1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Series

Teams and drivers

Season recap

Races

Winston Western 500

The Winston Western 500 was held on January 13 at Riverside International Raceway. Darrell Waltrip won the pole, and would claim his second straight win in Riverside's NASCAR season-opener. He took the win with crew chief Buddy Parrott, who had been fired from DiGard Racing immediately following the Los Angeles Times 500 the previous November but rehired at the start of January.

Top ten results

1. #88 - Darrell Waltrip
2. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
3. #43 - Richard Petty
4. #72 - Joe Millikan
5. #73 - Bill Schmitt
6. #3 - Richard Childress
7. #44 - Terry Labonte
8. #40 - Bill Whittington
9. #55 - Don Whittington
10. #25 - Ronnie Thomas

Daytona 500

The 22nd Daytona 500 was held on February 17 at Daytona International Speedway. Buddy Baker won the pole. Baker ended a career-long drought in the 500 as he dominated, winning in his 18th attempt. Darrell Waltrip blew his engine early and angrily ripped the DiGard Racing team in postrace interviews. With an average speed of 177.602 mph, the 1980 race remains the fastest Daytona 500 in history.

Top ten results

1. #28 - Buddy Baker
2. #15 - Bobby Allison
3. #21 - Neil Bonnett
4. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
5. #27 - Benny Parsons
6. #44 - Terry Labonte
7. #1 - Donnie Allison
8. #14 - Sterling Marlin
9. #75 - Lennie Pond
10. #90 - Jody Ridley

Richmond 400

The Richmond 400 was held on February 24 at Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway. Darrell Waltrip won the pole. Waltrip, Bobby Allison, and Richard Petty combined to lead 345 laps. Petty rallied from a mid-race spin to lead until Waltrip grabbed the lead for the final nineteen laps.

Top ten results

1. #88 - Darrell Waltrip
2. #15 - Bobby Allison
3. #43 - Richard Petty
4. #71 - Dave Marcis
5. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
6. #67 - Buddy Arrington
7. #48 - James Hylton
8. #24 - Cecil Gordon
9. #70 - J.D. McDuffie
10. #74 - Bobby Wawak

Carolina 500

The Carolina 500 was held on March 9 at North Carolina Motor Speedway. Darrell Waltrip won the pole. Cale Yarborough drove a backup Oldsmobile to the win, while Benny Parsons survived a hard crash in Turn One.

Top ten results

1. #11 - Cale Yarborough
2. #43 - Richard Petty
3. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
4. #88 - Darrell Waltrip
5. #1 - Donnie Allison
6. #21 - Neil Bonnett
7. #15 - Bobby Allison
8. #47 - Harry Gant
9. #71 - Dave Marcis
10. #44 - Terry Labonte

Atlanta 500

The Atlanta 500 was held on March 16 at Atlanta International Raceway. Buddy Baker won the pole. Cale Yarborough, Bobby Allison, and Donnie Allison dominated the first 300 miles of the race as sophomore Dale Earnhardt clawed from 31st into contention; Allison and Earnhardt were side by side for the lead when Donnie was hit by Terry Labonte and hit the wall in Turn Three. Cale broke in the final 60 laps as Earnhardt took the win; finishing second was rookie Rusty Wallace in his first career race.

Top ten results

1. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
2. #16 - Rusty Wallace
3. #15 - Bobby Allison
4. #71 - Dave Marcis
5. #7 - Dick Brooks
6. #90 - Jody Ridley
7. #28 - Buddy Baker
8. #11 - Cale Yarborough
9. #70 - J.D. McDuffie
10. #53 - Slick Johnson

Valleydale Southeastern 500

The Southeastern 500 was held on March 30 at Bristol International Speedway. Cale Yarborough won the pole. Earnhardt passed Yarborough and led the final 135 laps for his second straight win.

Top ten results

1. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
2. #88 - Darrell Waltrip
3. #15 - Bobby Allison
4. #27 - Benny Parsons
5. #11 - Cale Yarborough
6. #72 - Joe Millikan
7. #47 - Harry Gant
8. #43 - Richard Petty
9. #71 - Dave Marcis
10. #44 - Terry Labonte

CRC Chemicals Rebel 500

The Rebel 500 was held on April 13 at Darlington Raceway. Benny Parsons won the pole. Rain shortened the race after halfway as David Pearson, replacing Donnie Allison in Hoss Ellington's car, took his 105th and final career win. Neil Bonnett crashed out on the opening lap and Dale Earnhardt led fifteen laps but fell out with engine failure.

