Buck Baker

Buck Baker
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.
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)
Wins Top tens Poles 46 372 45
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)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 5 0
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)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 10 0
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

Model kit of Baker's flathead-powered Modified

Replica of Baker's 1949 NASCAR Oldsmobile

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; 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

Baker was inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association's Hall of Fame in 1982, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame 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.

His wife, Susan, is the former president of the Buck Baker Racing School. His son, Buddy Baker 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	NGNC	Pts	Ref
1949	Penny Mullis	87	Kaiser	CLT 11																																																														46th	20
	Buzzy Boehmen				DAB 23	HBO	LAN	HAM	MAR	HEI	NWS
1950	Buck Baker Racing	70	Ford	DAB 9																																																														12th	531.5
		87			CLT 22	LAN	MAR 8	CAN	VER	DSP	MCF
			Chevy									CLT 14	HBO	DSP	HAM
	Griffin Motors		Olds													DAR 69	LAN 7	NWS 14	VER	MAR 3	WIN	HBO 2
1951				DAB 5	CLT	NMO	GAR	HBO	ASF	NWS	MAR	CAN																CLB 5	CCS	LAN	CLT 13	DSP																																		23rd	644.5
	Buck Baker Racing		Plymouth										CLS 28	CLB 5	DSP	GAR	GRS	BAI	HEI	AWS	MCF	ALS	MSF	FMS	MOR	ABS 3							WIL 6	HBO 19	TPN	PGS	MAR	OAK	NWS	HMS	JSP 14
			Ford																								DAR 56															ATL 28	GAR	NMO
1952	Griffin Motors	87	Olds	PBS	DAB 28	JSP																																																												12th	2159
	B.A. Pless	89	Hudson				NWS 15	MAR 20	CLB 1*	ATL 4	CCS 4	LAN 6	DAR 15*	DSP	CAN	HAY	FMS	HBO	CLT	MSF	NIF	OSW	MON	MOR	PPS	MCF	AWS 10		CCS 27						NWS 16	ATL	PBS
	Wheatley Motors	87	Lincoln																									DAR 9
	Buck Baker Racing		Ford																											LAN 44	DSP	WIL 21	HBO	MAR
1953	Wheatley Motors		Lincoln	PBS	DAB 13	HAR	NWS 6																																																											4th	6713
	Griffin Motors		Olds					CLT 14	RCH 3	CCS 8	LAN 1	CLB 1	HCY 19	MAR 7	PMS 3	RSP 13	LOU 5	FIF 4	LAN 36	TCS 4	WIL 5	MCF	PIF 2	MOR	ATL 7*	RVS 5	LCF 4	DAV 2	HBO 18	AWS 4	PAS 6		DAR 1*	CCS 7	LAN 11	BLF 3	WIL 7	NWS 6*	MAR 20*	ATL 1
			Ford																													HCY 10
1954	Griffin Motors	87	Olds	PBS 2*	DAB 2	JSP 5	ATL 2	OSP 2	OAK	NWS 15			LAN 6			SHA 2		CLT 1*	GAR				MCF 4	WGS 6									COR 3	DAR 44	CCS 21	CLT 3	LAN 4	MAS 1	MAR 3	NWS 2																										3rd	6893
