Buck Baker

Elzie Wylie "Buck" Baker Sr. (March 4, 1919 – April 14, 2002) was an American stock car racer. Born in Richburg, South Carolina, Baker began his NASCAR career in 1949 and won his first race three years later at Columbia Speedway. Twenty-seven years later, Baker retired after the 1976 National 500.

During his NASCAR Cup Series career, Baker won two championships, 46 races and 45 pole positions, as well as recorded 372 top-tens. In 1957, he became the first driver to win two consecutive championships in the series. Between 1957 and 1959 Baker competed in the NASCAR Convertible Division. From 1972 to 1973, he competed in the Grand National East Series, where he recorded five top-tens in twelve races. On May 23, 2012, it was announced that he would be inducted into the 2013 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame on February 8, 2013.

Racing career

Baker entered his first race in 1939 in Greenville, South Carolina, He entered his first NASCAR race in 1949 at Charlotte Speedway. Baker went on to become one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR's history; he was the first back-to-back winner of the Grand National Championship in 1956 and 1957. He was second twice (1955 and 1958) and finished in the top five on four other occasions.

Baker's 682 NASCAR starts (44 from the pole) ranks him third all-time and his 46 victories rank him 13th. In 1953, 1960 and 1964, Baker won the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. In 1963, Baker was given credit for winning a race that he clearly did not win. Wendell Scott won the race. NASCAR later reversed its ruling for the race. Scott did not receive the trophy. In 1967, Baker switched to NASCAR's Grand American division, where he was also very successful.

Baker, along with Roby Combs and Ike Kiser leased motorsport tracks and promoted races early in the 1950s. The three leased Charlotte Speedway in 1950 and promoted races there, before selling their lease to Bruton Smith. In September 1951, they leased Air Base Speedway, near Greenville, South Carolina, also to promote races.

After his retirement in 1976, Baker opened up the Buck Baker Racing School, where Jeff Gordon drove his first stock car. His son, Buddy, was a 34-year Winston Cup veteran and taught at the school along with Buck's daughter, Susie Baker; in 1990, and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1998. Also in 1998, he was named one of the NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers. On May 23, 2012, it was announced that he would be one of five nominees to be inducted into the 2013 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame on February 8, 2013.

