Celebrating 75 years of speed, power, and the world's fastest motorsport

1980

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1980 PRO STOCK WORLD CHAMPION BOB GLIDDEN

  • Won third straight world championship
  • Scored four national event wins
  • Appeared in eight of 10 final rounds
  • Clinched championship at season finale
  • Became NHRA’s all-time wins leader with 31

Top Fuel world champion
Shirley Muldowney

Funny Car world champion
Raymond Beadle

Pro Stock world champion
Bob Glidden

Pro Comp world champion
Ken Veney

Comp eliminator world champion
Norwin Palmer

Modified world champion
David Hutchens

Super Stock world champion
Joe Scott

Stock eliminator world champion
Marlin Bogner

1980

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

MULDOWNEY MAKES HISTORY

Shirley Muldowney became the first two-time Top Fuel world champ in the points-championship era, sewing up the title in the semifinals at the NHRA World Finals, then beat Frank Bradley in the final for good measure.

UPSET-FILLED U.S. NATIONALS

Upset was the word at the 26th running of the NHRA U.S. Nationals as Terry Capp scored his first Top Fuel win and Ed McCulloch ended an eight-year victory drought in Funny Car.

BARRIER-BREAKING MILE-HIGH NATIONALS

Jerry Ruth recorded the first mile-high five-second pass in Top Fuel at Bandimere Speedway and Bob Glidden the first rare-air eight-second Pro Stock run en route to victories at the NHRA Mile-High Nationals.

WORLD CHAMPION PROGRAM FOR E.T. RACERS

In a move to further enhance drag racing’s attractiveness at the grassroots level, NHRA created a world championship program for E.T. bracket racers beginning in the 1980 season.

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