NASCAR Hall Of Famer Buddy Baker Succumbs To Cancer - AftermarketNews.com (AMN)
I have a close affinity to “Buddy” Baker since kids in school often asked if he was my dad because of our last names. It’s only the fifth most common last name in the country, but kids will be kids. While my dad was a racer too, and even competed on one of Buddy’s most successful tracks – Talladega, on which Buddy won four times – he wasn’t that Baker. His real name was Elzie Wylie Baker Jr. , however, no one ever called him by his real name. He won the 1980 Daytona 500, and after he hung up his helmet for good, he switched to the commentator booth and had as much success there as he did behind the wheel. At 6 feet 6 inches tall, Buddy was often called the “Gentle Giant,” though the nickname “Leadfoot” was more apropos due to the blistering speeds he often achieved during his 33-year career. Although he didn’t win at the 2. 66-mile superspeedway that year, he did win it four times throughout his career. A race commentator and radio host during a lengthy and prolific post-racing career, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native’s biggest win came in the 1980 Daytona 500. He finished with an average race speed of 177. 602 mph – a track record that... Source: www.aftermarketnews.com
