1978 Daytona 6 Hours


2 July 1978 - Daytona (USA): Round 6, World Challenge for Endurance Drivers.
6 hour duration event in which 143 laps of a 3.840 mile/6.180 km circuit - 549.120 miles/883.721 kms were completed.
Weather: intermittent rain


Pos. No. Driver / Nationality Car Entrant Laps Time/retired Grid Qual Time
1 63 Jim Downing (USA)
John Paul Sr (USA)
Mazda RX-2 Jim Downing 143 6:02:12,000 2 2:19.553
2 6 Brad Frisselle (USA)
Dennis Shaw (USA)
American Motors Pacer Amos Johnson 143 6:03:36.281 6 2:22.939
3 11 Don C. Devendorf (USA)
Dick Starita (USA)
Peter Gregg (USA)
Datsun B210 Brumos Porsche 142   15 2:25.108
4 54 Byron Wever (USA)
James Reeve (USA)
Cary Palmer (USA)^
American Motors Pacer Byron Wever 141   11 2:24.119
5 7 Dick Barbour (USA)
Amos Johnson (USA)
American Motors Pacer Amos Johnson 141   8 2:23.186
6 09 Gary Belcher (USA)
Joe Varde (USA)
American Motors Gremlin Gary Belcher 138   29 2:29.568
7 27 Mike Meyer (USA)
Rusty Bond (USA)
Mazda RX-2 Mike Meyer 138   31 2:30.451
8 38 Diego Febles (PR)
Roger Mandeville (USA)
Mazda RX-3 Roger Mandeville 136   20 2:26.952
9 16 Danny Smith (USA)
Gene Rutherford (USA)
American Motors Gremlin Danny Smith 136   18 2:25.952
10 2 Jim Roberts (USA)
Ed Mottern (USA)
American Motors Gremlin Jim Roberts 136   9 2:23.478
11 33 Dennis Bowman (USA)
Dennis Colomb (USA)
Oldsmobile Starfire Dennis Bowman 134   24 2:28.390
12 23 Jim Fitzgerald (USA)
Linda Sharp (USA)
Datsun B210 Linda Sharp 133   50 2:38.648
13 94 Warren Phelps (USA)
Ron Duprey (USA)
Chevrolet Vega Ron Duprey 132   28 2:29.307
14 47 James Crosby (USA)
Bob Crosby (USA)
Ken Mullins (USA)
American Motors Gremlin Crosby Brothers 132   25 2:28.880
15 40 Tom Pyne (USA)
J.R.Taylor (USA)
Ford Pinto Tom Pyne 132   32 2:31.359
16 36 Honorato Espinosa (CO)
Francisco Lopez (CO)
BMW 2002 Luis Botero 131   44 2:35.900
17 49 Buzz Cason (USA)
Rick Knoop (USA)
American Motors Concord Brant Doell 130   19 2:26.028
18 93 Russ Boy (USA)
Art Yarosh (USA)
American Motors Gremlin Russ Boy 130   39 2:33.946
19 64 Bob Akin (USA)
Carlos Garza (USA)
Steve Earle (USA)
BMW 320i Preston Miller 129   22 2:27.436
20 21 Andy Vann (USA)
Joel Neshkin (USA)
American Motors Gremlin Andy Vann 129   23 2:27.861
21 67 Larry Denayer (USA)
Buddy Cox (USA)
American Motors Gremlin Larry Denayer 128   17 2:25.470
22 90 James Bobo (USA)
Terry C. Parker (USA)
Mazda RX-2 James Bobo 127   34 2:31.988
23 0 Guy W. Church (USA)
Bob Lee (USA)
Rick Kump (USA)
Chevrolet Vega Bob Lee 127   60 2:44.497
NRF 30 Bonky Fernandez (PR)
Walt Bohren (USA)
Mazda RX-2 Monarch Motor Racing 125 clutch 3 2:19.853
25 9 Billy Hagan (USA)
Hoyt Overbagh (USA)
Jerry Reid (USA)
Ford Pinto Jerry Reid 125   68 no time
26 8 Ray Kessler (USA)
Guido C. Levetto (USA)
Datsun 610 Ray Kessler 122   40 2:34.412
27 57 Lee Wiese (USA)
John Poulos (USA)
Ford Pinto Loon Racing 121   47 2:36.356
28 34 Mike McKee (USA)
J. Peter Marinelli (USA)
