1980
- Steve Kinser and Karl Kinser win their 3rd consecutive World of Outlaws title.
- Sammy Swindell
won the Western World Championship at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, AZ.
Johnny Anderson reflects after snaring his second Gold Cup. What a top ten! 1. Anderson, 2. LeRoy Van Conett, 3. Sammy Swindell, 4. Jimmy Boyd, 5. Jeff Swindell, 6. Jimmy Sills, 7. Tim Green, 8. Doug Wolfgang, 9. Lealand McSpadden, 10. Gary Patterson.
- Johnny Anderson wins his 2nd Gold Cup but is critically injured Nov. 2, at Corona, CA.
- The Gold Cup moved to Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico after West Capitol Raceway closed.
- LeRoy VanConett won his 6th NARC Championship.
- Rich Vogler wins his first USAC Sprint Car
Championship, and his 2nd USAC Midget National title.
- Gary Bettenhausen is USAC Silver Crown champ. He won 3 Champ-Dirt Car races, 2 at DuQuoin, and the Hoosier Hundred at Indianapolis, IN.
- Mike Brooks is Knoxville Raceway Track Champ.
- Bobby Allen is the first All-Star sprint car champion.
- Fred Brownfield is Skagit Speedway Track Champ.
- Jimmy Boyd wins Tri-Holiday Sweepstakes.
- Ron Shuman wins his 2nd Turkey Night in a row.
- Stan Fox Captured the Belleville Midget Natonals for the 2nd straight year.
- Wayne Sue posted a clean sweep on opening night of the Gold Cup.
- Johnny Anderson posted a clean sweep on the 2nd night of the Gold Cup.
- Pancho Carter won the Springfield Mile.
- Jimmy Sills Wins His 2nd Dirt Cup with a
Charge from the C-Main.
Yearbook Headlines
Lealand McSpadden takes time to pose for a photo. McSpadden was a model ambassador for the sport! From 1980 Gold Cup, in the Chico parking lot. (Photo by Gary Gerould)
- Mark High is New Mexico Motor Racing Assn Champ.
- Bobby Davis Jr. is the World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year.
- Thunder Park in Sacramento, CA. runs races.
Below are the final points from a system I made up as a 12-year old in 1980. I called it the USA sprinters, and I scored points based on feature finishes listed from National Speed Sport News, Racing Wheels, and Western Racing News.
