Run Over By A Bug Eyed Dummy: A NASCAR Timeline

[drcynic]

1980 WINSTON WESTERN 500

Darrell Waltrip kicked off the season with a win at Riverside
​

The 1980 season kicked off with Darrell Waltrip, disappointed at losing the championship last year, finding victory lane at the two mile Riverside track after 119 laps. Waltrip dominated most of the way, leading 56 times while some good races were had by others, including defending champion Richard Petty, who finished second. The top 5 was rounded out by Dale Earnhardt, Joe Millikan, and Ricky Rudd.

1980 DAYTONA 500

Buddy Baker wins the fastest Daytona 500 in history
​

One year after a disappointing DNF when coming in as the favorite to win last year, Buddy Baker finally took the checkered flag in his 18th attempt at the Daytona 500. Unlike the last 500 which was marred by bad weather and cautions, this 500 was the fastest ever run and featured very little time under yellow. The blistering pace set by Baker's car for most of the race contributed to an astounding 14 engine failures on the day, including third place finisher Joe Millikan in the Wood Brothers car, whose engine went on lap 199. Because of Millikan's engine failure, only Baker and second place finisher Bobby Allison finished on the lead lap. The rest of the top five was rounded out by Dale Earnhardt and Benny Parsons.

1980 RICHMOND 400

Waltrip wins again at Richmond
​

Darrell Waltrip found victory lane again in the 88, this time at Richmond as he held off Bobby Allison in the Bud Moore Ford to pick up win number 2 on the year. Waltrip, Allison, and Richard Petty had the cars to beat and in the end it was Waltrip who won out. The other two top five finishers were Sterling Marlin and Buddy Baker.

1980 TOP TEN STANDINGS (AFTER 3 RACES)

1. Buddy Baker
2. Darrell Waltrip
3. Bobby Allison
4. Richard Petty
5. Dale Earnhardt
6. Sterling Marlin
7. Joe Millikan
8. Benny Parsons
9. Ricky Rudd
10. Dave Marcis​

 

[Inferno60]

I would also like if you threaded all of 1979 as well.

 

[drcynic]

I would also like if you threaded all of 1979 as well.

I've added a threadmark for the beginning of the 1979 season as well, although every single post of mine in this thread before that was just the 79 season so it didn't really seem necessary to mark the thread until the end of the season and the beginning of the next.

 

[Inferno60]

I've added a threadmark for the beginning of the 1979 season as well, although every single post of mine in this thread before that was just the 79 season so it didn't really seem necessary to mark the thread until the end of the season and the beginning of the next.

It makes it easier to look at every race if they were all threaded.

 

[drcynic]

It makes it easier to look at every race if they were all threaded.

Well, I'll thread it by season (and offseason) since I do multiple races in each post, so hopefully that makes it a bit easier for you.

 

[Inferno60]

Well, I'll thread it by season (and offseason) since I do multiple races in each post, so hopefully that makes it a bit easier for you.

Okay.

 

[drcynic]

1980 CAROLINA 500

Cale Yarborough celebrates another victory
​

Cale Yarborough set the pace at Rockingham with a dominating performance, leading 256 laps of 492, especially after Buddy Baker, who had looked like the only car that could've kept pace with him, crashed out on lap 458. Yarborough cruised to a comfortable three second margin of victory over his nearest challenger, Richard Petty, and claimed that Junior Johnson had set him up with the car to beat for the year. The rest of the top five was rounded out by Dale Earnhardt, Darrell Waltrip, and Sterling Marlin.

1980 ATLANTA 500

Earnhardt finds victory lane for the second time finally.
​

Having finished just a hair's breadth behind Joe Millikan for 1979 Rookie of the Year, and having undergone several close but not quite victorious finishes since his first Cup win, Dale Earnhardt finally found victory lane again at Atlanta, finishing a whopping nine seconds ahead of second place challenger Bobby Allison. The rest of the top five was rounded out by Dave Marcis, Donnie Allison, and Sam Sommers.

