January 25, 1941 - August 10, 2015
Buddy, is the son of two time winner of the NASCAR Championship and a Hall of Fame member Buck Baker and brother of fellow racer Randy Baker.
During his career, Baker won nineteen races including the 1980 Daytona 500, NASCAR's most prestigious race. His victory remains the fastest Daytona 500 ever run, with an average speed of 177.602 mph.
Baker is one of nine drivers to have won a Career Grand Slam, by winning the sport's four majors, the Daytona 500, Aaron's 499, Coca-Cola 600, and the Southern 500. He is the only one of the eight to not win the championship.
He generally raced part-time, competing in every race in only three seasons. He owned a car with Danny Schiff from 1985 to 1989, and was instrumental in the career of Jimmy Spencer. He competed in two International Race of Champions series. His final race in NASCAR was in 1992.
Baker helped run the Buck Baker Racing School with his brother for a number of years. Buddy Baker was the first driver to exceed the 200 mph mark on March 24, 1970 on a closed course test run. His speed was clocked at 200.447 miles per hour, a record that stood for 13 years. That record was finally broken by the late Benny Parsons.
In 1997, Baker joined his father as an inductee in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Talladega, Alabama. He was inducted into the Charlotte Motor Speedway Court of Legends in 1995, and into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame inductee in 1997. He was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998.
Buddy died on August 10, 2015 at his home in Catawba County, North Carolina, due to inoperable lung cancer. For more on Buddy Baker see; Buddy Baker Tribute Page
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