	Ernest Woods	88	Olds								HBO 3	CCS 8		WIL 1*	MAR 18		RSP 9			CLB 8	LND 3	HCY 3			PIF 4	AWS 14	SFS 5	GRS 2	MOR 1	OAK	CLT 5
	Slick Smith	87	Cadillac																													SAN 17
1955	Frank Christian	14	Olds	TCS 2																																																														2nd	8088
	Griffin Motors	87	Olds		PBS 3	JSP 4	DAB 9	OSP 16	CLB 4	HBO 2	NWS 1*	MGY 12	LAN 2		HCY 11	ASF	TUS	MAR 6		NCF 3	FOR 12*	LIN 3		FON 4	AIR 2	CLT 2
	Buck Baker Racing	89	Buick											CLT 1					RCH 17										AWS 9				SAN 5		FOR 3	MAS 5	RSP 6	DAR 6	MGY 5
	Griffin Motors	303	Olds																				MCF 16
	Henry Ford	303	Chrysler																								PIF 4	CLB 5		MOR 23	ALS 25			CLT 3
	B & L Motors	55	Olds																													NYF 9
	Carl Kiekhaefer	89	Buick																																					LAN 6
	DePaolo Engineering	87	Ford																																						RSP 7	GPS 5	MAS 6	CLB 2*	MAR 10	LVP	NWS 1*	HBO 3
1956	Satcher Motors			HCY 7	CLT 5	WSS	PBS 4																																																											1st	9272
	Carl Kiekhaefer	301	Chrysler					ASF 1	DAB 20
		500B	Dodge							PBS 2	WIL 2					CLB 2		GPS 1	HCY 3			LIN 1															CCF 5															CLB 1
		300C	Chrysler									ATL 1	NWS 11																				RSP 11
		87												LAN 1*																																	DAR 26	CSH 1*		LAN 38	POR
			Dodge												RCH 1*																																		CLT 23
		300	Chrysler														CON 2			HBO 1			CLT 3	POR	EUR	NYF 1*	MER	MAS 9*	CLT 5	MCF 4	POR	AWS 21		PIF 13	CSF			MGY 2	OKL 9					PIF 7	MYB 4	POR
		502	Dodge																		MAR 1															CHI 6				ROA 8
	John Whitford	31	Ford																																						OBS 9
	Carl Kiekhaefer	300B	Chrysler																																							SAN 35											HBO 2*	NWP 2*	CLT 1*	CCF 1		HCY 3	WIL 1
		501	Dodge																																								NOR 4
		00	Chrysler																																																						MAR 7
1957	Hugh Babb	87	Chevy	WSS	CON	TIC	DAB 4	CON 2	WIL 2	HBO 1*	AWS 1*	NWS 5	LAN 5	CLT 3*	PIF 10	GBF 3	POR	CCF 6	RCH 10	MAR 1	POR	EUR	LIN 1	LCS 2	ASP																																									1st	10716
	Buck Baker Racing																									NWP 3	CLB 2	CPS	PIF 3*	JAC 1	RSP 7	CLT 2	MAS 4	POR	HCY 7	NOR 1	LCS 4	GLN 1*	KPC	LIN 26	OBS 7	MYB 4	DAR 5	NYF	AWS 2	CSF	SCF	LAN 5	CLB 1	CCF 1*	CLT 4	MAR 23	NBR 2	CON 9	NWS 6	GBF 1
1958				FAY 8	DAB 7	CON 29	FAY 3	WIL 2	HBO 1*	FAY 7	CLB 24	PIF 22	ATL 6	CLT 6	MAR 35	ODS	OBS	GPS 2	GBF 6	STR 10	NWS 4	BGS 24	TRN 6	RSD	CLB 18	NBS 15	REF 3	LIN 2	HCY 6	AWS 2	RSP 2	MCC 7	SLS	TOR	BUF	MCF 2	BEL 3	BRR 5	CLB 14	NSV 6	AWS 5	BGS 5	MBS 2	DAR 2	CLT 1*	BIR 2	CSF	GAF 1	RCH 4	HBO 3	SAS 2	MAR 5	NWS 10	ATL 13												2nd	11588
1959		86		FAY 3																																																														5th	7170
