1980 Daytona 500
Race details[1]
Race 2 of 31 in the 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1980 Daytona 500 program cover
1980 Daytona 500 program cover
Date February 17, 1980 (1980-02-17)
Location Daytona International Speedway
Daytona Beach, Florida, U.S.
Course Permanent racing facility
2.5 mi (4.023 km)
Distance 200 laps, 500 mi (804.672 km)
Weather Temperatures of 77 °F (25 °C); wind speeds of 19.4 miles per hour (31.2 km/h)[2]
Average speed 177.602 miles per hour (285.823 km/h)
Pole position
Driver
Ranier-Lundy Racing
Time 46.368
Qualifying race winners
Duel 1 Winner Neil Bonnett Wood Brothers Racing
Duel 2 Winner Donnie Allison Hoss Ellington
Most laps led
Driver Buddy Baker Ranier-Lundy Racing
Laps 143
Winner
No. 28 Buddy Baker Ranier-Lundy Racing
Television in the United States
Network CBS
Announcers Lap-by-lap: Ken Squier
Driver analyst: David Hobbs
Pit reporter: Ned Jarrett
Pit reporter: Brock Yates

The 22nd annual Daytona 500 was held February 17, 1980, at Daytona International Speedway. Buddy Baker started the decade by winning the fastest Daytona 500 in history, at 177.602 mph (285.823 km/h), it was Baker's only 500 win and did so in his 18th start, the longest until Dale Earnhardt in 1998.[3]

Race report

The 1980 Daytona Speedweeks was marred by the death of Ricky Knotts, who was killed in a crash during the Gatorade Twin 125 qualifying races.[4][5] There were 42 cars in the field, after planning to only run 40 cars.

Buddy Baker scored a dominant victory, leading 150 of 200 laps. Bonnett was on the lead lap and started the final lap of the race then blew his engine.[1] Earnhardt was one lap down and so the race finished without him starting on a 200th lap.[1] The fast pace of the race contributed to many engine failures.[1] Earnhardt started his 20 years of Daytona 500 misfortune when, while running a close 2nd behind Baker, his team left one lugnut off a wheel on the final pit stop which forced Earnhardt to pit again, dropping a lap off the pace.[1]

Dave Marcis drove this race with a broken rib after a crash at the end of the Sportsman 300 the day before this race; ultimately finishing in 22nd place.[1]

Top 10 finishers

Pos[1] Grid No. Driver Manufacturer Laps Winnings Laps led Points Time/Status
1 1 28 Buddy Baker Oldsmobile 200 $102,475 143 185 2:48:55
2 9 15 Bobby Allison Mercury 200 $54,450 9 175 Lead lap under caution
3 3 21 Neil Bonnett Mercury 199 $51,100 8 170 Engine failure
4 32 2 Dale Earnhardt Oldsmobile 199 $36,350 10 165 +1 lap
5 14 27 Benny Parsons Oldsmobile 197 $32,375 0 155 +3 laps
6 17 44 Terry Labonte Oldsmobile 197 $26,745 0 150 +3 laps
7 2 1 Donnie Allison Oldsmobile 195 $35,160 2 151 +5 laps
8 36 14 Sterling Marlin Chevrolet 194 $17,180 0 142 +6 laps
9 12 75 Lennie Pond Buick 194 $18,000 0 138 +6 laps
10 27 90 Jody Ridley Mercury 194 $20,305 0 134 +6 laps

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "1980 Daytona 500". Racing-Reference.info.
  2. ^ Weather information for the 1980 Daytona 500 at Old Farmers Almanac
  3. ^ Aumann, Mark (January 26, 2005). "Daytona Countdown: '80". NASCAR.com. Turner Sports. Retrieved 2012-08-30.
  4. ^ "Driver Young dies in crash at Daytona". Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago. February 14, 1987. p. 94. Retrieved 2012-08-30.
  5. ^ Holliman, Ray. Desire for success kills Ricky Knotts, St. Petersburg Times, February 15, 1980, Retrieved 2010-06-25
Preceded by1980 Winston Western 500 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Season 1980 Succeeded by1980 Richmond 400
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