Jeff Doehring (USA)
American Motors Gremlin J.P.Marinelli 119   57 2:42.705
NRF 62 Rick Gaines (USA)
J. Speight Sugg Jr (USA)
BMW 1600 J. Speight Sugg  Jr 112   52 2:39.640
30 48 Ron Jones (USA)
Tom Lyttle (USA)
James Story (USA)
Datsun 510 Tom Lyttle 111   48 2:36.806
NRF 80 Scott Hoerr (USA)
Bobby Allison (USA)
Datsun 510 Randy Hoerr 110 engine 10 2:23.663
NRF 19 Charlie Cook (USA)
Ralston Long (USA)
American Motors Gremlin Southwind Enterprises 109   7 2:23.120
NRF 59 Milton Moise (USA)
Phil Currin (USA)
American Motors Gremlin Milton Moise 107   30 2:29.738
NRF 86 Irv Hoerr (USA)
Donnie Allison (USA)
Datsun 510 Rudy Hoerr 105 engine 16 2:25.336
35 17 Rob Jackson (USA)
Robert Weaver (USA)
American Motors Gremlin Rob Jackson 100   46 2:36.127
NC 84 William Kull Sr (USA)
William Kull Jr (USA)
Daniel Bonner (USA)
Ford Pinto William Kull Sr 98   65 2:54.944
NC 3 Preston Henn (USA)
Hal Sahlman (USA)
Robert V. LaMay (USA)^
American Motors Pacer Preston Henn 97   43 2:35.382
NC 69 Carson Baird (USA)
William L. Shaw (USA)
John Watterson (USA)^
Randy Blue (USA)^
American Motors Gremlin Randy Blue 95   63 2:48.752
NC 37 Fred Snow (USA)
Kevin Coffey (USA)
Mazda RX-2 Kevin Coffey 88   41 2:35.093
DNF 81 Dave Emmert (USA)
Jerry Walsh (USA)
Ford Pinto Dave Emmert 86   61 2:45.265
DNF 96 Gene Felton (USA)
Nick Craw (USA)
Buick Skyhawk Gene Felton 80 engine 1 2:19.251
DNF 72 Jim Stricklin (USA)
Dave Dunkin (USA)
Datsun 510 Jim Stricklin 73 gearbox 59 2:43.449
DNF 51 Tom Waugh (USA)
Claude Ballot-Lena (F)
American Motors Gremlin Tom Waugh 68   4 2:20.812
DNF 02 Alan Marsh (USA)
George Drolsom (USA)
Robert Griffin (USA)*
Ford Pinto Alan Marsh 65 accident 62 2:47.321
DNF 88 Robert Picariello (USA)
James Raptis (USA)
Gary Ouellette (USA)*
Plymouth Arrow Robert Picariello 63 throttle 55 2:41.977
DNF 1 Gary Ouellette (USA)
John Carusso (USA)
Mazda RX-2 E.J.Pruitt 57 engine 21 2:27.225
DNF 92 Bill Whittington (USA)
Don Whittington (USA)
Mazda RX-2 Roger Mandeville 57 gearbox 14 2:24.612
DNF 85 George Kiricenkov (USA)
Tom Ashby (USA)
Ford Pinto George Kiricenkov 51   51 2:38.914
DNF 4 Hiram Cruz (USA)
Juan Lopez (DR)
Datsun 510 Juan Lopez 49 engine 49 2:37.599
DNF 28 Ray Korman (USA)
Kenper Miller (USA)
BMW 320i Ray Korman 49 throttle 13 2:24.697
DNF 18 John Freyre (USA)
Albert Naon (USA)
A.T.Garcia (USA)
Jorge DeCardenas (USA)*
Ford Pinto Creative Group 47   45 2:36.071
DNF 08 Keith Swope (USA)
Dale Swope (USA)
American Motors Gremlin Keith Swope 46   27 2:29.624
DNF 20 Rusty Brown (USA)
H.W.Alexander (USA)
Terry C. Parker (USA)*
Ford Pinto H.W.Alexander 46 engine 54 2:41.276
DNF 26 Philip Gutierrez (USA)
Juan Valdes-Pages (USA)^
Ford Pinto Juan Valdes-Pages 36 gearbox 64 2:49.931
DNF 78 Rob McFarlin (USA)
Hurley Haywood (USA)
Datsun 200SX Performance Innovations 35 engine 5 2:21.9821
DNF 03 Bobby Diehl (USA)
Jacques Groleau (USA)^
American Motors Gremlin Bobby Diehl 34 brakes 37 2:33.301
