1979 Talladega 6 Hours


1 April 1979 - Talladega (USA): Round 3, World Challenge for Endurance Drivers.
6 hour duration event in which 147 laps of a 4.000 mile/6.437 km circuit - 588.000 miles/946.293 kms were completed.
Weather: warm, dry


Pos. No. Driver / Nationality Car Entrant Laps Time/retired Grid Qual Time
1 61 Tom Waugh (USA)
Rick Knoop (USA)
Hurley Haywood (USA)*
Steve Earle (USA)*
Buzz Cason (USA)*
American Motors Concord Brant Doell 147 6:00:39,006 3 2:28.674
2 19 Ralston Long (USA)
Charlie Cook (USA)
American Motors Gremlin Southwind Enterprises 146   1 2:26.209
3 01 Joe Varde (USA)
David Cowart (USA)
American Motors Spirit Joe Varde 145   23 2:39.674
4 99 Kal Showket (USA)
Phil Currin (USA)
American Motors Pacer Kal Showket 144   16 2:36.376
5 38 Roger Mandeville (USA)
Diego Febles (PR)
Mazda RX-3 Roger Mandeville 144   10 2:33.945
6 11 Dick Starita (USA)
Scott Hoerr (USA)
Datsun B210 Dick Starita 144   21 2:38.637
7 20 Eddie Mecum Sr (USA)
Javeir Garcia (USA)
Buick Skyhawk Eddie Mecum Sr 144   6 2:32.536
8 72 Craig Ross (USA)
Cary Palmer (USA)
Charles Mendez (USA)^
David Cowart (USA)*
Bob Akin (USA)*
Datsun 200SX Tampa Bay Racing 142 oil pressure 19 2:37.858
9 96 Gene Felton (USA)
Buddy Cox (USA)
John G. Huber (USA)^
Nick Craw (USA)*
Buick Skyhawk Gene Felton 142   4 2:31.383
10 44 Carson Baird (USA)
Joe Amato (USA)
American Motors Gremlin Joe Amato 142   2 2:44.728
11 10 Andy Petery (USA)
Steve Whitman (USA)
American Motors Spirit Amos Johnson 142   26 2:43.302
12 15 Rob Jackson (USA)
Robert Weaver (USA)
American Motors Gremlin Rob Jackson 139   30 2:45.713
13 64 Carlos Garza (USA)
Bob Akin (USA)
Charles Mendez (USA)
BMW 320i Distant Thunder 139   18 2:37.494
14 4 Gary Ouellette (USA)
Robert Picariello (USA)
Mazda RX-2 E.J.Pruitt 134   24 2:40.614
15 7 Amos Johnson (USA)
Dick Barbour (USA)
American Motors Spirit Amos Johnson 134   36 2:51.420
16 85 George Kiricenkov (USA)
Bill Bean (USA)
Harry Deaton (USA)*
Ford Pinto George Kiricenkov 133   35 2:50.788
17 88 Robert Griffin (USA)
Alan Marsh (USA)
Datsun 510 MAS Racing 130   52 no time
18 6 Dennis Shaw (USA)
Roy Woods (USA)
American Motors Spirit Amos Johnson 129   8 2:32.771
19 26 Paul Ingle (USA)
Bill Harris (USA)
BMW 320i Shadowfax Racing 127   28 2:44.509
20 21 Andy Vann (USA)
Jim Roberts (USA)
American Motors Gremlin Andy Vann 124   22 2:38.944
21 82 Bill Johnson (USA)
Corkey Bell (USA)
Datsun 710 North Star Racing 124   51 no time
22 83 Chuck Grantham (USA)
Milt Griswold (USA)
Ford Pinto Milt Griswold 123   37 2:51.598
23 30 Del Russo Taylor (USA)
Rick Bailey (USA)
Dave Yerger (USA)
Alfa Romeo Alfetta Dave Yerger 121   43 3:11.192
NRF 08 Keith Swope (USA)
Bonky Fernandez (PR)
American Motors Spirit S.C.Racing 119 spin 11 2:34.019
NRF 54 Byron Wever (USA)
Dale Kreider (USA)
Cary Palmer (USA)*
Mazda RX-3 Wever/Palmer 118   14 2:36.337
26 71 R. Michael Sparks (USA)
Carl Holbrook (USA)
Ford Pinto Holbrook/Sparks 117   49 no time
27 48 Tom Lyttle (USA)
Ron Jones (USA)
Mike McKee (USA)*
Datsun 510 Tom Lyttle 113   40 2:59.706
28 91 Steve Jones (USA)
Pete Levine (USA)