		87			DAY 28	DAY 42			ATL 2						HCY 15	MAR 39	TRN	CLT 5	NSV 4	ASP			ATL 3	CLB 3*	WIL 5	RCH 3			DAY 35	HEI
		88					HBO 5	CON 18		WIL 15		CLB 19	NWS 21	REF							PIF 11	GPS 6																		HCY 2	RCH	CSF
		89									BGS 5																BGS 9	AWS
	Lynton Tyson	87																													CLT 3		CLT 13	NSV 11					DAR 9					MAR 14		NWS 8	CON 3
		88																														MBS 20			AWS 8	BGS	GPS 1	CLB					HBO 12		AWS 12
1960		87		CLT 3	CLB																																																													4th	14674
	Buck Baker Racing					DAY 15	DAY	DAY 18	CLT 13	NWS 14	PHO	CLB 2	MAR 26	HCY 12	WIL 5	BGS	GPS 17	AWS 8	DAR 5	PIF 9	HBO 5	RCH 8	HMS	CLT 5		DAY 28	HEI	MAB 5	MBS 1	ATL 31	BIR 7	NSV 3	AWS 27	PIF 9	CLB 3	SBO 4	BGS 5		HCY 15	CSF	GSP 10	HBO 8	MAR 5	NWS 5	CLT 18	RCH 6	ATL 20
	L.D. Austin	74	Chevy																						BGS 8
	Jack Smith	47	Pontiac																																			DAR 1*
1961	Buck Baker Racing	87	Chevy	CLT 4	JSP 11																																																													10th	13746
			Chrysler			DAY 4	DAY	DAY 9	PIF	AWS	HMS											DAR 20	CLT	CLT 12	RSD	ASP	CLT 42								DAY 30	ATL 6									DAR 27				ATL 25			CLT 17
		86										ATL 15	GPS 5	HBO 3	BGS 16	MAR 12	NWS 25	CLB 16	HCY 2	RCH 3	MAR 5							PIF 11	BIR 11	GPS 21	BGS 7	NOR 4	HAS 1	STR 9			CLB 15	MBS 13*	BRI 37	NSV 4	BGS	AWS 28	RCH 15	SBO		HCY 3	RCH 15	CSF		MAR 21	NWS 27		BRI 11	GPS 17*	HBO 17
1962				CON 15	AWS 2	DAY						HBO 9				GPS 16	MBS 16																																																	13th	12838
		87					DAY 17	DAY 28	CON	AWS	SVH		RCH 24	CLB 8	NWS 6			MAR 23	BGS	BRI 27	RCH	HCY	CON	DAR 14	PIF	CLT 31	ATL 20	BGS 18	AUG 14	RCH 10	SBO 9	DAY 12	CLB	ASH 4	GPS 18	AUG 3	SVH 19	MBS	BRI 13	CHT 9	NSV 3	HUN 4	AWS 23	STR	BGS	PIF	VAL	DAR 11	HCY 3	RCH 30	DTS 10	AUG 11	MAR	NWS 27	CLT 18
	Jack Smith	47	Pontiac																																																					ATL 8
1963	Buck Baker Racing	87	Chrysler	BIR 3	GGS 12	THS	RSD	DAY				AWS 2	HBO 12		HCY 7		AUG 5			SBO 9	BGS 4				THS 14																																									11th	18114
			Pontiac						DAY 31	DAY DNQ	PIF			ATL 33		BRI 23		RCH 16	GPS 1			MAR 24	NWS 5	CLB 2		DAR 8	ODS	RCH	CLT 43	BIR 3	ATL 9	DAY 15	MBS 2	SVH 9	DTS 3	BGS 3	ASH 5	OBS 14	BRR 10	BRI 32	GPS 3	NSV 5	CLB 15	AWS 7	PIF 3	BGS 10	ONA 5		HCY 6	RCH 22	MAR 10	DTS 7	NWS 19	THS 6		SBO 20	HBO 4	RSD
	Smokey Yunick	13	Chevy																																													DAR 10
	Fox Racing	33	Chevy																																																				CLT 27
1964	Buck Baker Racing	87	Pontiac	CON 12		JSP 2	SVH 16	RSD																																																										9th	22366
	Petty Enterprises	42	Plymouth		AUG 29
		41							DAY 2*	DAY	DAY 12	RCH	BRI 4	GPS	BGS	ATL 5	AWS	HBO	PIF	CLB	NWS 6	MAR	SVH
	Fox Racing	3	Dodge																					DAR 26	LGY			CLT 20	GPS 17	ASH 7	ATL 20	CON 20	NSV 3	CHT 3	BIR 5	VAL 1	PIF 17	DAY 4	ODS	OBS	BRR 2	ISP	GLN 4	LIN	BRI 19	NSV	MBS	AWS 5	DTS	ONA	CLB	BGS	STR	DAR 1	HCY 3	RCH 24	ODS		MAR 13	SVH	NWS 5	CLT 8	HAR
