- LeRoy Van Conett won his 6th NARC drivers title (1969, 70, 75,
77, 78, 80). He slipped past Chuck Gurney at the last race to
claim the championship.
- There was a tough battle for Rookie of the Year honors. When
the dust settled, Jim Richardson and Tom Crowther were 10 points
of one another. It was decided that both would be Co-Rookies of
the Year.
- Lanny Walker, driving for Jim Rodolf, was the "Most
Improved Driver."
- Jack Thompson, in his first full year of NARC competition
suffered fatal injuries from an accident at Calistoga on June
14.
- NARC ran 18 races at 5 different tracks: Calistoga, Santa
Maria, Bakersfield, Thunder Park and Ascot.
- 9 drivers claimed feature wins in 1980: Chuck Gurney (4),
LeRoy Van Conett (3), Johnny Anderson (2), Jimmy Boyd (2),
Lealand McSpadden (2), Bubby Jones (2), Rendy Boldrini (1), Ed
Organ (1), Ron Horton (1)
- The 2nd NARC-CRA Civil War opened at Ascot, with Bubby Jones
taking the win in the Kazarian Bros. / Gas Chem entry. Jones
also won the season ending event at Ascot, on his way to the
series championship.
- LeRoy Van Connett won the Jim Scarbrough Memorial trophy (most
points at Calistoga). He had a tough battle with Chuck Gurney,
who crashed in the feature of the Calistoga Classic, which ended
Gurney's hopes for the trophy and the NARC title. Van Conett's
Zootis Performance #6 had developed engine woes earier in the
day and he jumped into the Bailey Bros. #01 to victory at
Calistoga.
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