|| *Comments on the 1980 Daytona 500:* View the most recent comment <#46> | Post a comment <#post> Tweet 1. Paul MacInnis posted: 05.14.2005 - 8:11 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The fastest Daytona 500 ever run.177.6 MPH.And with restrictor plates will probably never be broken.Long may you run Buddy. 2. ogarek posted: 12.14.2005 - 8:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) baker lost this race in so many different ways in the 1970s i'm glad he finally got one 3. Chicago posted: 03.05.2006 - 4:40 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) A race run at a torrid pace, the Ranier bunch had worked for the entire off-season on Baker's "Gray Ghost". Harry Ranier wanted to get Baker a 500 win no matter the cost. Waddell took his advice to heart and did whatever he could within the letter of the rules to make that car something very special. I remember reading three stories about the car - one, that among complaints from the drivers, NASCAR mandated that they run pink tape on the valance and front end as it was blending into the track too well, that many drivers had wanted the car thrown out before the start of the race because they claimed it was illegal, and finally, that when the car got to Victory Lane, Waddell "dampered" Ranier's spirits by explaining that they had only won 90,000 of the 100,000 purse; in the off-season, as Ranier had no in-shop fabricators, so Waddell had taken the car to a company owned by a friend, and each time the body was put on he saw something he didn't like and had them do it over until he was finally sastified with the product. Aghast at the cost, he hid the bill from Ranier until they got to Victory Lane. Ranier simply smiled when told. Buddy Baker, after the race, was jubilant. "It's a good thing I finally won the Daytona 500, because I was determined to to keep trying until I was so old and creaky they would have had to lift me in and out of the cars." 4. Matthew Sullivan posted: 06.19.2006 - 5:21 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Other than Dale Earnhardt, no other driver had his heart broken as many times in the 500 as Buddy Baker did. Not only was his win a long time in coming, but it was well deserved and very much earned. 5. Cecil Davis posted: 02.22.2007 - 10:24 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) 5 cautions but a race record. Just shows the torrid pace buddy ran. 6. Cecil Davis posted: 02.22.2007 - 10:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Great run by Janet Guthrie finishing 11th. 7. SK posted: 09.20.2007 - 4:07 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sterling Marlin's first-ever Daytona 500 start yields an excellent top-10 finish. 8. Ryan posted: 12.16.2008 - 2:13 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) If not for a bad pit stop and flat tire late in the race Dale may have been able to sling shot pass Baker for the win on the last lap. If that would have happen Dale would have been hated at a young age. His heart ache would start early at Daytona. Buddy finished his and Dale started his. Dale was the only one able to keep up with Baker the whole race. 9. Sébastien posted: 01.24.2009 - 6:36 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Whittington sponsored by Jim Morrison lol. 10. 18fan posted: 09.21.2009 - 11:39 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Before this, Baker had only finished four of his first 17 500 starts. 11. rateus posted: 03.08.2010 - 8:46 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Driver changes after qualifying races: Don Whittington replaced Roger Hamby in the 17 (he qualified the 55) JD McDuffie replaced Bill Dennis in the 19 (he qualified the 70) Jim Hurlbert replaced Frank Warren in the 79 Ronnie Thomas started 33rd after missing the qualifying races completely 12. Joseph posted: 06.15.2010 - 7:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Neil Bonnett blew up and finished 3rd! LOL 13. jessie henry posted: 02.08.2011 - 12:12 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) the 2th best daytona 500 of all tmie 14. Evan posted: 11.05.2011 - 7:59 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) The fast pace of the race contributed to a lot of engine failures and due to the failures AJ Foyt quit the race because he could not move up anymore positions than he was. Earnhardt started his 20 years of misfortunes when his team left one lugnut off on the final pitstop which made Earnhardt pit and put the lugnut back on and he dropped a lap off the pace. A well deserved win for Buddy Baker a year after the famous fistfight, Daytona delivers the fastest one of them all. 2nd Daytona 500 broadcast on CBS. Sterling Marlin's first Daytona 500 start. 