The 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 32nd season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 9th modern-era NASCAR Cup season. It was the final year with the Gen 2 car. The season began on Sunday, January 13 and ended on Sunday, November 15. Dale Earnhardt won his first Winston Cup championship in his first full-season after missing couple races in 1979, winning by 19 points over Cale Yarborough. Jody Ridley was crowned NASCAR Rookie of the Year.

Teams and drivers

TeamMakeNo.DriverCar OwnerCrew ChiefA. J. Foyt EnterprisesOldsmobile Cutlass51A. J. FoytA. J. FoytDon WhittingtonArrington RacingDodge Magnum 67Buddy ArringtonBuddy ArringtonJoey Arrington77Dick MayEddie Dickerson97B&B RacingBuick Century03Jimmy FingerDon Bierschwale Ballard Racing Oldsmobile Cutlass 30 Tighe Scott Walter Ballard Harry HydeBillie Harvey RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo Oldsmobile Cutlass87Billie HarveyBillie HarveyGary BaloughBilly Matthews RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo41Dick BrooksBilly MatthewsBorneman MotorsportsChevrolet Monte Carlo81John BornemanJohn BornemanBud Moore EngineeringFord Thunderbird 15Bobby AllisonBud MooreBud Moore DiGard Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo 88 Darrell Waltrip Bill Gardner Buddy ParrottJake Elder Donlavey Racing Ford Thunderbird 90 Jody Ridley Junie Donlavey Ellington Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo Oldsmobile Cutlass 1 David Pearson Hoss Ellington Runt Pittman Elliott Racing Mercury Cougar 9 Bill Elliott George Elliott Ernie ElliottG. C. Spencer RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo Oldsmobile Cutlass 4Gary Baker G. C. SpencerConnie Saylor Gordon Racing Oldsmobile Cutlass 24 Cecil Gordon Cecil Gordon Gray Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 19 John Anderson (R) Henley Gray Hagan Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 44 Terry Labonte Billy Hagan Darrell BryantHalpern EnterprisesOldsmobile Cutlass Chevrolet Monte Carlo02Donnie AllisonJoel HalpernChuck BownHarold Fagan Hamby Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo 17 Roger Hamby Roger Hamby Hollar Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 99 Dick May Bill Hollar Hylton Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 48 James Hylton James HyltonJohn KieperDodge Magnum93Chuck BownJohn KieperChevrolet Monte Carlo98Hershel McGriff Johnson Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 53 Slick Johnson J. D. Johnson Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet Monte Carlo 11 Cale Yarborough Junior Johnson Tim Brewer Junior Miller Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 79 Junior Miller Junior Miller Kennie Childers Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 12 Donnie Allison Kennie Childers Langley RacingFord Thunderbird64 Tommy Gale Elmo Xey M. C. Anderson Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 27 Benny Parsons M. C. Anderson David Ifft Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 71 Dave Marcis Dave Marcis McDuffie Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 70 J. D. McDuffie J. D. McDuffie Means Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Nelson Malloch Racing Ford Thunderbird 7 Dick Brooks Nelson Malloch Ricky RuddLake Speed Osterlund Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 2 Dale Earnhardt Rod Osterlund Jake ElderDoug Richert Petty Enterprises Chevrolet Monte Carlo 42 Kyle Petty Richard Petty Maurice Petty 43 Richard Petty Dale Inman Price Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 45 Baxter Price Baxter Price Robert Beadle Charlie Chamblee Jimmy Means Roy Smith Joel Stowe Race Hill Farm Team Chevrolet Monte Carlo 47 Harry Gant Jack Beebe Bob Johnson RahMoc Enterprises Chevrolet Monte Carlo 75 Bill Elswick Bob Rahilly Butch Mock Joe Millikan John Anderson Chuck Bown Harry Gant Kyle Petty Lennie Pond Jim Sauter Ranier-Lundy Racing Oldsmobile Cutlass 28 Buddy Baker Harry Ranier Waddell WilsonBuddy Parrott Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 3 Richard Childress Richard Childress Robertson Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 25 Ronnie Thomas Don Robertson Speed Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 66 Lake Speed (R) Lake Speed Testa RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo Oldsmobile Cutlass68Chuck Bown Jim TestaRon KellyLennie Pond John Greenwood Ulrich Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo Buick Century 40Bill Whittington D. K. UlrichJoe Booher Ricky Rudd D. K. UlrichDick May D. K. Ulrich Dick Skillen Mike Alexander J. D. McDuffie Tommy GaleLennie Pond Sterling Marlin Tim Richmond D. K. UlrichHarry Dinwiddle Stan Barrett Warren RacingDodge Magnum Chevrolet Monte Carlo79Dick May Frank WarrenJim Hurlbert Joey Arrington Frank Warren Travis Tiller Junior Miller Joe Booher Marty Robbins Wawak RacingChevrolet Monte Carlo Buick Century74Joe Booher Bobby WawakBobby Wawak Bob Riley Stuart Hoffman Henry Jones Wood Brothers Racing Mercury Cougar 21 Neil Bonnett Glen Wood Leonard Wood

