1980 World 600

Network: CBS

Date and time: May 25, 1980, 2:00 PM

Format: Live

Length: 1 hour

Viewership: 3.7 million

The race was joined live, in-progress, on CBS Sports Spectacular, alongside a 10-Round Heavyweight boxing match and the World Series of Powerlifting. CBS paid a fee of roughly $75,000 dollars ($200,000 in today's money) to broadcast the race.

Before going on the air, CBS started filming the race from the green flag at 12:00 PM, and the announcers did commentary for the race despite not being on the air.

The race would be heavily marred by rain, with three red flags totaling 2 hours. Due to this, CBS was only able to show a few laps of the race on CBS Sports Spectacular, before they showed coverage of the other events on the program, followed by coverage of a golf tournament. CBS came back with updates of the race during the golf tournament, one at around lap 250 and one with around 50 laps to go. The finish was aired the next week during the next edition of CBS Sports Spectacular.

Personnel:

Announcers: Ken Squier, David Hobbs

Pit reporters: Brock Yates, Ned Jarrett