DNF 14 Emory Donaldson (USA)
Cliff Rickmers (USA)
Lyn St. James (USA)^
BMW 2002 Cliff Rickmers 33 gearbox 53 2:40.190
DNF 98 Richard Kitchell (USA)
Clint Abernethy (USA)
American Motors Gremlin Richard Kitchell 30   26 2:28.927
DNF 22 Dale Kreider (USA)
Dave McNeal (USA)
James Lazzaro (USA)^
American Motors Gremlin Dale Kreider 28 clutch 56 2:42.214
DNF 31 Randy Davis (USA)
Herb Kanady (USA)
American Motors Gremlin Randy Davis 28 engine 58 2:43.409
DNF 42 Manny Matz (USA)
Stephen Behr (USA)
BMW 2002 Quality Car Service 27 engine 35 2:33.026
DNF 5 Bill Starcevic (USA)
Don Rice (USA)
American Motors Pacer Bill Starcevic 24   36 2:33.139
DNF 73 David Ellis-Brown (USA)
John Tremblay (USA)
Harry Chilcot (USA)*
Volvo 142E David Ellis-Brown 20   67 3:42.667
DNF 46 John Morton (USA)
G.H.Sharp (USA)^
Datsun 200SX G.H.Sharp 13 overheating 12 2:24.580
DNF 15 Larry Parker (USA)
Robert V. LaMay (USA)^
Ford Pinto Larry Parker 12   69 no time
DNF 76 Tony Garcia (USA)
Mauricio de Narvaez (CO)^
Alberto Vadia Jr (USA)*
Chevrolet Cosworth Vega Ricardo Vadia 11   75 no time
DNF 39 Dermot Meehan (USA)
Peter Uria (USA)^
Wayne Barker (USA)^
Ford Pinto Wayne Barker 8 engine 70 no time
DNF 25 Steve Whitman (USA)
Rod Bannerman (USA)^
Andy Petery (USA)*
American Motors Gremlin Ramrod Racing 5 oil leak 33 2:31.861
DNF 04 Gustavo Chevres (PR)
Armando Gonzalez (PR)^
BMW 2002 Gus Chevres 5   38 2:33.491
DNF 82 Bill Johnson (USA)
Craig Ross (USA)
Corky Bell (USA)*
Datsun 710 North Star Racing 5 gearbox 76 no time
DNF 71 Gary Witzenburg (USA)
Richard Ceppos (USA)^
Jill Rogers (USA)*
Datsun 710 Troy Media Productions 2   74 no time
DNS 35 Bill Boye (USA)
Gary Brooks (USA)
Subaru DL Autohaus of St. Lucie     42 2:35.283
DNS 29 Bill Kane (USA)
Donald Flores (USA)
Phil Panos (USA)
Rich Lee (USA)*
BMW 2002 Bill Kane     66 2:56.805
DNS 44 Joe Amato (USA)
Carson Baird (USA)
American Motors Gremlin Joe Amato     71 no time
DNS 45 Jan Chudziak (USA) Mazda RX-3 Jan Chudziak     72 no time
DNS 52 James Reeve (USA)
Ford Smith (USA)
Buick Skyhawk James Reeve     73 no time
DNS 01 George Hair (USA)
Bill Harris (USA)
Datsun 510 George Hair     77 no time
DNA 4 Mike Downs (USA)
Miles Gupton (USA)
Datsun 510 Mike Downs        
DNA 41 Chuck Cox (USA)
Charles Mendez (USA)
BMW 320i Chuck Cox        
All cars in IMSA racing stock category


Winning Time: 6h02m12.000, 90.964 mph/146.392 kph
Fastest Lap: Jim Downing #63 (Mazda RX-2), 2m20.268, 98.554 mph/158.607 kph

 
* Driver entered for car, but never drove it at meeting
^ Driver practiced car, but did not race it
RES - Reserve (Practiced, on standy-by for start)
REE - Reserve Entry
DNA - Did Not Arrive
DNS - Did Not Start
DNF - Did Not Finish
DNP - Did Not Practice
NC - Not Classified
DSQ - Disqualified
NRF - Not Running At Finish
NAC - Not Accepted
REJ - Rejected (Did not pass scrutineering)

Last Updated on 02/01/2004
By Darren Galpin
Email: Darren.Galpin@virgin.net