Top ten results

1. #1 - David Pearson
2. #27 - Benny Parsons
3. #47 - Harry Gant
4. #88 - Darrell Waltrip
5. #7 - Dick Brooks
6. #68 - Lennie Pond
7. #72 - Joe Millikan
8. #66 - Lake Speed
9. #43 - Richard Petty
10. #90 - Jody Ridley

Northwestern Bank 400

The Northwestern Bank 400 was held on April 10 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Bobby Allison won the pole.

Top ten results

1. #43 - Richard Petty
2. #47 - Harry Gant
3. #15 - Bobby Allison
4. #11 - Cale Yarborough
5. #27 - Benny Parsons
6. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
7. #90 - Jody Ridley
8. #42 - Kyle Petty
9. #53 - Slick Johnson
10. #72 - Joe Millikan

Virginia 500

The Virginia 500 was held on April 27 at Martinsville Speedway. Darrell Waltrip won the pole. In an effort to save money for race teams, NASCAR banned tire changes under caution on short tracks. Waltrip led 303 laps from the pole to the win.

Top ten results

1. #88 - Darrell Waltrip
2. #27 - Benny Parsons
3. #43 - Richard Petty
4. #11 - Cale Yarborough
5. #72 - Joe Millikan
6. #21 - Neil Bonnett
7. #90 - Jody Ridley
8. #71 - Dave Marcis
9. #53 - Slick Johnson
10. #67 - Buddy Arrington

Winston 500

The Winston 500 was held on May 4 at Alabama International Motor Speedway. David Pearson won the pole. On a newly repaved surface, Buddy Baker ran down Dale Earnhardt with two laps to go for the win, but was informed on his way to postrace interviews he would be replaced in the Ranier Racing car in 1981.

Top ten results

1. #28 - Buddy Baker
2. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
3. #1 - David Pearson
4. #68 - Lennie Pond
5. #30 - Tighe Scott
6. #11 - Cale Yarborough
7. #66 - Lake Speed
8. #27 - Benny Parsons
9. #7 - Dick Brooks
10. #90 - Jody Ridley

Music City USA 420

The Music City 420 was held on May 10 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. Cale Yarborough won the pole. Yarborough cut a tire but could not pit under yellow to change it; as a result Richard Petty took his eighth win at the Nashville Fairgrounds. Petty and Cale were critical of NASCAR's new rule for short tracks banning tire changes under yellow. Petty's win was also Chevrolet's 100th manufacturer win in NASCAR.

Top ten results

1. #43 - Richard Petty
2. #27 - Benny Parsons
3. #11 - Cale Yarborough
4. #88 - Darrell Waltrip
5. #15 - Bobby Allison
6. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
7. #44 - Terry Labonte
8. #90 - Jody Ridley
9. #47 - Harry Gant
10. #40 - Mike Alexander

Mason-Dixon 500

The Mason-Dixon 500 was held on May 18 at Dover Downs International Speedway. Cale Yarborough won the pole. Bobby Allison won after leading 126 laps, edging Richard Petty for his first win of the season. Allison was critical of the Ford racecars he was running, saying "We still need a Chevy for the other tracks."

Top ten results

1. #15 - Bobby Allison
2. #43 - Richard Petty
3. #28 - Buddy Baker
4. #47 - Harry Gant
5. #44 - Terry Labonte
6. #90 - Jody Ridley
7. #40 - Dick May
8. #3 - Richard Childress
9. #24 - Cecil Gordon
10. #2 - Dale Earnhardt

World 600

The World 600 was held on May 25 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Cale Yarborough won the pole. The race ran over seven hours thanks to fourteen yellows for crashes on the newly paved surface and two rain delays lasting two hours. The lead changed 47 times as Benny Parsons out-dueled Darrell Waltrip; they swapped the lead eight times in the final twenty laps. Dale Earnhardt's crash at Lap 275 with David Pearson and Cale Yarborough combined with Richard Petty's fourth cut Earnhardt's point lead to under 50; crew chief Jake Elder quit the team after the race, citing an attitude change with Earnhardt and also conflict with Rod Osterlund and team manager Roland Wlodyka ("Rod tells me one thing and Roland another. I tell Roland what we need and he says we can't do that.....I had no authority to get the people I need.")

