The 64th 500 Mile International Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 25, 1980. Johnny Rutherford won the pole position, led 118 laps, and won the race by a commanding 29.92 second margin. After failing to finish the race the year before (with Al Unser behind the wheel), Jim Hall's radical new Chaparral 2K ground effects chassis drove a flawless race, and was a heavy favorite entering the month. Rutherford, the winner in 1974 and 1976, became the sixth driver to win the Indy 500 three times.