1980 VALLEYDALE SOUTHEASTERN 500

Joe Millikan answers his rival Earnhardt with Bristol win
​

A cracking battle between them in 1979 showed no signs of letting up in 1980 as Joe Millikan answered Earnhardt's win the previous week by claiming victory over him at Bristol by almost exactly the margin that Earnhardt had won last week by. Millikan's 1980 had begun largely quietly (a third place finish with a blown engine in the Daytona 500 being his best showing). but at Bristol he emerged with a strong car that led over 200 laps. The top five was rounded out by Darrell Waltrip, Cale Yarborough, and Benny Parsons.

1980 TOP TEN STANDINGS (AFTER SIX RACES)

1. Dale Earnhardt
2. Cale Yarborough
3. Buddy Baker
4. Joe Millikan
5. Bobby Allison
6. Darrell Waltrip
7. Sterling Marlin
8. Benny Parsons
9. Dave Marcis
10. Sam Sommers
​

 

[Jason Adams]

When's the next update

 

[drcynic]

When's the next update

I'm hoping to have time on Sunday. I've been very busy recently.

 

[drcynic]

1980 CRC CHEMICALS REBEL 500

Sterling Marlin Victorious in Hoss Ellington ride
​

In a stunning upset, young Sterling Marlin picked up career win number one at Darlington driving the Hoss Ellington car, finishing a full three seconds ahead of second place Benny Parsons. Running a "not quite full" schedule, Marlin has been competitive in most of the races he's started this year, and is so far the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year. Rounding out the top five were Harry Gant, Darrell Waltrip, and Dick Brooks.

1980 NORTHWESTERN BANK 400

Richard Petty dominates North Wilkesboro
​

Finishing a full lap ahead of his nearest competitor, Harry Gant, Richard Petty took home another checkered flag at North Wilkesboro, leading 327 of 400 laps. Petty's dominant day also had the side effect of moving him back up into the top ten in points after some bad runs had temporarily knocked him back.

1980 VIRGINIA 500

Waltrip wins under caution
​

Engine failures and a Bobby Allison-Dick Brooks crash marred the race that was largely led by Darrell Waltrip with only brief stints from Buddy Baker, Richard Petty, and Cale Yarborough, all of whom finished in the top five along with Joe Milikan in the Wood Brothers car.

 

[drcynic]

1980 WINSTON 500

The Gray Ghost Couldn't Be Caught at Talladega.
​

A great day for Buddy Baker, but a disastrous day for about 20 other competitors who suffered mechanical failures in the first one hundred laps of the race including championship competitors Darrell Waltrip, whose day was finished on lap four, Bobby Allison, and Richard Petty, whose up and down season continued. Baker, looking to win a championship, so far the only major prize that has eluded him in his career, just edged out second place finisher Dale Earnhardt and third place finisher Sterling Marlin in a photo finish. Earnhardt, the current points leader, and Baker traded paint in a spirited contest down the back stretch which allowed third place finisher Marlin to nearly sneak through on the outside line. Many viewers consider this to be among the most exciting finishes in NASCAR history. The top five was rounded out by Cale Yarborough and journeyman driver Tighe Scott, who had a good day in the Walter Ballard owned Oldsmobile.

1980 MUSIC CITY 420

Cale Yarborough holds off The King to win.
​

Cale Yarborough, looking to close the gap with points leader Earnhardt, took control early in the race and held off Richard Petty to win at Nashville. Only two cautions slowed the contest down: On lap 46, Donnie Allison, in the Sanyo car's engine blew leaving debris on the track and on lap 367, John Anderson in the RahMoc car crashed out. The rest of the top five was rounded out by Benny Parsons, Bobby Allison, and Joe Millikan.

1980 TOP TEN STANDINGS (AFTER 11 RACES)

1. Dale Earnhardt
2. Cale Yarborough
3. Buddy Baker
4. Darrell Waltrip
5. Bobby Allison
6. Richard Petty
7. Benny Parsons
8. Joe Millikan
9. Sterling Marlin
10. Harry Gant ​

 

[NASCAR_Donuts2448]

This is interesting. Keep it up!

 

[drcynic]

This is interesting. Keep it up!

Just have had a rough month. It's not dead.