		03																								HCY 11	SBO
	David Walker	89	Plymouth																																																							HBO 20						AUG 15	JAC 23
1965	Buck Baker Racing	88	Dodge	RSD 9	DAY					RCH 2	HBO 6																								ISP 15	GLN																														17th	13136
		87	Olds			DAY 26	DAY DNQ	PIF	ASW			ATL 28	GPS 17	NWS 23	MAR 28	CLB	BRI
			Chevy															DAR 10	LGY	BGS	HCY	CLT 38	CCF 19	ASH	HAR	NSV	BIR	ATL 32	GPS	MBS	VAL 19	DAY 32	ODS 9	OBS			BRI 5	NSV 22	CCF	AWS 6	SMR 15	PIF	AUG 8	CLB 10	DTS 7	BLV	BGS			LIN 21	ODS 27	RCH 24	MAR 29	NWS 12	CLT 26	HBO	CAR 9	DTS
		86	Plymouth																																													DAR 2	HCY
1966		87	Chevy	AUG 27	RSD	DAY	DAY																																																											21st	14504
			Olds					DAY 22	CAR	BRI	ATL	HCY 26	CLB 23	GPS 14	BGS 9	NWS 27	MAR 11	DAR 8	LGY 16	MGR 10	MON 16	RCH 18			ASH 9	PIF	SMR 2	AWS 4	BLV 26	GPS		ODS 5			FON 5		BRI 32	SMR 11	NSV 2	ATL 9	CLB	AWS	BLV 4	BGS	DAR 41	HCY 18	RCH 2	HBO		NWS 31	CLT 32	CAR 17
		88	Chevy																				CLT 10	DTS									BRR 6	OXF 11		ISP 25
		86																													DAY 33
			Dodge																																														MAR 11
1967		88	Olds	AUG	RSD	DAY	DAY	DAY	AWS 21	BRI 21	GPS	BGS 14	ATL	CLB	HCY			SVH 13												MGY 11			OXF 8	FDA 8	ISP 11		SMR 18	NSV 16																												27th	9450
		87	Ford													NWS 12	MAR 8		RCH 24	DAR 31	BLV	LGY	CLT 16	ASH	MGR	SMR	BIR	CAR 17	GPS		DAY 19	TRN 7				BRI 10			ATL 20	BGS	CLB	SVH	DAR	HCY	RCH	BLV	HBO	MAR	NWS	CLT	CAR	AWS
1968				MGR 28	MGY 8	RSD	DAY	BRI																																																										39th	650
	Neil Castles	06	Plymouth						RCH 20	ATL
	Buck Baker Racing	88	Olds								HCY 16	GPS 7	CLB 12	NWS 19	MAR 39		AWS 24	DAR	BLV 20	LGY	CLT	ASH	MGR	SMR	BIR		GPS 15	DAY
		87														AUG 5
			Chevy																							CAR 17			ISP 14	OXF 22	FDA 13	TRN 21	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 18	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 17	NCF	NWS	CLT DNQ	MAR DNQ	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 4	ONA 16	MCH	TAL	CLB 17	HCY 13	DAR	MAR	CLT	DOV	CAR	MGR 18	RCH	NWS 6	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	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
	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	-
1976	Donlavey Racing	93	Ford	RSD	DAY	CAR	RCH	BRI	ATL	NWS	DAR 6	MAR																							48th	513
	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

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

External links

Media related to Buck Baker at Wikimedia Commons

• Buck Baker driver statistics at Racing-Reference
• Buck Baker owner statistics at Racing-Reference