I Fought the Good Fight, I Finished the Race, I’ve Kept my Faith.
Buddy Baker, 74, an internationally-known NASCAR star and motorsports broadcast analyst/host, passed away Monday, August 10, 2015 at his home on Lake Norman after battling cancer for nine months.
Baker scored 19 victories on NASCAR’s major level in a career spanning 1959-1992, including 18 on superspeedways. His greatest triumph came in the 1980 Daytona 500 when he averaged 177.602 mph, a record that still stands.
He was born Elzie Wylie Baker, Jr., on Jan. 25, 1941 in Florence, S.C., to Elzie, Sr., destined to become known as “Buck,” and Margaret Baker. Both parents are deceased. Buck Baker was a NASCAR pioneer and is a Hall of Fame inductee. Buddy is a Hall nominee and both Bakers are on NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers list.
Besides his parents, Buddy was preceded in death by his sister, Tina.
Buddy is survived by his wife, Patricia Shane Prendergast Baker; two sons, Bryan and his wife, Robin of Mooresville and Brandon of Jacksonville, Fla.; granddaughters Noel and Brianna; a sister, Susie Sanders; a brother, Randy; a niece Sarah Sanders and stepmother, Sue Baker. Also surviving are special close friends Lamar Sprinkle, Fred French, Humpy Wheeler, Daniel Norwood, Carol Petersen and Tom Higgins.
Funeral Service will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 2 p.m. at Avondale Presbyterian Church, 2821 Park Road, Charlotte. Rev. Dr. John Earl, Pastor, will officiate. Buddy will lie in state from 1-2 p.m. in the church Burial will follow at Sharon Memorial Park- Monroe Road in Charlotte.
The Baker family thanks devoted caregivers Marcus Gabriel, Jennifer Lusk, Nalene Hall and Erica Hollard.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Iredell County Humane Society, 110 Robinson Road, Mooresville, N.C., 28117.
The Good Samaritan Funeral Home, Denver, is serving the Baker Family
I’m sorry on the passing of your father. I was his roommate at Camden Military School in the ’50’s. I kept up with his racing career through the years. My condolences.
My condolences to Buddy’s family. He was a great race driver. I enjoyed racing with him through the years.
He was truly a gentleman. He will be missed by all.
Our condolences to Buddy’s family. Thank you Buddy for all your advice you gave to me for the pass 30+ years of our friendship, I’ll continue to push forward sir.
Until we meet again my friend,
David Elder
Condolences to the Baker family. Buddy was my favorite driver all time! I picked him when I was about 6, he was driving the #15 RC Cola car. My parents worked for different media outlets, and me and my sister would get the joy of meeting many drivers back in the day 70’s & 80’s. I decided after meeting Buddy, we would call him Big B, since he was so tall! Rest in sweet peace Big B, until we meet again!!