15. Anonymous posted: 03.03.2012 - 1:40 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I'm pretty sure Bobby Allison actually drove a Mercury in this race. That's what it looks like from watching the race, anyway. 16. Schroeder51 posted: 07.12.2012 - 9:41 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) DNQs: #65 Ralph Jones, #81 Terry Ryan, #34 Steve Peles, #85 Wayne Watercutter, #12 Buck Simmons, #04 Phil Finney, #63 Jocko Maggiacomo, #4 Gary Baker, #42 Kyle Petty, #55 Don Whittington, #45 Baxter Price, #20 Rick Newsom, #60 Bob Riley, #57 Dick May, #66 Lake Speed, #70 J. D. McDuffie, #49 Bill Green, #61 Bub Stricker, #5 Sterling Marlin, #77 Bob Switzer, #08 Frank Freda, #83 Jerry Hansen, #38 Ricky Otts, #31 Ricky Knotts, #39 Blackie Wangerin, #29 Jim Hurtubise. 17. Reech Beeko posted: 09.08.2012 - 10:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Bobby Allison did indeed drive a Mercury in this race, not a Ford. 18. david posted: 07.20.2013 - 2:17 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) why the hell has nobody commented on ricky knotts death a few days before this race 19. 23andJoe posted: 04.02.2014 - 6:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #47 crew chief: Bob Johnson (same for all races with Gant this year) 20. nascarman posted: 11.26.2014 - 2:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Withdrawn: # / Driver / Owner / Make 18 / Randy Ogden / Jack Ogden / Chevrolet 21. Tide1032 posted: 08.10.2015 - 2:05 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) One of Legends to Nascar on CBS/TNN , With Ken Squier, Ned Jarrett, Eli Gold, And Dick Breggeren, R.I.P Buddy 22. OldSchoolNASCARFan posted: 08.11.2015 - 12:16 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) This has to be the highest finish position a driver has ever finished a NASCAR race with a DNF, Neil Bonnett in 3rd 23. Alex posted: 08.11.2015 - 12:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 1959, at Rambi, Jim Paschal was 2nd with a DNF of "bearing." 1976, at Daytona, Richard Petty was "Crash" in 2nd. 195?, at Richmond, Herb Thomas broke a shifter. 24. JRacingFast posted: 08.11.2015 - 5:55 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Wow all the blown engines before lap 30 25. Anonymous posted: 12.10.2015 - 10:17 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) The Stock Car portion of Speedweeks started on February 10 with the ARCA 200, won by John Rezek driving a '77 Olds. He beat Lake Speed to the checkers in possibly the most bizarre restart of all time, with the green thrown at the entrance to pit road on the last lap. Speed had been leading but had a flat tire under caution and couldn't hold Rezek off. Delmar Clark, Bob Dotter and Moose Myers rounded out the top 5, Terry Labonte's car owner Billy Hagan finished 8th. Next on Friday there was a 200 mile Modified and Grand American race, the first and only time for both series to run together at Daytona. Richie Evans led 65 of the 80 laps in his Camaro to beat Harry Gant, Neil Bonnett, Jerry Cook and Ferrel Harris, Ron Bouchard finished 7th, Dick Trickle 10th, and Rusty Wallace 15th. This would be the last visit to Daytona for either division. Also on Friday the International Sedan Series (Dash) ran the Florida 100, won by Larry Hoopaugh in an Olds Starfire over Ned Combs, Mike Watts, Reggie Walker and Elmer Blanken. On Saturday it was the Late Model Sportsman series and their 300 mile race, won by Jack Ingram driving a Ford Fairmont over Harry Gant, Richard Childress, Sam Ard and Mike Alexander. Future Cup winners Sterling Marlin and Rusty Wallace finished 16th and 33rd respectively. 26. Schroeder51 posted: 12.17.2015 - 2:40 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Withdrew: Coo Coo Marlin-#14 Cunningham-Kelly Chevrolet (Owned By H. B. Cunningham) Roger Hamby-#17 Kings Inn Daytona Chevrolet (Owned by Hamby Automotive) Bill Dennis-#19 Belden Asphalt Buick (Owned by Henley Gray) Frank Warren-#79 Native Tan Dodge (Owned by Frank Warren) These drivers competed in the qualifying races, but were replaced in the 500 (by Sterling Marlin, Don Whittington, J. D. McDuffie, and Jim Hurlbert, respectively). 