Buddy Baker, the “Gentle Giant” of NASCAR, has passed away at the age of 74.
Buddy Baker’s death was the result of lung cancer. His passing was announced by SiriusXM NASCAR radio, which is where he hosted a show called Late Shift. In an interview last month, Baker said that he didn’t fear death, and that if he did he would never have raced, reports Fox Sports.
“Buddy loved the sport and he made a lasting impression on the sport on the track, in the television booth and on the radio,” Richard Petty, a NASCAR champion and Hall of Famer, told USA Today. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Baker family at this time.”
Here are a few things to remember about Buddy Baker, as collected from Fox Sports.
- His real name was Elzie Wylie Baker Jr.
- He won the 1980 Daytona 500 with an average speed of 177.602 mph, which is still a record today.
- Baker’s most iconic race car was dubbed “The Gray Ghost.”
- He was a NASCAR racer from 1959 to 1994.
- Baker won 19 races in his career.
To learn more about Buddy Baker’s life, click here.
