Buck Baker

Buck Baker

NASCAR Cup Series statistics
Best placement	1. - (1956, 1957)
Starts Victories Poles Top 10 635 46 45 372

Baker's 1949 Oldsmobile at FoS  2009

Elzie Wylie Baker Sr. , better known as Buck Baker (born March 4, 1919 in Richburg , South Carolina , † April 14, 2002 in Charlotte , North Carolina ), was an American NASCAR racing driver and two-time champion in the Grand National series.

Career

Baker drove his first race in 1939 in Greenville , South Carolina , but did not finish due to a blown tire. Despite his unfortunate start to his career, he became one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history. Baker was the first driver to win the championship in two consecutive years 1956 and 1957 and thus defend a title. He was also runner-up in the championship in 1955 and 1958 and finished four more seasons within the top five.

Baker's other successes include winning the Southern 500 three times at Darlington Raceway . He won a total of 46 races out of 636 starts, 45 of which he started from pole position.

After retiring from active motorsport in 1976, he opened the Buck Baker Racing School , where Jeff Gordon sat behind the wheel of a touring car for the first time. Students are tutored by Buck Baker's son Buddy Baker , also a NASCAR racing driver, and daughter Susie Baker.

death

Buck Baker died on the night of April 14, 2002 at the Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the age of 83.

Web links

Commons : Buck Baker  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Driver statistics on racing-reference.info