NASCAR hall countdown: Buck Baker

Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009

Editor's note: Counting down the days until the NASCAR Hall of Fame announces its inaugural class, we're zeroing in on some of the nominees. The five inductees will be announced Wednesday, Oct. 14.

Buck Baker

Competed: 1949-76

Starts: 635

Wins: 46

Poles: 45

Elzie Wylie “Buck” Baker established himself as one of NASCAR’s early greats, becoming the first driver to win consecutive Cup championships.

That repeat performance in 1956-57 was part of an incredible four-year span; in 1955 and ’58 Baker finished as runner-up.

Tom Higgins on Buck Baker

Motorsports writer and historian Tom Higgins shares a standout memory of the nominees we're featuring as we count down to the NASCAR Hall of Fame vote and announcement.

Darlington, S.C. – Sept. 7, 1964

Stock car racing fans unable to attend the Southern 500 couldn’t believe their ears.

Buck Baker, 45, considered an old-timer as a driver in that NASCAR era, was en route to victory. Few drivers in those years competed beyond age 35.

It was “ears” instead of “eyes” in ’64, because live telecasting of races was well in the future. Fans not at the track had to follow the action on radio.

The savvy Baker, champion of NASCAR’s top series in 1956 and again in ’57, maintained a relatively slow, steady pace at infamously deceiving Darlington Raceway. Meanwhile, younger stars, driving faster, either experienced mechanical problems or wrecked.

Baker took the lead for good in his Dodge on the 302nd of the race’s 364 laps and won the 500 for the third time. Buck finished more than two laps ahead of runner-up Jim Paschal.

“Winning at Darlington means a lot to me,” said Baker, a resident of Charlotte throughout his adult life. “I was born and raised at Richburg, just up the road a piece.

“I’m not a flashy guy. I feel I don’t have to blow everybody away to win.”

Not flashy!?

In 1976, at age 57, he came out of a three-year retirement to enter the track’s Rebel 500 in April. Some observers fretted for Baker’s safety.

Not to worry. Driving a second Ford entered by Junie Donlavey, Buck qualified a stunning 11th and got more coverage the next day than pole-winner Dave Marcis.

Buck, sometimes an ornery sort, seemed somewhat agitated that members of the media were so surprised.

During the race, Baker kept the car running in the front pack before turning it over to teammate Dick Brooks, who had crashed on the 30th lap.

"I was having absolutely no problem,” said Buck, who indeed looked fresh and relaxed. “But I was in Brooks’ car, and I felt he ought to have it.”

Brooks brought the Ford in sixth, but Buck was credited with the finish, his final fine one in a fabulous career.

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