1979<<1980 >>1981

Chuck Hall-Bob Studt Duo Chases St. John to Checkered Flag

Kenny St. John continued stock car racing’s most phenomenal streak by capturing his third consecutive World Figure 8 Championship in 1980.

It was a record-breaking performance by St. John and the Howe built Camaro expertly prepared by the Emerson Brothers & Keatts.

St. John set a one-lap qualifying record of 19.189 seconds then led a record 312 laps on his way to completing a record 478 laps in the three-hour endurance race.

Although St. John dominated the race, it was among the most competitive in its brief four-year history. There were 13 lead changes between St. John, third-place Chuck Hall and Wayne Arnold.

Things got interesting with about 30 minutes to go. That’s when St. John pulled into the pits to refuel with a three-lap lead over Michigan’s Bob Studt. He returned with only a one-lap lead and was later black-flagged for a fuel leak. St. John pitted again to check the leak, lost a lap, but maintained the lead. It was a new race for the next 20 laps until St. John passed Studt to put him a lap down.

St. John also revealed that the newly installed engine would “miss” occasionally when the carburetor would become clogged.

He officially won by 2 laps, a surprisingly close distance for a 478-lap race.

After his best finish in the event, Studt said, “When you’ve raced that long and you’re on the lead lap that close to the end that’s really something.” Who knew then that Bob’s son Greg would be racing 23 years later?

Studt drove a six-cylinder Camaro that was a little short on horsepower but strong on reliability. John Briggs drove relief for Studt in two segments.

Chuck Hall’s third-place finish was a victory over adversity. He pitted on lap 90 with a left front flat tire. During the stop, his crew discovered a radiator leak so they replaced it so he could eventually complete 445 laps.

Randy Watson, who started 54th and finished 26th, earned the second annual Sonny Thompson Memorial Award. Gary Haskett, by finishing seventh in his first World Figure 8, was named the top rookie and received the Sonny Eaton Memorial Award.

Arnold and St. John swapped the lead until St. John took it over for good. Arnold went 70 more laps after giving up the lead and pitted with a bent a-frame that forced him out of the running after 330 laps.

A total of 55 drivers competed in the fourth annual World Figure 8 Championship.

Lap Leaders
1-5 Kenny St. John
6-7 Chuck Hall
8 Kenny St. John
9-63 Chuck Hall
64-66 Kenny St. John
67 Chuck Hall
68-115 Kenny St. John
116-149 Wayne Arnold
150-152 Kenny St. John
153-217 Wayne Arnold
218-224 Kenny St. John
225-233 Wayne Arnold
234-478 Kenny St. John

1980 World Figure 8 Final Results
Event was held Saturday, September 6, 1980

Finish Position Start Position Car# Driver/Hometown Laps completed
1 1 18 Kenny St. John Indpls. IN. 478
2 6 54 Bob Studt Dearborn, MI. 476
3 5 54 Chuck Hall Toledo,OH. 446
4 21 14 Ben Benedict Richmond, MI. 385
5 3 5 Bill Frazer Indpls. IN. 355
6 7 6 Wayne Arnold Indpls. IN. 330
7 32 51x Gary Haskett Indpls. IN. 321
8 14 51 Dave Miller DHeights, MI. 303
9 11 771 Billy Simmons Lavonia, MI. 300
10 15 43 Donnie Garrigus Indpls. IN. 298
11 18 86 Donnie Utterback Indpls. IN. 293
12 8 1 Jim Fox Greenfield, IN. 279
13 36 21 Richard Schaeffer Indpls. IN.. 266
14 41 42 Bud McAdams Albany, IN. 260
15 34 93 Bruce McFall Elwood, IN. 237
16 10 17 Larry Harmon Louisville, KY. 226
17 25 20 Bill Horn Indpls. IN. 221
18 42 63 Rich Fenwick Indpls. IN. 206
19 13 10 Cecil Carr Indpls. IN. 204
20 38 61 Al Rackley Indpls. IN. 178
21 9 17 George Sutton Indpls. IN. 171
22 48 24 Doug Burge Indpls. IN.. 152
23 2 73 Jim Tunny Indpls. IN. 129
24 20 37 Bob Belz Mt. Clemens, MI. 124
25 5 PH5 Ray Bray Indpls. IN. 108
26 54 67 Randy Watson Indpls. IN. 108
27 12 7 Danny Napier Indpls. IN. 103
28 24 11 Gary Grose Indpls. IN. 102
29 39 11 Mike Harsin Indpls. IN. 100
30 16 69 David Bazzy Flat Rock, MI. 98
31 23 4 Jack Dandy Taylor, MI. 88
32 22 779 Ray Gaddis Romulus, MI. 85
33 50 45 Paul Mcdougall Indpls. IN. 70
34 33 80 Chuck Cloud Indpls. IN. 68
35 45 91 Mark Carey Beloit, IL. 62
36 27 18 Jerry McCluskey Indpls. IN. 61
37 46 62 Marion Hester Indpls. IN. 59
38 37 61 Chuck Pate Indpls. IN. 46
39 40 29 Leathal Bowles Indpls. IN. 42
40 30 57 Bill Tunny Jr. Indpls. IN. 34
41 47 75 Bill Cloud Indpls. IN. 34
42 19 4 Bobby Ellett Indpls. IN. 32
43 52 18x Herbet Conrad Indpls. IN. 29
44 31 19 Mike St. John Indpls. IN. 18
45 44 72 Bob Supple Indpls. IN. 14
46 53 86 Tony Brady Franklin, IN. 14
47 35 49 Bill Frye Indpls. IN. 13
48 55 78 Ron Hood Indpls. IN. 12
49 17 11 Jr. Shirley Anderson. IN. 11
50 29 8 Dave Grayson Indpls. IN. 8
51 51 03 Bill Snyder Indpls. IN. 6
52 43 8 Chuck Hargraves Indpls. IN. 5
53 49 56 Mitch Keener Indpls. IN. 3
54 26 1x Joe Jackson Indpls. IN. 2
55 28 6s Al Spears Indpls. IN. 1