| Buck Baker started out as a bus driver in Charlotte, | | | | three-time winner of the Southern 500 at Darlington. |
| NC and attended his first stock car race with hopes | | | | His 682 NASCAR starts rank him third all-time and his |
| of racing himself. He figured he had been driving for | | | | 46 victories rank him 10th. |
| some time already, and the guys on the track were | | | | In 1980 Baker developed the Buck Baker Racing |
| all going in the same direction...how hard could it be? | | | | School. He saw a need to teach future drivers the |
| He was a little intimidated however, when he entered | | | | techniques needed to compete. He developed the |
| his first race in Greenville, SC. "When I saw all those | | | | curriculum himself, which has led to the success of |
| other drivers, I realized that they wanted to win that | | | | some of his famous students such as four-time |
| money just as much as I did, he said. Needless to | | | | Nextel Cup Champion, Jeff Gordon; 2002 Nextel Cup |
| say, a tire came off of his car and he was out of | | | | Champion, Tony Stewart; and 2002 Nextel Cup |
| the race. "I was lucky I got it off the track." he | | | | Rookie of the Year, Ryan Newman. His son Buddy, a |
| recalled. | | | | 34-year Winston Cup veteran now teaches at the |
| Baker's racing career spans over four decades. He's a | | | | school along with his sister, Susie. Buck's wife Susan is |
| member of 7 racing Hall of Fames, and was voted | | | | the president. Buck Baker considered the school one |
| one of the 50 greatest drivers of NASCAR. He was | | | | of his proudest achievements. |
| the first to win two Grand National (now Nextel Cup) | | | | Elzie Wylie "Buck" Baker Sr. |
| Championships back-to-back. Baker also was a | | | | |