Buddy Baker, NASCAR’s ‘Gentle Giant,’ dies at 74 of cancer

Baker declared he could be instantly making the community and had lung cancer September 7.

Tom Jensen of Fox Sports called Baker “one of the kindest human beings in all of NASCAR”.

Baker, a South Carolina native, was the first driver to exceed 200 miles per hour on a closed course when he did so during a test run at Talladega on March 24, 1970. He stepped down in July, citing inoperable lung cancer.

Baker came from a racing family, as the son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Buck Baker and older brother of fellow driver Randy Baker.

“Do not shed a tear”. “Give a smile when you say my name. Just talk to you later”.

Baker retired as an active driver in 1995, three years after qualifying for his final Cup race at Talladega.

Baker, 74, is a former Daytona 500 and Southern 500 victor and a longtime broadcaster.

Baker won 19 races in what is now the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, including the 1980 Daytona 500.

14th rank in background with 38 rods in his 700 job starts. He had 202 top-fives and 311 top-10s.

Buddy Baker was inducted into both the global Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee and National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame inductee in 1997.

After retiring in 1992, Baker made a successful transition to the television booth as a commentator for The Nashville Network and CBS, and later as a radio co-host on Late Shift and Tradin’ Paint for SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

“I just want to say goodbye to everyone”, Baker said before signing off. “Thanks for being a friend”.