Dennis Andrews, James Trout (or anybody else)... Please Tell Me About the 1980 NASCAR Grand American Season

Following Tim Leeming's post about the September 10, 1978 race at Richmond when Neil Bonnett slammed into Darrell Waltrip's car on pit road, I decided to look at some Neil Bonnett / Richmond facts.

Looking at the Ultimate Racing History site, I saw that Neil won a May 11, 1980 NASCAR Grand American race at Richmond. I did a double-take because I thought the Grand American Series only ran from 1968 - 1972.

But, sure enough there are newspaper articles out there and race results from various 1980 NASCAR Grand American races at places like Riverside, Daytona, Nashville, Talladega, Richmond, Charlotte, Huntsville, Pensacola, and Ontario and probably more.

Lots of Camaros running and even some David Allio photos floating around.

Please refresh my memory, because I absolutely don't remember this NASCAR division in 1980. Were these cars like Late Model Modifieds? Were they like ASA cars or promoter, Bob Harmon's All-Pro Series cars? Was NASCAR using this division to compete with ASA and All-Pro? Was this a Winston Racing Series Division like Late Model Sportsman?

I note the abbreviated results of the 1980 Richmond NASCAR Grand American race show some ASA names like Mark Martin and Bob Senneker in the field, but also names like David Pearson, Butch Lindley and Elton Sawyer.

Seems Mark Martin's Richmond luck in the 1980 NASCAR Grand American race at Richmond wasn't any better than his 1981 Richmond Cup debut when his pole winning car wouldn't start because of a rag in the carburetor or when his 1990 Roush Richmond winning car was stripped of points because of an illegal carburetor spacer.

In the 1980 Richmond NASCAR Grand American race, Mark ran out of gas.

Mark Martin is really snake bitten at Richmond.

I'm really curious about this series that rings no bells with me. What can you good folks tell me?

Grand American 200

NASCAR Grand American race
Richmond International Raceway, Richmond, VA
May 11, 1980
200 laps on 0.542 mile paved oval; 108.4 miles

Fin St Driver # Owner Car Laps Money Status Laps Led
1 2 Neil Bonnett 1979 Chevrolet Camaro 200 running
2 6 Jody Ridley 1979 Chevrolet Camaro 200 running
3 8 Bob Senneker 1980 Chevrolet Camaro
4 7 David Pearson 1979 Chevrolet Camaro
5 Morgan Shepherd
1 Mark Martin 1980 Chevrolet Camaro
3 Rick Wilson 1979 Chevrolet Camaro
4 Bob Strait 1979 Chevrolet Camaro
5 Butch Lindley 1979 Chevrolet Camaro
9 Phil Grissom 1977 Chevrolet Camaro
10 Elton Sawyer 1979 Chevrolet Camaro

Time of race: 01:13:38
Average Speed: 88.329 MPH
Pole Speed: 19.04 seconds
2 cautions for 19 laps

Butch Lindley leads David Pearson in the CRC Chemicals 200 NASCAR Grand American race at Nashville Fairgrounds on April 19, 1980 in this David Allio photo.

Jeff Morgan #11 and Ronnie Broadway #28 are lined up for the start of the NASCAR Grand American race on July 4, 1980 at Pensacola, Florida's Five Flags Speedway in this David Allio photo.

Like you Dave, I didn't realize the Grand American Division was running in 1980. However, from the pictures posted, rules must have been really different. The Grand American cars I recall watching were stock body appearing, totally, not the modified looking bodies in the photos. Hope Dennis Andrews jumps in here.

The Grand Touring division began in 1968. It was NASCAR's version on SCCA's popularTrans-Am racing. The cars featured in the division were what we called pony cars (Camaro, Mustang, Dart, Javelin, Cougar, etc.) Foreign cars were only used the first year, 1968. The name was changed for the 1970 season to the Grand American Challenge Series and was called simply Grand American. The series ended at the end of the 1972 season. The GA cars were allowed to run the Grand National East division in 1972 and 1973.

The Grand American name has been used a few times over the years by NASCAR as they calm to own the name. The example talked about here and the Rolex Grand American road racing series that will end this year are examples. The cars have been very different in each series.

My take on the late model GA cars Dave has found here is that NASCAR was looking for another touring series. From 1968 to 1971 the GN and GA series were the only touring series. Then came the GNE for two years. The GN was the only touring series until the late model sportsman became a touring series in 1982. Don't remember when the modifieds began touring.

Thank you, Dennis.

This was the series Junior Crouch was racing in when he lost his arm in a wreck in the May 1980 Charlotte event.

OK i rember Junior`s crash at Charlotte so that was not a sportsmans race ?

