Buddy Baker
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- For the American composer, see Buddy Baker (composer). For the DC Comics character, see Animal Man.
| Born: | January 25, 1941 | |
| Birthplace: | Florence, South Carolina | |
| Awards: | Named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers (1998)
International Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee (1995) National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame inductee (1997) Charlotte Motor Speedway Court of Legends inductee (1995) |
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| NASCAR Cup statistics | ||
| 699 races run over 33 years. | ||
| Best Cup Position: | 5th - 1977 (Winston Cup) | |
| First Race: | 1959 untitled race (Columbia Speedway) | |
| Last Race: | 1992 Winston 500 (Talladega) | |
| First Win: | 1967 National 500 (Charlotte) | |
| Last Win: | 1983 Firecracker 400 (Daytona) | |
| Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
| 19 | 311 | 38 |
Wylie "Buddy" Baker, Jr. (also "Leadfoot") (born January 25, 1941 in Florence, South Carolina) is a former American NASCAR racecar driver.
Buddy Baker is the son of Buck Baker (1919-2002), a two time winner of the NASCAR Championship and a Hall of Fame member. Buddy Baker began his career in NASCAR racing in 1959. In 1970, he became the first driver to ever exceed 200 mph on a closed racecourse.
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[edit] Career
During his career, Buddy Baker won nineteen races including the 1980 Daytona 500, his sport's most prestigious race. Baker's victory remains the fastest Daytona 500 ever run, with an average speed of 177.602 MPH.
Baker is one of eight drivers to have won a Career Grand Slam, by winning the sport's four majors; Richard Petty, David Pearson, Bobby Allison, Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson are the other seven to have accomplished the feat.
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.
[edit] Commentator
From 1991 until 2000, he became a television commentator on The Nashville Network and later (1994-2000) races produced by their World Sports Enterprises division, including CBS races.
[edit] Trivia
- Buddy Baker appears in the 1968 Elvis Presley movie, Speedway.
- He also serves as a spotter for Travis Kvapil abd other Penske drivers.
- He is a mentor of Ryan Newman.
[edit] Awards
In 1997, Buddy 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 currently helps run the Buck Baker Racing School with his brother.