Last years and death

Baker died on the night of April 14, 2002 at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina of natural causes. also grew to be a renowned NASCAR driver, winning the 1980 Daytona 500 in what is still the record speed for the 500 at 177.602 mph (285.809 km/h). Buddy would eventually become a TV broadcaster following his retirement from racing.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Grand National Series NASCAR Grand National Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 Pts Ref 1949 Penny Mullis 87 Kaiser CLT 46th 20 Buzzy Boehmen DAB HBO LAN HAM MAR HEI NWS 1950 Buck Baker Racing 70 Ford DAB 12th 531.5 87 CLT LAN MAR CAN VER DSP MCF Chevy CLT HBO DSP HAM Griffin Motors Olds DAR LAN NWS VER MAR WIN HBO 1951 DAB CLT NMO GAR HBO ASF NWS MAR CAN CLB CCS LAN CLT DSP 23rd 644.5 Buck Baker Racing Plymouth CLS CLB DSP GAR GRS BAI HEI AWS MCF ALS MSF FMS MOR ABS WIL HBO TPN PGS MAR OAK NWS HMS JSP Ford DAR ATL GAR NMO 1952 Griffin Motors 87 Olds PBS DAB JSP 12th 2159 B.A. Pless 89 Hudson NWS MAR CLB ATL CCS LAN DAR DSP CAN HAY FMS HBO CLT MSF NIF OSW MON MOR PPS MCF AWS CCS NWS ATL PBS Wheatley Motors 87 Lincoln DAR Buck Baker Racing Ford LAN DSP WIL HBO MAR 1953 Wheatley Motors Lincoln PBS DAB HAR NWS 4th 6713 Griffin Motors Olds CLT RCH CCS LAN CLB HCY MAR PMS RSP LOU FIF LAN TCS WIL MCF PIF MOR ATL RVS LCF DAV HBO AWS PAS DAR CCS LAN BLF WIL NWS MAR ATL Ford HCY 1954 Griffin Motors 87 Olds PBS DAB JSP ATL OSP OAK NWS LAN SHA CLT GAR MCF WGS COR DAR CCS CLT LAN MAS MAR NWS 3rd 6893 Ernest Woods 88 Olds HBO CCS WIL MAR RSP CLB LND HCY PIF AWS SFS GRS MOR OAK CLT Slick Smith 87 Cadillac SAN 1955 Frank Christian 14 Olds TCS 2nd 8088 Griffin Motors 87 Olds PBS JSP DAB OSP CLB HBO NWS MGY LAN HCY ASF TUS MAR NCF FOR LIN FON AIR CLT Buck Baker Racing 89 Buick CLT RCH AWS SAN FOR MAS RSP DAR MGY Griffin Motors 303 Olds MCF Henry Ford 303 Chrysler PIF CLB MOR ALS CLT B & L Motors 55 Olds NYF Carl Kiekhaefer 89 Buick LAN DePaolo Engineering 87 Ford RSP GPS MAS CLB MAR LVP NWS HBO 1956 Satcher Motors HCY CLT WSS PBS 1st 9272 Carl Kiekhaefer 301 Chrysler ASF DAB 500B Dodge PBS WIL CLB GPS HCY LIN CCF CLB 300C Chrysler ATL NWS RSP 87 LAN DAR CSH LAN POR Dodge RCH CLT 300 Chrysler CON HBO CLT POR EUR NYF MER MAS CLT MCF POR AWS PIF CSF MGY OKL PIF MYB POR 502 Dodge MAR CHI ROA John Whitford 31 Ford OBS Carl Kiekhaefer 300B Chrysler SAN HBO NWP CLT CCF HCY WIL 501 Dodge NOR 00 Chrysler MAR 1957 Hugh Babb 87 Chevy WSS CON TIC DAB CON WIL HBO AWS NWS LAN CLT PIF GBF POR CCF RCH MAR POR EUR LIN LCS ASP 1st 10716 Buck Baker Racing NWP CLB CPS PIF JAC RSP CLT MAS POR HCY NOR LCS GLN KPC LIN OBS MYB DAR NYF AWS CSF SCF LAN CLB CCF CLT MAR NBR CON NWS GBF 1958 FAY DAB CON FAY WIL HBO FAY CLB PIF ATL CLT MAR ODS OBS GPS GBF STR NWS BGS TRN RSD CLB NBS REF LIN HCY AWS RSP MCC SLS TOR BUF MCF BEL BRR CLB NSV AWS BGS MBS DAR CLT BIR CSF GAF RCH HBO SAS MAR NWS ATL 2nd 11588 1959 86 FAY 5th 7170 87 DAY DAY ATL HCY MAR TRN CLT NSV ASP ATL CLB WIL RCH DAY HEI 88 HBO CON WIL CLB NWS REF PIF GPS HCY RCH CSF 89 BGS BGS AWS Lynton Tyson 87 CLT CLT NSV DAR MAR NWS CON 88 MBS AWS BGS GPS CLB HBO AWS 1960 87 CLT CLB 4th 14674 Buck Baker Racing DAY DAY DAY CLT NWS PHO CLB MAR HCY WIL BGS GPS AWS DAR PIF HBO RCH HMS CLT DAY HEI MAB MBS ATL BIR NSV AWS PIF CLB SBO BGS HCY CSF GSP HBO MAR NWS CLT RCH ATL L.D. Austin 74 Chevy BGS Jack Smith 47 Pontiac DAR 1961 Buck Baker Racing 87 Chevy CLT JSP 10th 13746 Chrysler DAY DAY DAY PIF AWS HMS DAR CLT CLT RSD ASP CLT DAY ATL DAR ATL CLT 86 ATL GPS HBO BGS MAR NWS CLB HCY RCH MAR PIF BIR GPS BGS NOR HAS STR CLB MBS BRI NSV BGS AWS RCH SBO HCY RCH CSF MAR NWS BRI GPS HBO 1962 CON