson242028273
59Hershel McGriff262423270
60Roy Smith132836263
61Don Puskarich191742255
62Kenny Hemphill2510413315252
63Blackie WangerinDNQ133734237
64Mike Potter363018237
65Travis Tiller28402630237
66Rick McCray353219231
67Connie Saylor1939142327227
68Rick Wilson153637225
69Janet Guthrie1128209
70Wayne WatercutterDNQ1624206
71Marty Robbins33301332204
72Randy Ogden30Wth3431204
73Eddie Dickerson2122197
74Don Waterman2520191
75Kevin Housby3017DNQ26185
76John Utsman2820182
77Steve Pfeifer2721182
78Phil FinneyDNQ3820152
79Nelson OswaldDNQ2038152
80DNQ2439137
81John Borneman3134131
82Harry Dinwiddie12127
83Mike Miller3928125
84Joey Arrington13124
85Jimmy Finger13124
86Jimmy Ingram15DNQDNQ118
87Billie Harvey27111617DNQ115
88Bill Osborne3735110
89Joel Stowe1816109
9020103
91John Callis2140DNQ100
92Bill Hollar2394
93Bruce Jacobi2394
94Ralph JonesDNQ252488
95Jim Hopkinson2782
96Stuart Huffman282479
97Nestor Peles2879
98Dick Skillen2879
99Ed Hale2976
100Bobby Sands3073
101A. J. Foyt3170
102Bill Whittington83267
103Glenn Francis3267
104Melvin Revis3364
105Glen Ward3558
106Henry Jones2137372252
107Jim Hurlbert3849
108Gary Balough39DNQ46
109Jim Sauter4140
110Bub StricklerDNQ1421283523
111Stan Barrett111013
112Steve Spencer282525
113Glenn Jarrett3412
114Ferrel Harris4020
115John Greenwood4021
116Bob RileyDNQ2739
117Mike Alexander10
118Charlie Chamblee16
119Clay Young19
120Gary BakerDNQ22
121Chuck Wahl25
122Dan Gurney28
123Ernie Cline30
124Steve Gray40
125Joe Ruttman40
126Gary MatthewsDNQ
127Dick WhalenDNQ
128Gene ThonesonDNQDNQ
129St. James DavisDNQDNQ
130Jim HurtubiseDNQ
131Ricky KnottsDNQ
132Steve PelesDNQ
133Ricky OttsDNQ
134Bill Green
135Bob SwitzerDNQ
136Terry RyanDNQ
137Jerry HansenDNQ
138Frank FredaDNQDNQ
139Dick KranzlerDNQ
140Harry GoularteDNQ
141Don StanleyDNQ
142Ron O'DellDNQ
143Tim McMillanDNQ
144Tim WilliamsonWth
145Bill DennisQL
DriverRSDDAYRCHCARATLBRIDARNWSMARTALNSVDOVCLTTWSRSDMCHDAYNSVPOCTALMCHBRIDARRCHDOVMARNWSCLTCARATLONT
[2]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NASCAR in 1980 from National Speed Sport News.
  2. Web site: 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Central - The Third Turn. 2021-04-29. www.thethirdturn.com. en.