Buck Baker | |||||||
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Born | Elzie Wylie Baker Sr. March 4, 1919 Richburg, South Carolina, U.S. | ||||||
Died | April 14, 2002 Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.[1] | (aged 83)||||||
Achievements | 1956 Grand National Series Champion 1957 Grand National Series Champion 1952 NASCAR Speedway Division Champion 1953, 1960, 1964 Southern 500 Winner Led Grand National Series in wins (1956, 1957) Led Grand National Series in poles (1956, 1957) | ||||||
Awards | Named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers (1998) Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (1998) NASCAR Hall of Fame (2013) Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023) | ||||||
NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
635 races run over 26 years | |||||||
Best finish | 1st (1956, 1957) | ||||||
First race | 1949 Race No. 1 (Charlotte) | ||||||
Last race | 1976 National 500 (Charlotte) | ||||||
First win | 1952 (Columbia) | ||||||
Last win | 1964 Southern 500 (Darlington) | ||||||
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NASCAR Grand 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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NASCAR Convertible 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 as Buck Baker, 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 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
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/Buck_Baker_early_racer.jpg/200px-Buck_Baker_early_racer.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f7/BuckBaker1949OldsmobileRocket.jpg/200px-BuckBaker1949OldsmobileRocket.jpg)
Baker entered his first race in 1939 in Greenville, South Carolina,[2] 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.[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 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.[4] In September 1951, they leased Air Base Speedway, near Greenville, South Carolina, also to promote races.[5]
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;[1] his other son, Randy, also competed in Winston Cup and operates SpeedTech Auto Racing Schools. He came out of retirement in 1993 to compete in 1 Race of the short lived Fast Masters.
Awards
[edit]Baker was inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association's Hall of Fame in 1982,[1] the International Motorsports Hall of Fame[6] in 1990, and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1998.[7] Also in 1998, he was named one of the NASCAR'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 the NASCAR Hall of Fame on February 8, 2013.[9]
Last years and death
[edit]Baker died on the night of April 14, 2002 at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina of natural 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 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.[11]
Motorsports career results
[edit]NASCAR
[edit](key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
Grand National Series
[edit]Winston Cup Series
[edit]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 |
Daytona 500
[edit]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 |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Buck Baker, two-time NASCAR champ, dies at 83". The Associated Press. Charlotte, North Carolina. USA Today. April 15, 2002. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
- ^ "Baker, Elzie Wylie (Buck)". s9 Biographical Dictionary. Archived from the original on February 19, 2017. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
- ^ "Buck Baker — Occoneechee". Occoneechee / Orange Speedway. Archived from the original on November 16, 2019. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
- ^ Jones, Anne B.; White, Rex (2015-03-18). All Around the Track: Oral Histories of Drivers, Mechanics, Officials, Owners, Journalists and Others in Motorsports Past and Present. McFarland. ISBN 9780786482436.
- ^ "Car Races Set For Air Base Track Tonight". The Greenville News. 1951-09-01. Retrieved 2019-09-06 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Buck Baker -International Hall of Fame". International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
- ^ "Buck Baker — Motorsports Hall". Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. Archived from the original on April 15, 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
- ^ "Buck Baker". NASCAR. September 4, 2009. Archived from the original on May 16, 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
- ^ "Thomas, Wood top vote-getters for 2013 class". Official Release. NASCAR. May 23, 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
- ^ "Biography". buddybaker.com: CMG Worldwide. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
- ^ "Achievements". buddybaker.com: CMG Worldwide. Archived from the original on 6 December 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1949 NASCAR Strictly Stock Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1950 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1951 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1952 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1953 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1954 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1955 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1956 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1957 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1958 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1959 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1960 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1961 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1962 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1963 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1964 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1965 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1966 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1967 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1968 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1969 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1970 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1972 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
- ^ "Buck Baker – 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
External links
[edit] Media related to Buck Baker at Wikimedia Commons
- Buck Baker driver statistics at Racing-Reference
- Buck Baker owner statistics at Racing-Reference