Top ten results

1. #27 - Benny Parsons
2. #88 - Darrell Waltrip
3. #44 - Terry Labonte
4. #43 - Richard Petty
5. #21 - Neil Bonnett
6. #1 - David Pearson
7. #42 - Kyle Petty
8. #89 - Jim Vandiver
9. #22 - Ricky Rudd
10. #67 - Buddy Arrington

NASCAR 400

The NASCAR 400 was held on June 1 at Texas World Speedway. Cale Yarborough won the pole. Yarborough led 110 laps from the pole and edged Richard Petty, while point leader Dale Earnhardt led 54 laps but finished a distant ninth in his first race with Doug Richert as crew chief. Benny Parsons led 30 laps but overheated and fell out.

Top ten results

1. #11 - Cale Yarborough
2. #43 - Richard Petty
3. #15 - Bobby Allison
4. #88 - Darrell Waltrip
5. #44 - Terry Labonte
6. #3 - Richard Childress
7. #71 - Dave Marcis
8. #75 - Harry Gant
9. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
10. #48 - James Hylton

Warner W. Hodgdon 400

The Warner W. Hodgdon 400 was held on June 8 at Riverside International Raceway. Cale Yarborough won the pole for the fifth consecutive race.

Top ten results

1. #88 - Darrell Waltrip
2. #21 - Neil Bonnett
3. #27 - Benny Parsons
4. #11 - Cale Yarborough
5. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
6. #71 - Dave Marcis
7. #75 - Harry Gant
8. #43 - Richard Petty
9. #70 - J.D. McDuffie
10. #24 - Cecil Gordon

Gabriel 400

The Gabriel 400 was held on June 15 at Michigan International Speedway. Benny Parsons won the pole. Parsons, who grew up in the Detroit area, won at Michigan for the only time in his career. Darrell Waltrip fell out with engine failure, and following the race crew chief Buddy Parrott was fired; a fight ensued between Parrott and Robert Yates at the DiGard shop when the team returned home. Parrott publicly blamed Waltrip for his firing, saying "I'll die before I ever turn another wrench on a Darrell Waltrip car." Parrott was promptly hired to Ranier Racing.

Top ten results

1. #27 - Benny Parsons
2. #11 - Cale Yarborough
3. #28 - Buddy Baker
4. #21 - Neil Bonnett
5. #43 - Richard Petty
6. #90 - Jody Ridley
7. #42 - Kyle Petty
8. #15 - Bobby Allison
9. #9 - Bill Elliott
10. #30 - Tighe Scott

Firecracker 400

The Firecracker 400 was held on July 4 at Daytona International Speedway. Cale Yarborough won the pole. Bobby Allison edged Earnhardt and Pearson before a scary crash erupted off Turn Four as Phil Finney plowed into an earthen bank and flew twenty feet into the air before landing at the pit road entrance. The lead changed 41 times.

Top ten results

1. #15 - Bobby Allison
2. #1 - David Pearson
3. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
4. #28 - Buddy Baker
5. #43 - Richard Petty
6. #27 - Benny Parsons
7. #90 - Jody Ridley
8. #3 - Richard Childress
9. #75 - John Anderson
10. #67 - Buddy Arrington

Busch Nashville 420

The Busch Nashville 420 was held on July 12 at Nashville Speedway. Cale Yarborough won the pole.

Top ten results

1. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
2. #11 - Cale Yarborough
3. #27 - Benny Parsons
4. #88 - Darrell Waltrip
5. #43 - Richard Petty
6. #15 - Bobby Allison
7. #40 - Sterling Marlin
8. #90 - Jody Ridley
9. #3 - Richard Childress
10. #67 - Buddy Arrington

Coca-Cola 500

The Coca-Cola 500 was held on July 27 at Pocono Raceway. Cale Yarborough won the pole, his eighth pole in the last nine races. Neil Bonnett survived a physical last lap with Buddy Baker and Yarborough. The lead changed 50 times, but the story of the race was a bad wreck on Lap 57 as Richard Petty, holding the lead, broke a wheel entering the track's Tunnel Turn, shot into the wall, and bounced into the path of traffic, where he was hit in the driver's side door by Darrell Waltrip. Petty suffered a broken neck and his title chances effectively ended.