27. Windows Millennium Edition posted: 04.22.2016 - 12:17 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) DNQ Sponsors: #4 Waylon Jennings #04 Phil Finney Racing (car was unsponsored) #5 The 5 Racers #31 Knotts Racing (car was unsponsored) #34 Peles Racing (car was unsponsored) #38 Otts Racing (car was unsponsored) #55 DiGard Racing #57 McClure Motor Co. Troy, PA #60 (car was unsponsored, no clue what team it was though) #77 Owner was Buddy Arrington, sponsor was Buddy Arrington Racing #81 WAM Racing 28. LastPlaceWatcher posted: 04.23.2016 - 6:29 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Dick Brooks's crash was caused by him having NO brakes 29. Chunks posted: 06.28.2016 - 9:33 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) It's very sad that Buddy Baker is gone. 30. Maverick19 posted: 12.31.2016 - 3:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Dale Earnhardt takes over the points lead for the first time in his career. It certainly would not be the last time... 31. The Great Dave posted: 02.13.2017 - 2:39 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) The only cup Race West Coast legend Bill Schmitt ran out east. 32. Jolly Mean Giant posted: 06.02.2018 - 2:42 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) First Daytona 500 starts for Sterling Marlin, Jody Ridley, Slick Johnson, and Bill Elswick. Only Daytona 500 starts for Don Whittington, Joe Booher, Bill Schmitt, Kevin Housby, Bill Whittington, and Jim Hurlbert. Last Daytona 500 starts for Janet Guthrie, John Utsman, and Jim Vandiver. 33. Tide1732 posted: 11.01.2018 - 3:59 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) First cup and plate win for NAPA sponsor. 34. Corey posted: 11.01.2018 - 4:03 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) @33 NAPA's first plate win came in the 2001 Daytona 500. 35. Larson&Blaney posted: 11.01.2018 - 5:39 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Was no plates in 1980 36. Anonymous posted: 01.20.2019 - 8:13 pm Rate this comment: (0) (2) Little known fact: Buddy Baker's number was intended to be 82. It was claimed just before the race. The team didn't want to waste the decals, so they went with 28 instead. 37. Dan posted: 01.20.2019 - 10:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #36 - Why would it have been #82 for this season when it was #28 the entire year before? 38. Altracing posted: 11.18.2019 - 3:16 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Dave Marcis drove this race with a broken rib after a crash at the end of the Sportsman 300 the day before this race 39. John posted: 04.04.2020 - 4:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) How did Neil Bonnett blow up his engine and still finish ahead of Earnhardt? They both made 199 laps. 40. RaceFanX posted: 04.04.2020 - 5:15 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @39 Because Bonnett completed 199 laps before Earnhardt did. Bennett was on the lead lap and started the final lap of the race then blew his engine. Earnhardt was one lap down and so the race finished without him starting on a 200th lap. 41. Evan posted: 05.05.2020 - 8:27 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sponsor Update Last place finisher #47 Harry Gant Western Steer/Race Hill Farm Source: In the 1980 Daytona 500 broadcast, Ned Jarrett is interviewing Harry in his car after the car dropped out after a mechanical failure and Western Steer is displayed on the hood. 42. Anonymous posted: 05.11.2020 - 10:19 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Janet Guthrie's crew chief in this race was Nick Ollila. 43. Doc posted: 12.18.2020 - 7:23 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Joe Millikan was having a good run until his engine blew. 44. Rich posted: 01.03.2021 - 7:45 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ken Squier and David Hobbs were the commentators. Ned Jarrett and Brock Yates were the pit road reporters. Ken Squier was the studio host. 45. rm posted: 02.09.2021 - 9:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) From a copy of the 2/11/80 edition of the Morning Journal, additional DNQs (or WDs, not sure) with listed best qualifying speeds then to-date: Ricky Rudd, #5 Oldsmobile (181.236 mph) Al Rudd Jr., #22 Chevrolet (180.559 mph) Roy Smith, #45 Oldsmobile (177.287 mph) Travis Tiller, #46 Dodge (173.886 mph) No further information listed beyond that. 46. Joshua posted: 03.15.2021 - 10:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @23 It was 1956. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: