The 1980 World Championship for Makes at Watkins Glen was the 8th round of the 11-race series. The championship had turned into a battle between Porsche and Lancia. Heading into the Glen, Lancia held the lead with 140-points to Porsche's 135. Porsche was represented by the 935 Turbos, which tipped the scales at 2,400-pounds and had an engine producing approximately 700 - 750-hp. Many of the top IMSA and Makes teams used 935s - Dick Barbour, J.L.P. Racing, Interscope and the Whittingtons. In contrast, the factory Lancia Beta Monte Carlo turbos weighted just over 1700-pounds and was equipped with a 500-hp engine.

Run in conjunction with the Makes race was a round of the Trans Am series. This was a transition year for Trans Am as the two category system was eliminated. The biggest change in the new rules was the removal of Category II - turbocharged Porsches and highly modified Camaros and Corvettes. The object of these changes was to create a competitive series with the costs of racing being within the reach of those competing. As the Watkins Glen race was much longer than the average Trans Am event bonus points were awarded to encourage and reward entrants.

Finishing first overall and in Group 5 was the Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo driven by Hans Heyer and Ricardo Patrese. They were a lap ahead of their teammates Michele Alboreto and Eddie Cheever. This win increased Lancia's lead in the championship but by the last race of the season Porsche had tied Lancia with 160-points. The title was decided in Lancia's favour as they had more wins than Porsche.
The No. 6 Dick Barbour entered Porsche 935 K3 was shared by John Fitzpatrick and Brian Redman. They finished third overall and in the Group 5 class. At the next round which took place at Mosport, they scored the class and overall victory. Fitzpatrick's primary focus was the 1980 IMSA title which he would win as well as the Porsche Cup Championship.
Finishing behind the Dick Barbour entry was the Interscope Porsche 935 K3 of Danny Ongais and team owner Ted Field. Like Fitzpatrick and Redman they were IMSA regulars. Field finished third in the final IMSA standings while Ongais was seventh. During the event at Watkins Glen Ongais turned the fastest race lap at a 1:53.471.
The beautiful Red Lobster sponsored BMW M1 finished tenth overall - quite a feat for a car that had far less horsepower (480-HP versus 700-HP) than the Porsches. It was driven by Knepper Miller and Dave Cowart. In 1981, IMSA moved the M1 to the GTO class where Miller and Cowart would capture the championship.
The Porsche 935 of Randy Townsend and Harold Grohs waits for a new engine. The 935 proved to be a popular and successful race car for privateers throughout the world. Weighing approximately 2,100-lbs. and producing over 700-hp made it competitive in several series. Townsend and Grohs finished eighth at Watkins Glen.
Another IMSA regular - John Paul entered a Porsche 935 JLP-2. Sharing the car with his son and Preston Henn they finished fourteenth overall. In the IMSA series they had more success - Senior finished second in the 1980 championship while his son was fourth.
The No. 36 Electrodyne Porsche 934 was the only car entered in the GT class. Drivers Chet Vincentz, Bruce Jenner and Bob Garretson finished eighteenth overall - 37-laps behind the Patrese/Heyer Lancia.
It was very common for it to rain at some point during the 6-Hour race and 1980 was no exception. The class of the field during the rain period was Harold Grohs in the No. 13 Porsche 935. Here he leads the Trans Am entry of Robert Overby and Frank Harmstad through the 'Toe of the Boot'.
The third Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo competing at the 6-Hour race was entered by Jolly Club. This Italian team was created in 1957 by Mario Angiolini. Over the years, the team had competed in everything from the World Rally Championship to Formula 1 - mainly in Lancias and Alfa Romeos. This car was driven by Piercarlo Ghinzani and Martino Finotto to a sixth place finish.
Skeeter McKitterick and Charles Mendez finished just behind the class winning Trans Am Porsche 911 SC of John Bauer and Larry Green. They were thirteenth overall and twelfth in the Group 5 class.
1977 Trans Am Champion Ludwig Heimrath shared his Porsche 935 with 3-time Indy 500 winner Johnny Rutherford. The pair finished eleventh overall and in Group 5.

POS.CLASSDRIVERSCARENTRANTLAPSRETIREMENTS
1Gr.5Heyer / PatreseLancia BetaLancia Corse139-
2Gr.5Alboreto / CheeverLancia BetaLancia Corse138-
3Gr.5Fitzpatrick / RedmanPorsche 935 K3Dick Barbour Racing134-
4Gr.5Field / OngaisPorsche 935 K3Interscope Racing133-
5Gr.5Barth / MerlPorsche 935 K3Dick Barbour Racing133-
6Gr.5Ghinzani / FinottoLancia BetaJolly Club133-
7Gr.5Woods / Akin / MendezPorsche 935 K3Racing Associates132-
8Gr.5Townsend / GrohsPorsche 935Andial Racing130-
9Gr.5Whittington/Haywood/WhittingtonPorsche 935 K3Whittington Brothers130-
10Gr.5Miller / CowartBMW M1Red Lobster Racing127-
11Gr.5Heimrath / RutherfordPorsche 935Heimrath Racing122-
12TABauer / GreenPorsche 911 SCGreen Racing121-
13Gr.5McKitterick / MendezPorsche 935 K3Racing Associates117-
14Gr.5Paul, Jr. / Paul / HennPorsche 935JLP Racing116-
15TAWolpert / Aquilante / WhiteChevrolet CorvetteAquilante/Wolpert114-
16TAShelton / LevenPorsche 911 SCPorsche-Audi NW114-
17TAKeirn / ErringtonChevrolet CorvettePhilip Keirn107-
18GTJenner / Vincentz / GarretsonPorsche 934Electrodyne Racing102-
19TARaub / WoodsChevrolet CamaroRocky Mountain Perf.101-
20TAForrest / LeifheitChevrolet CorvetteForrest/Leifheit98Engine
21TAOleyar / CraineChevrolet CorvetteLittle Foreign Car Shop93-
22TAKicak / EasthamChevrolet CorvetteTom Rynone93-
23Gr.5Cord / AdamsChevrolet MonzaChris Cord91Transmission
24TASchuler / SchulerDatsun 280ZXFred Schuler84-
25TABaechle / LaughlinChevrolet CorvetteAuto Barn84-
26TAZulkowski / PullyblankPorsche 914-6Metal Craft Racing74Electrical
27TAOverby / HarmstadPorsche 911 SCRobert Overby72Engine
28Gr.5Carter / DeLorenzoChevrolet CamaroMaurice Carter67Engine
29Gr.5Jöst / MorettiPorsche 935Electrodyne Racing45Engine
30TAYoung / LazierChevrolet CamaroRocky Mountain Perf.42Drive Shaft
31TAKizer / BroomallChevrolet CorvetteBuist/Syfert40Engine
32Gr.5Heinz / Nagel / ValentineChevrolet CorvetteUSA Racing40Spin
33TARoberts / SchulteChevrolet CamaroTom's Mechanical34Ignition
34Gr.5Hinze / WhittingtonPorsche 935Marty Hinze18Transmission
35TABrandtChevrolet CorvetteAtlas Van Lines14Engine
36Gr.5Stuck / HobbsBMW M1BMW North America10Accident
37TAFryer / YenkoAMC JavelinUniversity of Pittsburgh10Brakes
38Gr.5Rahal / GarretsonPorsche 935 K3Dick Barbour Racing6Engine
DNSGr.5Field / OngaisPorsche 935Interscope Racing0-
DNSGr.5Busby / Mears / GreggPorsche 935Jim Busby0-
DNSGTSchramm / BartlingPorsche Carrera RSRFramm Promotions0-


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