Bill Underwood (USA)*
Ford Pinto Steve Jones 112   39 2:53.953
NRF 62 J. Speight Sugg Jr (USA)
Bob Feld Jr (USA)
BMW 2002 J. Speight Sugg Jr 111   31 2:45.753
NRF 87 Lewis Fuller (USA)
Jim Bullock (USA)
Ford Pinto Whitehurst Racing 106 fuel leak 41 3:04.403
DNF 67 Larry Denayer (USA)
Tom Davis (USA)
Buddy Cox (USA)*
American Motors Gremlin Larry Denayer 83   17 2:37.403
DNF 17 Pat Daily (USA)
Tim Kuykendall (USA)
Datsun 200SX Balboa Datsun 78   7 2:32.712
DNF 68 Clark Howey (USA)
Dale Koch (USA)
Ford Pinto Clark Howey 63   46 no time
DNF 57 Tracy Wolf (USA)
Dan Darnell (USA)
Ford Capri Tracy Wolf 60   29 2:45.219
DNF 63 Jim Downing (USA)
John Paul Sr (USA)
Mazda RX-2 Jim Downing 59 gearbix 5 2:32.278
DNF 98 Richard Kitchell (USA)
Bobby Diehl (USA)
Rick Bailey (USA)*
American Motors Gremlin Richard Kitchell 58   25 2:42.550
DNF 52 James Reeve (USA)
Pete Harrison (USA)
Buick Skyhawk Atlanta Racing Enterprises 56 engine 45 no time
DNF 04 James Story (USA)
John Story (USA)
Donnie Ard (USA)
Ford Capri Rozinante Enterprises 55   34 2:50.752
DNF 16 Danny Smith (USA)
David Brown (USA)
H.W.Alexander (USA)^
American Motors Gremlin Danny Smith 49 suspension 20 2:38.219
DNF 50 Eddie Mecum Jr (USA)
Ron Oyler (USA)
Buick Skyhawk Eddie Mecum Sr 33 engine 12 2:34.182
DNF 59 Lyn St James (USA)
Emory Donaldson (USA)
Milton Moise (USA)
American Motors Gremlin Autodyne 28 engine 27 2:44.007
DNF 78 Hurley Haywood (USA)
Rob McFarlin (USA)
Datsun 200SX Performance Innovations 27   13 2:34.987
DNF 3 Jeff Dearduff (USA)
Bob Dearduff (USA)^
Mazda DX-3 Jeff Dearduff 18   42 3:04.981
DNF 23 Nes Gurley (USA)
James Jeralds (USA)^
Ford Capri Nes Gurley 13 mechanical 33 2:48.959
DNF 90 James Bobo (USA)
Terry C. Parker (USA)^
Mazda RX-3 James Bobo 11   32 2:48.457
DNF 51 Buzz Cason (USA)
Chris Cord (USA)^
Steve Earle (USA)*
Tom Waugh (USA)*
American Motors Spirit Brant Doell 2 clutch 15 2:36.337
DNF 1 Walt Bohren (USA)
Buddy Cox (USA)^
Mazda RX-2 Walt Bohren 1 gearbox 9 2:33.361
DNF 75 Don Jones (USA)
Ron Oyler (USA)^
Wayne Stradley (USA)^
American Motors Pacer Ron Oyler 1   50 no time
DNF 33 Dave Richardson (USA)
Griff Goad (USA)^
Ford Pinto Dave Richardson 0   38 2:53.329
DNS 9 Jerry Reid (USA) Ford Pinto Jerry Reid     44  
DNS 69 Randy Blue (USA)
John Watterson (USA)
American Motors Gremlin Randy Blue     47  
DNS 70 Tom Kuenz (USA)
Preston Henn (USA)*
Ford Fiesta Preston Henn     48  
DNS 03 Bobby Diehl (USA)
Doug Kenny (USA)
American Motors Gremlin Joe Varde        
DNA 14 Cliff Rickmers (USA)
Lou Timolat (USA)
BMW 2002 Tenn Tec Racing        
DNA 27 Ray Pericles (USA)
Matt Pericles (USA)
Mazda RX-2 Wheels Import        
DNA 46 G.H.Sharp (USA)
Irv Hoerr (USA)
American Motors Spirit G.H.Sharp        
DNA   Del Carson (USA)
Bob Spooner (USA)
Buick Skyhawk Non-Celebrity Racing        
N.B. All cars in IMSA Racing Stock class.

 
 
Winning Time: 6h00m39.006, 97.823 mph/157.431 kph
Fastest Lap: Charlie Cook #19 (American Motors Gremlin), 2m26.209, 98.489 mph/158.503 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 03/01/2004
By Darren Galpin
Email: Darren.Galpin@virgin.net