Season recap No.DateRace titleTrackWinning driver 1 January 13January 19 Winston Western 500 Riverside International Raceway Darrell Waltrip February 10 Busch Clash Daytona International Speedway Dale EarnhardtFebruary 14125 Mile Qualifying RacesNeil BonnettDonnie Allison 2 February 17 Daytona 500 Buddy Baker 3 February 24 Richmond 400 Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway Darrell Waltrip 4 March 9 Carolina 500 North Carolina Motor Speedway Cale Yarborough 5 March 16 Atlanta 500 Atlanta International Raceway Dale Earnhardt 6 March 30 Valleydale Southeastern 400 Bristol International Raceway Dale Earnhardt 7 April 13 CRC Rebel 500 Darlington International Raceway David Pearson 8 April 20 Northwestern Bank 400 North Wilkesboro Speedway Richard Petty 9 April 27 Virginia 500 Martinsville Speedway Darrell Waltrip 10 May 4 Winston 500 Alabama International Motor Speedway Buddy Baker 11 May 10 Music City 420 Nashville Speedway Richard Petty 12 May 18 Mason-Dixon 500 Dover Downs International Speedway Bobby Allison 13 May 25 World 600 Charlotte Motor Speedway Benny Parsons 14 June 1 NASCAR 400 Texas World Speedway Cale Yarborough 15 June 8 Warner W. Hodgdon 400 Riverside International Raceway Darrell Waltrip 16 June 15 Gabriel 400 Michigan International Speedway Benny Parsons 17 July 4 Firecracker 400 Daytona International Speedway Bobby Allison 18 July 12 Busch Nashville 420 Nashville Speedway Dale Earnhardt 19 July 27 Coca-Cola 500 Pocono Raceway Neil Bonnett 20 August 3 Talladega 500 Alabama International Motor Speedway Neil Bonnett 21 August 17 Champion Spark Plug 400 Michigan International Speedway Cale Yarborough 22 August 23 Busch Volunteer 500 Bristol International Raceway Cale Yarborough 23 September 1 Southern 500 Darlington International Raceway Terry Labonte 24 September 7 Capital City 400 Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway Bobby Allison 25 September 14 CRC Chemicals 500 Dover Downs International Speedway Darrell Waltrip 26 September 21 Holly Farms 400 North Wilkesboro Speedway Bobby Allison 27 September 28 Old Dominion 500 Martinsville Speedway Dale Earnhardt 28 October 5 National 500 Charlotte Motor Speedway Dale Earnhardt 29 October 19 American 500 North Carolina Motor Speedway Cale Yarborough 30 November 2 Atlanta Journal 500 Atlanta International Raceway Cale Yarborough 31 November 15 Los Angeles Times 500 Ontario Motor Speedway Benny Parsons

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

#88 - Darrell Waltrip #2 - Dale Earnhardt #43 - Richard Petty #72 - Joe Millikan #73 - Bill Schmitt #3 - Richard Childress #44 - Terry Labonte #40 - Bill Whittington #55 - Don Whittington #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

#28 - Buddy Baker #15 - Bobby Allison #21 - Neil Bonnett #2 - Dale Earnhardt #27 - Benny Parsons #44 - Terry Labonte #1 - Donnie Allison #14 - Sterling Marlin #75 - Lennie Pond #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

#88 - Darrell Waltrip #15 - Bobby Allison #43 - Richard Petty #71 - Dave Marcis #2 - Dale Earnhardt #67 - Buddy Arrington #48 - James Hylton #24 - Cecil Gordon #70 - J.D. McDuffie #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

#11 - Cale Yarborough #43 - Richard Petty #2 - Dale Earnhardt #88 - Darrell Waltrip #1 - Donnie Allison #21 - Neil Bonnett #15 - Bobby Allison #47 - Harry Gant #71 - Dave Marcis #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

#2 - Dale Earnhardt #16 - Rusty Wallace #15 - Bobby Allison #71 - Dave Marcis #7 - Dick Brooks #90 - Jody Ridley #28 - Buddy Baker #11 - Cale Yarborough #70 - J.D. McDuffie #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

#2 - Dale Earnhardt #88 - Darrell Waltrip #15 - Bobby Allison #27 - Benny Parsons #11 - Cale Yarborough #72 - Joe Millikan #47 - Harry Gant #43 - Richard Petty #71 - Dave Marcis #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 - David Pearson #27 - Benny Parsons #47 - Harry Gant #88 - Darrell Waltrip #7 - Dick Brooks #68 - Lennie Pond #72 - Joe Millikan #66 - Lake Speed #43 - Richard Petty #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

#43 - Richard Petty #47 - Harry Gant #15 - Bobby Allison #11 - Cale Yarborough #27 - Benny Parsons #2 - Dale Earnhardt #90 - Jody Ridley #42 - Kyle Petty #53 - Slick Johnson #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

#88 - Darrell Waltrip #27 - Benny Parsons #43 - Richard Petty #11 - Cale Yarborough #72 - Joe Millikan #21 - Neil Bonnett #90 - Jody Ridley #71 - Dave Marcis #53 - Slick Johnson #67 - Buddy Arrington

Winston 500