1980 24 Hours of Daytona
Index: Races | Winners | |||
The 18th Annual 24 Hour Pepsi Challenge Daytona was a 24-hour GT race held on February 2–3, 1980 at the Daytona International Speedway road course. The race served as the opening round of the 1980 World Championship for Makes, 1980 World Challenge for Endurance Drivers and the 1980 IMSA GTX, GTO and GTU Championships.
Victory overall and in the GTX class went to the No. 2 Joest Racing run Porsche 935 J from Germany, driven by the all-German crew of Reinhold Jöst, Volkert Merl and Rolf Stommelen. Over the 24 hours elapsed time of the race the Joest Porsche completed 715 laps, covering 4,418 kilometres. The team won the race by 33 laps over the No. 09 Preston Henn run Porsche 935/77A driven by Al Holbert and John Paul. Another 18 laps behind was the No. 0 Porsche 935 K3/80 of Interscope Racing driven by Ted Field, Milt Minter and Danny Ongais.
Victory in the GTU Class and fifth outright was the No. 62 Porsche 914/6 driven by Jim Cook, Bill Koll and Greg LaCava by 14 laps over the No. 77 Mazda RX-7 of Jim Downing, Brad Frisselle and Roger Mandeville. Victory in the GTO class and sixth outright went to the No. 54 Montura Racing Porsche 911 Carrera RSR driven by Tony Garcia, Terry Herman and Alberto Vadia by a single lap over the Colombian No. 46 DeNarvaez Racing Porsche 911 Carrera RSR driven by Mauricio DeNarvaez, Ricardo Londoño and Albert Naon.