Leon, the race seemed to have a mix of cars from the limited results I found, including both LMS Chevelles, but also Camaros and they called it Grand American:

Mello Yello 300

NASCAR Grand American race
Charlotte Moto r Speedway, Charlotte, NC
May 24, 1980
200 laps on 1.5 mile paved oval; 300 miles

Fin St Driver # Owner Car Laps Money Status Laps Led
1 David Pearson Pontiac 200 13,130 running 105
2 4 Bobby Allison Chevrolet Camaro 200 running
3 Dave Marcis Pontiac 198
4 Joe Ruttman Pontiac 197
5 Richard Childress Chevrolet Chevelle 195
6 David Rogers Pontiac 195
7 Jack Ingram Ford Fairmont 195
8 Bosco Lowe Pontiac 194
9 Joe Thurman Pontiac 193
10 Phil Parsons Pontiac 193
11 Harry Lee Hill Pontiac 192
12 Bob Brevak Chevrolet Camaro 190
13 Dickie Boswell Pontiac 189
14 Laurent Rioux Pontiac 184
15 Junior Niedecken Chevrolet Camaro 179
16 Larry Hoopaugh Mercury Zephyr 173
17 Billy McGinnis Pontiac 160
18 Ray Hendrick Pontiac 151
19 Jody Ridley Pontiac Ventura 133
20 Mike Alexander Pontiac 122
21 Alan West Chevrolet Camaro 119
22 Rick Wilson Pontiac 117
23 Glenn Jarrett Ford Granada 106
24 Dale Earnhardt Pontiac 99
John Prior accident
Junior Crouch Chevrolet Nova accident

Notes: Junior Crouch's left arm was amputated after an accident during the race.
15 of 40 starters running at the finish.
Bobby Allison drove a car qualified by Ferrel Harris.
Time of race: 02:30:17
Average Speed: 119.773 MPH
5 cautions for 43 laps
Race Purse: $ 101,655

This was an attempt by NASCARto compete with Bob Harmon's All Pro Series. NASCAR then bought out Harmon.The newcombination was run as the All Pro Series (Slim Jim All Pro Series) under the NASCAR banner by Bob Harmon. Harmon was a great race promoter.

also read the following:

http://georgiaracinghistory.com/2010/02/26/remembering-uncle-bob-ha...

Dave,

I found an copy of 1982 NASCAR STOCK CAR RACING RULE BOOK with an 1982 NASCAR GRAND AMERICAN STOCK CAR - SECTION 20A rules.
It doesn't have an list of Approved Name Brand Models for NASCAR Grand American races.
Maybe this will help you out.

Copy of # cover 1982 NASCAR STOCK CAR RACING RULE BOOK- page 0

pages 44 - 45

pages 46 - 47

pages 48 - 49

pages 50 - 51

pages 52 - 53

pages 54 - 55

Thanks for any information or photos posted.
Dennis Garrett
Richmond,Va.USA

I was guessing that might have been the scenario, Blane. Thanks.

Thanks, Dennis... interesting to see the note at the beginning of the classification that reads, "Including variations for Super-Speedways and Road Courses."

I'm not so sure on this. An attempt to compete in the south with the ASA, yes. But, NASCAR didn't "buy out" Harmon and All-Pro until the 1991 season. All-Pro didn't run its first race until 1981; Randy Couch was the first season's point champion.

In the early to mid-1980s, NASCAR did run the All-American Challenge Series down south, as a direct competition to All-Pro. It kind of forced drivers to choose between running All-Pro and AACS. The cars were exactly the same rules as All-Pro and ASA at the time, even allowing the V-6s in 1986 and 1987. The AACS was strictly short-track Late Models; no superspeedways or road courses.

Thank you, Jimmy.

Jimmy, Be sure to check out the Grand American Group club here:

http://stockcar.racersreunion.com/group/nascargrandamericanseries

Just found the following:

Grand American Stock Car Series 1980-1983 had only two Champions.

Wayne Niedecken, Jr. won the title in 1980 and 1981.

Mike Alexander won it in 1982 and 1983.

This series was replaced by the Winston All American Challenge Series in 1984 and lasted until 1990.

Mike Alexander won the title in 1984.

Dave Mader III won it in 1985, 1986, 1987 and again in 1988.

Stanley Smith won it in 1989.

Mike Garvey won it in 1990.

I don't know if this was intentional or not but found it interesting. NASCAR had a series called Grand American Challenge Series from 1970 thru 1972. The Grand American part came back in 1980 with the Grand American Stock Car Series and the American Challenge part was used in the All American Challenge Series.

Thanks again, Dennis.

That is correct, I watched the series race in Nashville a few times.