AWS DAY HBO GPS MBS 13th 12838 87 DAY DAY CON AWS SVH RCH CLB NWS MAR BGS BRI RCH HCY CON DAR PIF CLT ATL BGS AUG RCH SBO DAY CLB ASH GPS AUG SVH MBS BRI CHT NSV HUN AWS STR BGS PIF VAL DAR HCY RCH DTS AUG MAR NWS CLT Jack Smith 47 Pontiac ATL 1963 Buck Baker Racing 87 Chrysler BIR GGS THS RSD DAY AWS HBO HCY AUG SBO BGS THS 11th 18114 Pontiac DAY DAY PIF ATL BRI RCH GPS MAR NWS CLB DAR ODS RCH CLT BIR ATL DAY MBS SVH DTS BGS ASH OBS BRR BRI GPS NSV CLB AWS PIF BGS ONA HCY RCH MAR DTS NWS THS SBO HBO RSD Smokey Yunick 13 Chevy DAR Fox Racing 33 Chevy CLT 1964 Buck Baker Racing 87 Pontiac CON JSP SVH RSD 9th 22366 Petty Enterprises 42 Plymouth AUG 41 DAY DAY DAY RCH BRI GPS BGS ATL AWS HBO PIF CLB NWS MAR SVH Fox Racing 3 Dodge DAR LGY CLT GPS ASH ATL CON NSV CHT BIR VAL PIF DAY ODS OBS BRR ISP GLN LIN BRI NSV MBS AWS DTS ONA CLB BGS STR DAR HCY RCH ODS MAR SVH NWS CLT HAR 03 HCY SBO David Walker 89 Plymouth HBO AUG JAC 1965 Buck Baker Racing 88 Dodge RSD DAY RCH HBO ISP GLN 17th 13136 87 Olds DAY DAY PIF ASW ATL GPS NWS MAR CLB BRI Chevy DAR LGY BGS HCY CLT CCF ASH HAR NSV BIR ATL GPS MBS VAL DAY ODS OBS BRI NSV CCF AWS SMR PIF AUG CLB DTS BLV BGS LIN ODS RCH MAR NWS CLT HBO CAR DTS 86 Plymouth DAR HCY 1966 87 Chevy AUG RSD DAY DAY 21st 14504 Olds DAY CAR BRI ATL HCY CLB GPS BGS NWS MAR DAR LGY MGR MON RCH ASH PIF SMR AWS BLV GPS ODS FON BRI SMR NSV ATL CLB AWS BLV BGS DAR HCY RCH HBO NWS CLT CAR 88 Chevy CLT DTS BRR OXF ISP 86 DAY Dodge MAR 1967 88 Olds AUG RSD DAY DAY DAY AWS BRI GPS BGS ATL CLB HCY SVH MGY OXF FDA ISP SMR NSV 27th 9450 87 Ford NWS MAR RCH DAR BLV LGY CLT ASH MGR SMR BIR CAR GPS DAY TRN BRI ATL BGS CLB SVH DAR HCY RCH BLV HBO MAR NWS CLT CAR AWS 1968 MGR MGY RSD DAY BRI 39th 650 Neil Castles 06 Plymouth RCH ATL Buck Baker Racing 88 Olds HCY GPS CLB NWS MAR AWS DAR BLV LGY CLT ASH MGR SMR BIR GPS DAY 87 AUG Chevy CAR ISP OXF FDA TRN BRI SMR NSV ATL CLB BGS AWS SBO LGY DAR HCY RCH BLV HBO MAR NWS AUG CLT CAR JFC 1969 Bailey Racing 87 Pontiac MGR MGY RSD DAY DAY DAY CAR AUG BRI ATL CLB HCY GPS RCH NWS MAR AWS DAR BLV LGY CLT MGR SMR MCH KPT GPS NCF DAY DOV TPN TRN BLV BRI NSV SMR ATL MCH SBO BGS AWS DAR HCY RCH TAL CLB MAR NWS CLT SVH AUG CAR JFC MGR TWS NA 0 1970 Robert Brown 58 Chevy RSD DAY DAY DAY RCH CAR SVH ATL BRI TAL NWS CLB DAR BLV LGY CLT SMR MAR MCH RSD HCY KPT GPS DAY AST TPN TRN BRI SMR NSV ATL CLB ONA MCH TAL BGS SBO DAR HCY RCH DOV NCF NWS CLT MAR MGR CAR LGY NA 0 1971 Buck Baker Racing 87 Pontiac RSD DAY DAY DAY ONT RCH CAR HCY BRI ATL CLB GPS SMR NWS MAR DAR SBO TAL ASH KPT CLT DOV MCH RSD HOU GPS DAY BRI AST ISP TRN NSV ATL BGS ONA MCH TAL CLB HCY DAR MAR CLT DOV CAR MGR RCH NWS TWS NA 0

Winston Cup Series NASCAR Winston Cup Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Pts Ref 1972 Furr Engineering 93 Chevy RSD DAY RCH ONT CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV MCH RSD TWS DAY BRI TRN ATL TAL MCH NSV NA 0 Poling Racing 65 Chevy DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR TWS 1973 RSD DAY RCH CAR BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV CLT DOV TWS RSD MCH DAY BRI ATL TAL NSV DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR 101st - 1976 Donlavey Racing 93 Ford RSD DAY CAR RCH BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR 48th 513 Hiram Handy 33 Chevy TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS Frasson Racing 18 Chevy DAY NSV POC H.C. Porter 59 Chevy CLT CAR ATL ONT

Daytona 500 Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish 1959 Buck Baker Racing Chevrolet 54 42 1960 29 18 1961 Chrysler 7 9 1962 31 28 1963 Pontiac DNQ 1964 Petty Enterprises Plymouth 5 12 1965 Buck Baker Racing Oldsmobile DNQ 1966 32 22