1980 ARCA 200 at Daytona

TMC Chase
@tmc-chase
11 years ago
4,073 posts

Dave Fulton posted Thursday about Earnhardt's win in the 1980 Busch Clash.

http://racersreunion.com/community/forum/stock-car-racing-history/21181/busch-clash-a-springboard-to-earnhardts-1st-championship

In his post, he referenced something I either didn't know about or perhaps had forgotten. The 80-lap ARCA race was red-flagged after 53 laps, the cars were parked on the infield road course, and the remaining laps were postponed so the Clash could run in the CBS TV slot. Then they resumed the final few laps of the 200 mile event.

The ARCA race came down to a couple of relatively inexperienced drivers, karting champion Lake Speed from Mississippi and John Rezek, who'd finished 2nd to Kyle Petty in the ARCA race a year earlier.

Some of you know Russ Thompson - also known across the interwebs as Calhoun98. Russ worked on Lake's team that day and educated me on how the finish went down.

A caution flew with 3 to go with Speed leading and Rezek 2nd. The race was certain to finish under yellow with Lake taking the win. Instead, one of the craziest race control decisions ever was made. ARCA officials decided to throw the green on the final lap with the restart to begin at the entrance to pit road. The cars essentially had to drag race back to the S/F line to decide the winner.

Because of debris from the accident or who knows why, Lake had cut a tire. He was able to limp around - maybe even down to the rim if need be - to get that win. But to punch it and race to the S/F line was out of the question. When the green was dropped, Rezek blew by Lake like he was standing still, Rezek took the checkers, and the 6 team was livid (rightfully so).

Lake's car pre-race (with Russ standing by the right side):

The finish:

The story as reported in the Daytona Beach Morning Journal:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WFMfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NdIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4999%2C4998399

And the call on MRN (edited a good bit by Russ's family who recorded the race):

 




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Schaefer: It's not just for racing anymore.

updated by @tmc-chase: 02/19/17 10:17:21AM
TMC Chase
@tmc-chase
7 years ago
4,073 posts

Bump




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Schaefer: It's not just for racing anymore.

updated by @tmc-chase: 01/18/20 05:20:38AM
Dave Fulton
@dave-fulton
7 years ago
9,137 posts

Cup car owner Billy Hagan would drive to an 8th place finish in the 1980 Daytona ARCA event in a car crewed by Darrell Bryant. In 1988 I was ghostwriting Oldsmobile division press kits and acting as their at track PR rep when Lake Speed won his only Winston Cup race - Darlington's spring TranSouth 500. Lake's Oldsmbile that day was crewed by Darrell Bryant with an engine built by former Wilson County Speedway driving champion J.E. Beard.




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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"

updated by @dave-fulton: 01/18/20 05:20:38AM
Dave Fulton
@dave-fulton
7 years ago
9,137 posts

Lake Speed was extremely vain about his age. Some of our Oldsmobile drivers like Rick "Crash" Wilson didn't care what I wrote, but Lake wanted to pre-approve everything and struck out the reference to his age the first (only) time I mentioned it. The reference to his age didn't bother him in Darlington victory lane though!😃 Crew chief Darrell Bryant mentions it was his first win since 1980.




--
"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"

updated by @dave-fulton: 01/18/20 05:20:38AM
Jeff Gilder
@jeff-gilder
7 years ago
1,783 posts

arrogant




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Founder/Creator - RacersReunion®
Alex FL Racing Fan
@alex-fl-racing-fan
7 years ago
221 posts

What a dumb way to end a race.  angry-4