http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2015/8/10/buddy-baker-dies-age-74-nascar.html
I'm not a big NA$CAR fan, but I did the Buck Baker School in 1988, met both him and his dad. Both great drivers but totally different personalities.
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2015/8/10/buddy-baker-dies-age-74-nascar.html
I'm not a big NA$CAR fan, but I did the Buck Baker School in 1988, met both him and his dad. Both great drivers but totally different personalities.
RIP.
I was a big fan of the #88 Olds he ran in the mid-80s (not the gray ghost).
I had the honor of meeting him once. He was a very nice and humble man. RIP.
He will forever be known for that 200+mph run.
He was a big ol boy!
I am thinking he probably got all he could get out of those 77 years, just like he did what ever he was driving.
spitfirebill wrote: He was a big ol boy!
My dad took me to Daytona in 86 when I was 10. We saw him eating at the Steak and Shake near the track but I was to nervous to bother him for a picture.
Curmudgeon wrote:
Wait...Nascar had a Convertible Division?!
In reply to Woody:
Back before the wussification of America.
Appleseed wrote: He will forever be known for that 200+mph run.
Wasn't he the first to officially break 200 mph? Heard it was in 1970? Sorry don't have time to fact check but it's sounds close.
So if NASCAR was hitting 200 way back in 1970, by rites shouldn't they be up to 250-300 mph in 2015? Just kiddin.
In reply to drainoil:
Without restrictor plates 250 is probably possible but if the become airborn they would wind up in the concession stand.
Hell, they would have landed in the parking lot.
Wally wrote:spitfirebill wrote: He was a big ol boy!My dad took me to Daytona in 86 when I was 10. We saw him eating at the Steak and Shake near the track but I was to nervous to bother him for a picture.
I've eaten there 
Wally wrote: In reply to drainoil: Without restrictor plates 250 is probably possible but if the become airborn they would wind up in the concession stand.
with no more tire than they have, I'm betting that they would have to brake pretty much to make it through the corners … all that hp for the straights but even with aero (they can't corner much faster now) they have, I don't think they could corner much quicker than they do now …
so, yeah, they'd push past 200, but IMO they'd top out well below 250
Here's an article from 2005.
http://www.caranddriver.com/news/rusty-runs-unrestricted-car-news
Have you ever wondered how restrictive a NASCAR restrictor plate is? Well, Rusty Wallace decided to toss his and find out. On June 9, at Alabama International Motor Speedway in Talladega, Wallace hit a trap speed of 228 mph in his Miller Lite Dodge. "We hit 228 at the end of the straightaway," he said. Wallace's top lap speed was 216.306 and was 25 to 30 mph faster than with a restrictor plate. "It was a helluva deal that I certainly will remember for the rest of my life," Wallace added. "We'd all been wondering what it would feel like to run at Talladega again without the plates, and now I know. I'll bet we could be running speeds up to 235 without the plates if we spent time doing some tweaking. But I'll tell you this—there's no way we could be out there racing at those speeds. It was neat to be out there running that fast by myself, but it would be insane to think we could have a pack of cars out there doing that." The officially recognized Talladega track record is Bill Elliott's 212.809 mph set in a qualifying run in 1987.
I remember that article … but I still think that if they (NASCAR) took away most of their aero … left maybe a small rear spoiler, mandated a front spring (that wouldn't be able to collapse to the ground), that would keep the front bumper off the ground, took away their front air dam … made them into racing bricks, that the straight away speeds would be higher, but the cornering speeds would be much MUCH lower
pack racing would be a thing of the past. the cars would string out, like they do at other tracks (that lap at higher speeds than DIS) … the car with the best driver/crew chief/set-up would come to the front …
having to brake for the corners (because of no aero would limit how high the lap speeds were
no plates at some of the 1 1/2 mi tracks and they are running 198+ on them and are able to get away from each other, and don't fly into the stands
just my 2¢ worth, that I'm pretty sure won't ever be proven wrong 
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