Top ten results

1. #21 - Neil Bonnett
2. #28 - Buddy Baker
3. #11 - Cale Yarborough
4. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
5. #47 - Harry Gant
6. #44 - Terry Labonte
7. #42 - Kyle Petty
8. #71 - Dave Marcis
9. #3 - Richard Childress
10. #7 - Ricky Rudd

Talladega 500

The Talladega 500 was held on August 3 at Alabama International Motor Speedway. Buddy Baker won the pole. Neil Bonnett fought off a last-lap challenge from Dale Earnhardt, Cale Yarborough, and Benny Parsons for the win, the second in a row for Wood Brothers Racing and the final win for the Mercury automobile brand.

Top ten results

1. #21 - Neil Bonnett
2. #11 - Cale Yarborough
3. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
4. #27 - Benny Parsons
5. #47 - Harry Gant
6. #3 - Richard Childress
7. #9 - Bill Elliott
8. #66 - Lake Speed
9. #42 - Kyle Petty
10. #19 - Dick May

Champion Spark Plug 400

The Champion Spark Plug 400 was held on August 17 at Michigan International Speedway. Buddy Baker won the pole. Darrell Waltrip crashed during practice and had to purchase the Joel Halpern Chevrolet to run the 400 at Michigan International Speedway; it was the second time in two seasons Waltrip had to drive another car after his primary DiGard entry was knocked out before the race; Waltrip led 67 laps but a late caution allowed Cale Yarborough to catch up and storm to the win. Following the race Waltrip stated he was "fed up" with the DiGard situation, saying "I fight the same battles every day." Richard Petty ran the entire race despite his broken neck and finished fifth.

Top ten results

1. #11 - Cale Yarborough
2. #21 - Neil Bonnett
3. #12 - Donnie Allison
4. #02 - Darrell Waltrip
5. #43 - Richard Petty
6. #28 - Buddy Baker
7. #15 - Bobby Allison
8. #27 - Benny Parsons
9. #9 - Bill Elliott
10. #77 - Kenny Hamphill

Busch Volunteer 500

The Busch Volunteer 500 was held on August 23 at Bristol International Speedway. Cale Yarborough won the pole.

Top ten results

1. #11 - Cale Yarborough
2. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
3. #88 - Darrell Waltrip
4. #43 - Richard Petty
5. #27 - Benny Parsons
6. #15 - Bobby Allison
7. #71 - Dave Marcis
8. #68 - Lennie Pond
9. #3 - Richard Childress
10. #40 - D.K. Ulrich

Southern 500

The 31st Southern 500 was held on September 1 at Darlington Raceway. Darrell Waltrip won the pole. In a wild final five laps David Pearson rocketed from midpack into the lead and held off Dale Earnhardt and Benny Parsons, then with two to go all three crashed in Turn Two in oil from a blown engine; Pearson limped to the race-deciding yellow, but Terry Labonte edged Pearson by a bumper to score his first career victory.

Top ten results

1. #44 - Terry Labonte
2. #1 - David Pearson
3. #47 - Harry Gant
4. #27 - Benny Parsons
5. #21 - Neil Bonnett
6. #15 - Bobby Allison
7. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
8. #71 - Dave Marcis
9. #43 - Richard Petty
10. #41 - Dick Brooks

Capital City 400

The Capital City 400 was held on September 7 at Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway. Cale Yarborough won the pole.

Top ten results

1. #15 - Bobby Allison
2. #43 - Richard Petty
3. #68 - Lennie Pond
4. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
5. #90 - Jody Ridley
6. #88 - Darrell Waltrip
7. #71 - Dave Marcis
8. #44 - Terry Labonte
9. #29 - Dave Dion
10. #27 - Benny Parsons

CRC Chemicals 500

The CRC Chemicals 500 was held on September 14 at Dover Downs International Speedway. Cale Yarborough won the pole.

Top ten results

1. #88 - Darrell Waltrip
2. #47 - Harry Gant
3. #28 - Buddy Baker
4. #11 - Cale Yarborough
5. #27 - Benny Parsons
6. #21 - Neil Bonnett
7. #12 - Donnie Allison
8. #68 - Lennie Pond
9. #90 - Jody Ridley
10. #25 - Ronnie Thomas

Holly Farms 400

The Holly Farms 400 was held on September 21 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Cale Yarborough won the pole.

