Ray Baker, who founded Baker Engineered Racing Engines in Michigan in 1968 and ran it through 1989, died Friday of accidental injuries sustained while building a shop in Mooresville, NC. Mr. Baker, a Muskegon, MI native who lived in Mooresville with his wife, Linda, was 68.
Baker's name first entered the short track racing world by building the engines for legendary short tracker Bob Senneker. Senneker finished 13th in the 1968 Daytona 500 using a Baker Engine. Baker then opened his business, and it grew quickly with such ASA standouts such as Mark Martin and Darrell Waltrip competing with Baker engines and more short trackers using Baker Engineered Racing Engines still today.