Buck Baker | |||||||
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Born | Elzie Wylie Baker Sr. (1919-03-04)March 4, 1919 Richburg, South Carolina, U.S. | ||||||
Died | April 14, 2002(2002-04-14) (aged 83) Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.[1] | ||||||
Achievements | 1956Grand National SeriesChampion 1957Grand National SeriesChampion 1952 NASCAR Speedway Division Champion 1953,1960, 1964Southern 500 Winner LedGrand National Series in wins (1956, 1957) LedGrand National Series in poles (1956, 1957) | ||||||
Awards | Named one ofNASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers (1998) Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (1998) NASCAR Hall of Fame (2013) Named one ofNASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023) | ||||||
NASCARCup Series career | |||||||
635 races run over 26 years | |||||||
Best finish | 1st (1956,1957) | ||||||
First race | 1949Race No. 1 (Charlotte) | ||||||
Last race | 1976National 500 (Charlotte) | ||||||
First win | 1952 (Columbia) | ||||||
Last win | 1964Southern 500 (Darlington) | ||||||
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NASCARGrand National East Series career | |||||||
12 races run over 2 years | |||||||
Best finish | 11th (1972) | ||||||
First race | 1972 Bold City 200 (Jacksonville) | ||||||
Last race | 1973 Sunoco 260 (Hickory) | ||||||
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NASCARConvertible Division career | |||||||
20 races run over 3 years | |||||||
Best finish | 23rd (1958) | ||||||
First race | 1957 Rebel 300 (Darlington) | ||||||
Last race | 1959 Race #14 (Greenville-Pickens) | ||||||
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Statistics current as of May 9, 2018. |
Elzie Wylie Baker Sr. (March 4, 1919 – April 14, 2002), better known asBuck Baker, was an Americanstock car racer. Born inRichburg,South Carolina, Baker began his NASCAR career in 1949 and won his first race three years later atColumbia Speedway. Twenty-seven years later, Baker retired after1976 National 500.
During hisNASCAR Cup Series career, Baker won two championships, 46 races and 45pole 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 theNASCAR Convertible Division. From 1972 to 1973, he competed in theGrand 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 theNASCAR Hall of Fame on February 8, 2013.
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Baker entered his first race in 1939 inGreenville, South Carolina,[2] He entered his first NASCAR race in 1949 atCharlotte Speedway. Baker went on to become one of the greatest drivers inNASCAR's history; he was the first back-to-back winner of theGrand National Championship in 1956 and 1957.[3] He was second twice (1955 and 1958) and finished in the top five on four other occasions.
Baker's 682 NASCAR starts (44 from thepole) ranks him third all-time and his 46 victories rank him 13th. In 1953, 1960 and 1964, Baker won theSouthern 500 atDarlington 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'sGrand 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 toBruton Smith.[4] In September 1951, they leasedAir Base Speedway, nearGreenville, South Carolina, also to promote races.[5]
After his retirement in 1976, Baker opened up theBuck Baker Racing School, whereJeff 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;[1] his other son,Randy, also competed in Winston Cup and operatesSpeedTech Auto Racing Schools. He came out of retirement in 1993 to compete in 1 Race of the short livedFast Masters.
Baker was inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association's Hall of Fame in 1982,[1] theInternational Motorsports Hall of Fame[6] in 1990, and theMotorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1998.[7] Also in 1998, he was named one of theNASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers.[8] On May 23, 2012, it was announced that he would be one of five nominees to be inducted into the 2013 class of theNASCAR Hall of Fame on February 8, 2013.[9]
Baker died on the night of April 14, 2002 at Carolinas Medical Center inCharlotte, North Carolina ofnatural causes.[1]
His wife, Susan, is the former president of the Buck Baker Racing School. His son,Buddy Baker[10] also grew to be a renowned NASCAR driver, winning the1980 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.[11]
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
NASCAR Winston Cup Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 | NWCC | Pts | Ref | |||||||
1972 | Furr Engineering | 93 | Chevy | RSD | DAY | RCH | ONT | CAR 36 | ATL | BRI | DAR 30 | NWS 21 | MAR | TAL 40 | CLT | DOV | MCH | RSD | TWS | DAY | BRI | TRN | ATL | TAL | MCH | NSV | NA | 0 | [35] | |||||||||||||||
Poling Racing | 65 | Chevy | DAR 26 | RCH | DOV | MAR | NWS | CLT | CAR | TWS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1973 | RSD | DAY | RCH | CAR 27 | 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 | - | [36] | |||||||||||||
1976 | Donlavey Racing | 93 | Ford | RSD | DAY | CAR | RCH | BRI | ATL | NWS | DAR 6 | MAR | 48th | 513 | [37] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hiram Handy | 33 | Chevy | TAL 34 | NSV 16 | DOV 28 | CLT | RSD | MCH | TAL 16 | MCH | BRI | DAR 17 | RCH | DOV | MAR | NWS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Frasson Racing | 18 | Chevy | DAY 36 | NSV | POC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
H.C. Porter | 59 | Chevy | CLT 24 | CAR | ATL | ONT |
Year | Team | Manufacturer | Start | Finish |
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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 |
Media related toBuck Baker at Wikimedia Commons
Preceded by | NASCAR Grand National Champion 1956 | Succeeded by Buck Baker |
Preceded by Buck Baker | NASCAR Grand National Champion 1957 | Succeeded by |