Top ten results

1. #15 - Bobby Allison
2. #88 - Darrell Waltrip
3. #71 - Dave Marcis
4. #47 - Harry Gant
5. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
6. #27 - Benny Parsons
7. #44 - Terry Labonte
8. #53 - Slick Johnson
9. #90 - Jody Ridley
10. #11 - Cale Yarborough

Old Dominion 500

The Old Dominion 500 was held on September 28 at Martinsville Speedway. Buddy Baker won the pole.

Top ten results

1. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
2. #28 - Buddy Baker
3. #11 - Cale Yarborough
4. #27 - Benny Parsons
5. #71 - Dave Marcis
6. #12 - Donnie Allison
7. #44 - Terry Labonte
8. #67 - Buddy Arrington
9. #90 - Jody Ridley
10. #48 - James Hylton

National 500

The National 500 was held on October 5 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Buddy Baker won the pole. Dale Earnhardt edged Cale Yarborough and Baker amid an increasingly bitter public contract battle between Darrell Waltrip and his team owner, Bill Gardner, a battle that also involved Junior Johnson, who asserted DiGard had attempted to hire several of Johnson's crewmen out from under him. Waltrip fought for the lead in the first 100 laps but lost a lap when a sway bar bolt broke off an A arm; he kept battling to get his lap back but crashed with Benny Parsons, who was eligible for a $100,000 bonus for winning the race.

Top ten results

1. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
2. #11 - Cale Yarborough
3. #28 - Buddy Baker
4. #22 - Ricky Rudd
5. #12 - Donnie Allison
6. #9 - Bill Elliott
7. #7 - Lake Speed
8. #90 - Jody Ridley
9. #42 - Kyle Petty
10. #41 - Dick Brooks

American 500

The American 500 was held on October 19 at North Carolina Motor Speedway. Donnie Allison won the pole. Cale Yarborough led 167 laps en route to his fifth win of the season, but the key development of the race was Dale Earnhardt, who's 18th place finish reduced his point lead to just 44 with two races to go.

Top ten results

1. #11 - Cale Yarborough
2. #47 - Harry Gant
3. #88 - Darrell Waltrip
4. #44 - Terry Labonte
5. #90 - Jody Ridley
6. #71 - Dave Marcis
7. #3 - Richard Childress
8. #53 - Slick Johnson
9. #48 - James Hylton
10. #25 - Ronnie Thomas

Atlanta Journal 500

The Atlanta Journal 500 was held on November 2 at Atlanta International Raceway. Bobby Allison won the pole. An early accident eliminated the Allison brothers and Cale Yarborough dominated to the win. Dale Earnhardt lost a lap and crowded Cale for a prolonged stretch; his point lead over Yarborough was now just 29 points.

Top ten results

1. #11 - Cale Yarborough
2. #21 - Neil Bonnett
3. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
4. #28 - Buddy Baker
5. #44 - Terry Labonte
6. #90 - Jody Ridley
7. #68 - Lennie Pond
8. #25 - Ronnie Thomas
9. #3 - Richard Childress
10. #40 - Stan Barrett

Los Angeles Times 500

The Los Angeles Times 500 was held on November 15 at Ontario Motor Speedway. Cale Yarborough won his 14th pole of the season, the most in NASCAR's modern era. Earnhardt lost a lap but made it up and despite taking off from a late green-flag stop with unsecured lug nuts on his tires finished fifth with Yarborough third and Benny Parsons the race winner. The race was switched from Sunday to Saturday to accommodate live CBS Sports coverage. Earnhardt's 5th-place finish allowed him to win the championship by 19 points over Yarborough. Following the race Waltrip succeeded in buying out his contract with DiGard Racing while Yarborough announced he would not run the full season in 1981, taking over the M. C. Anderson #27 team driven by race winner Parsons; Waltrip was then hired by Junior Johnson.

Top ten results

1. #27 - Benny Parsons
2. #21 - Neil Bonnett
3. #11 - Cale Yarborough
4. #15 - Bobby Allison
5. #2 - Dale Earnhardt
6. #7 - Lake Speed
7. #75 - Joe Millikan
8. #44 - Terry Labonte
9. #77 - John Anderson
10. #67 - Buddy Arrington

Full Drivers' Championship

(key) Bold – Pole position awarded by time. Italics – Pole position set by owner's points. * – Most laps led.