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“Flat Out and Half Turned Over: Tales From Pit Road”
By Buddy Baker with David Poole
Book Review by Gregg Leary
Buddy Baker’s “Flat Out and Half Turned Over” is a little book (only 169 pages) that contains tales of BIG men…Big Bill France…”Tiny” Lund…Richard Petty…”Fireball” Roberts…Dale Earnhardt…David Pearson…30 stories in all, captured by David Poole and containing Buddy Baker’s unique wit and keen sense of humor. To twist the old potato chip commercial…”Bet you can’t READ just one.” Buddy’s stories are addictive.
David Poole’s Introduction paints an interesting profile of Baker. Buddy ran his first race in NASCAR’s top division when he was 18 years old. It took him over 200 tries to get his first win. As he earned his way into competitive equipment he became a star. He was the first to win at each of the sport’s “Big Four” tracks…Daytona, Talladega, Darlington and Charlotte. He won 19 times and snagged 40 poles. He led 242 different races. “Leadfoot” was the first to run a lap at over 200MPH and his 1980 Daytona 500 win at 177.602 MPH average in “The Grey Ghost” is a record that still stands. At 67 Buddy is still fast and still mentoring younger drivers. When one of the “young guns” asked Baker if he could run with the current crop of drivers, Baker silenced the upstart by deadpanning…”I don’t know…I’ve never run this slow here.” Touche!
Many tidbits await you in Buddy’s book:
Jack Smith had a 14 lap lead in the inaugural World 600 when a rock ruptured his gas tank His crew tried everything to block the hole including one very unconventional method.You’ll have to read the book to find the answer as this is a PG rated review.
Buddy liked to start from the pole and lead as much of the race as possible. Why? “If you’re not the lead dog, the scenery never changes.”
“Here’s Mud in your Eye” is my favorite story in the book. If it doesn’t make you laugh out loud…or at least smile, you’d better check your pulse.
Buddy’s dad, Buck had a way of keeping his son humble. When Buddy, after more than 200 races, finally won his first at Charlotte, Buck kept him from getting a big head by stating, “You know, you did almost as well as I would have done.”
“Me and Tiny” is a chapter that should make you laugh...and cry. Buddy’s close encounters with a cheetah and an “alligator” are priceless…the Talladega race is 1975 is heartbreaking.
Two of my favorite lines in “Days of Thunder” actually involved Buddy Baker. “Hit the pace car” and “minor brain surgery” both involve Elzie Wylie Baker Junior.
Buddy’s philosophy on the dangers of racing and life is a good way to end this review. “The scariest thing in life, to me, would be to die at 90 years old and never have done anything you wanted to do. That’s a waste.” “Flat Out and Half Turned Over” rates four out of five lugnuts.