1980 Daytona 500

1980 Daytona 500

Race details[1]
Race 2 of 31 in the 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
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	Buddy Baker	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]

The 1980 Daytona Speedweeks was marred by the death of Ricky Knotts, who was killed in a crash during the heat races that determine the starting field, as a result of a broken seat mount. ^[4][5] The field of 40 cars was determined by the format consisting of the top two speeds in qualifying, top 14 non-qualified cars in each heat race, and the top ten cars on qualifying speed among cars that did not finish in the top 15 in their heat. The top two owners of 1979 among non-qualified cars (provisional starters) that made an attempt filled the field to 42.

Buddy Baker scored a dominant victory, leading 150 of 200 laps. Bonnett was on the lead lap in the final lap when his engine failed.^[1] By rule, he finished ahead of Earnhardt, who was one lap down and since Bonnett started his 200th lap, could not be caught for third.^[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]