Buddy Baker's 1969 Dodge (Courtsey of Wiki Commons)

Elzie Wylie Baker, Jr., more famously know as "Buddy" Baker was born on 25^th January 1941 in Florence, South Carolina to two times Grand National Champion, "Buck" Baker and his wife, Susan. It was inevitable that he should become a race car driver being brought up in the heart of racing country by a father who had an astonishing racing career. Buddy’s NASCAR racing career started in 1959 when he drove in an untitled race at Columbia Speedway. His first win was to come in 1967 at Charlotte Speedway, North Carolina when he won the National 500, later, in 1968,1972 and 1973, he was to win a further three times on this track. He was one of only eight drivers to have won all four of the NASCAR’s major races, this being the Daytona 500, Aaron’s 499, Coca-Cola 600 and the Southern 500 and, because he rarely ran a full schedule (only three seasons in his career) he is the only one of the eight not to have won a championship. His style of driving also earned him the nickname "lead foot" - he drove with the accelerator flat out and by driving with this approach he was able to set many records for speed. On 24^th March, 1970, being clocked on a course test run Buddy became the first driver to exceed 200 mph, at 200.447 (322.588 kph) and this record was to remain his for thirteen years before being broken by the late Benny Parson. He also set a record when he won NASCAR’s most prestigious race, the 1980 Daytona 500 by gaining victory with an average speed of 177.602 - this record still remains today. It was at this race that he drove what was considered to be one of the fastest and formidable car, “The Gray Ghost”, so named because of its paint job – the bonnet, top and the rear of the car was painted in grey that blended in with the speedway track and the sides being black didn’t help much either. This caused some controversy when the other drivers complained that they could not see him in their rear view mirrors. NASCAR officials ordered Buddy to put Day-Glo stickers on the front of his car so that he was visible when coming up behind the other drivers. Buddy won a total of nineteen times during his thirty three year career, with 311 top ten and thirty eight pole positions and his last win was in 1983 at Daytona Speedway with the Firecracker 400. His awards include inductee into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and inductee into the Charlotte Motor Speedway Court of Legends (both 1995), inductee into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame (1997) and named as one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers (1998). Finally he retired in 1992 and became a commentator for The Nashville Network Television Company. Now he can still be heard as a co-host on the Late Shift with Alex Hayden on Sirius Satellite Radio. Buddy is still active in the racing world, running the Buck Baker Racing School with his brother, Randy, and his sister, Susie and driver coaching Penske Racing when required. Buddy Baker is far from retired and is happy and contented with his lot. He says, "I’m in great health. I get to be around a sport that I love. I’m very content with life".

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Buddy Baker - Wikipedia

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