Todd Gilliland (L) looks to make history by beating Dan Gurney’s (R) record of winning four straight races. Photo – Getty Images
NASCAR K&N Pro Victory At Kern Would Match Gurney’s 50-Year-Old Mark
Todd Gilliland heads to Bakersfield, California, on the hottest winning streak in 50 years.
Even if he doesn’t equal the all-time NASCAR K&N Pro Series mark for consecutive victories to start in the series, the 15-year-old from Sherrill’s Ford, North Carolina, is in pretty exclusive company.
It’s a club that includes two drivers in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, the 2015 Daytona 500 winner and Gilliland. That’s it. In the 62-year history of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series – dating back to the West Series’ beginnings as the Pacific Coast Late Model Series – just four drivers in both the East and West have won the first two series races to start their career. Continue reading →
Baker’s NASCAR Career as Driver and Broadcaster Spanned Parts of Seven Decades
Elzie Wylie “Buddy” Baker Jr., the 1980 Daytona 500 champion and famed NASCAR commentator, has died after a battle with cancer. He was 74 (b. 1-25-41).
At 6 feet 6 inches tall, Buddy Baker was often called the ‘Gentle Giant,’ though the nickname ‘Leadfoot’ was more àpropos due to the blistering speeds he often achieved during his 33-year career.
In 1970, Baker became the first driver to eclipse the 200-mph mark on a closed course while testing at Talladega Superspeedway. Although he didn’t win at the 2.66-mile superspeedway that year, Baker visited Talladega Victory Lane four times throughout his stellar 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 still stands.
“Many of today’s fans may know Buddy Baker as one of the greatest storytellers in the sport’s history, a unique skill that endeared him to millions,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “But those who witnessed his racing talent recognized Buddy as a fast and fierce competitor, setting speed records and winning on NASCAR’s biggest stages. It is that dual role that made Buddy an absolute treasure who will be missed dearly.”
Baker, son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Buck Baker, accumulated 19 wins in the premier series, including a victory in the 1970 Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway where he lapped the rest of the field. In 1972-73, Baker became the first driver to win consecutive World 600s. He also won the inaugural preseason event now known as the Sprint Unlimited in 1979. He was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998, and in 2014 was first nominated for inclusion into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
After retiring in 1992, Baker made a successful transition to the television booth as a commentator for The Nashville Network and CBS. He most recently served as a radio co-host on ‘Late Shift’ and ‘Tradin’ Paint’ for SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Baker, Owens, Thomas, Wallace and Wood Officially Enshrined
Five legends of stock car auto racing were enshrined into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C., tonight during the Induction Ceremony held in the Crown Ballroom of the Charlotte Convention. Four were NASCAR pioneers, building the sport during its formative years; the other ushered it into modern times and its exploding popularity. Continue reading →
Elzie Wylie “Buck” Baker, winner of 46 NASCAR Sprint Cup races and the series’ first back-to-back champion, personified the phrase “no quarter asked and none given.”
Baker, whose NASCAR career spanned portions of four decades beginning in 1949, had one goal: to win. How he got there, well, that was up to Baker. Continue reading →
