1957 Season Recap

In 1957, Buck Baker maintained his momentum from the previous year and became the first driver in NASCAR Grand National (now the NASCAR Winston Cup Series) history to repeat as champion. His back-to-back title campaigns produced 24 wins in 88 starts and 1957 saw him finish in the top 10 in 38 of his 40 starts.

Buck Baker was in control of the point standings throughout the season, but some new stars were making their presence felt in the championship chase.

FIVE RACES TO GO: Martinsville, VA - With 5 races remaining in the 1957 season, Buck Baker led Marvin Panch by over 800 points in the point standings. At Martinsville, the points leader struggled to a 23rd place finish, 71 laps down to winner Bob Welborn. Panch was not much better with a 16th place effort. Speedy Thompson was another championship contender who struggled, finishing 28th. Thompson was locked in a battle for third in the standings with Lee Petty for the second consecutive year. Petty finished third in the race. Jack Smith was making his name amongst the battle for third in the standings but was not entered in this event.

FOUR RACES TO GO: Newberry, SC - Fireball Roberts had been turning heads all season and did so again at Newberry Speedway as he won the race over defending champion and points leader Buck Baker. Jack Smith, Marvin Panch and Speedy Thompson represented the top contenders in this race as they finished third, fourth and sixth, respectively. Lee Petty fell out of the race first with a broken oil line and came in last.

THREE RACES TO GO: Concord, NC - With a ninth place effort at New Concord Speedway, Buck Baker clinched his second consecutive NASCAR Grand National championship. Fireball Roberts won his second consecutive race, beating Lee Petty to the line by 15 seconds. Marvin Panch solidified his runner-up status in the point standings with a fourth place finish. Jack Smith and the ever-present Speedy Thompson followed in fifth and sixth place.

TWO RACES TO GO: North Wilkesboro, NC - Jack Smith, who owned fifth place in the standings, won a nail-biter over Lee Petty at North Wilkesboro Speedway. The newly-anointed champion Buck Baker came home in sixth place. Speedy Thompson carried on his heated battle with Lee Petty for third place by finishing fourth in the race. Marvin Panch came in seventh, as pole-sitter Fireball Roberts crashed and came in 21st.

FINAL RACE: Greensboro, NC - Buck Baker closed the 1957 season with his tenth victory, coming at Central Carolina Fairgrounds. Lee Petty and Baker swapped leads all day, but Petty was passed in the final laps by both Speedy Thompson and Jack Smith. The pass allowed Thompson to clinch third in the standings for the second straight year over Petty. Jack Smith finished the year in fifth. Marvin Panch, the 1957 runner-up, was caught in a crash and finished 21st in the race and 760 points behind Baker on the season.