Looking back at last season, there were certain drivers that stood out for their accomplishments and one of those is Dwayne Baker. The Stayner, Ontario native won 15 of the 35 Late Model features at Barrie Speedway to take home not only the track championship, but the 2012 NASCAR Whelen All American Series Ontario Provincial Championship.
“We got to go down to Charlotte for the banquet and NASCAR did a heck of a job putting it on,” Baker noted. “The three days down there were great with the Hall of Fame, the banquet.”
The most impressive thing about the numbers for the driver of the No. 48 Centennial Chrysler and Baker Performance Late Model is the 28 top fives and 34 top 10s.
One thing that surprised many about Baker’s run was he went with a Port City Chassis, while many of Ontario’s best run the McColl Racing Enterprises chassis. However, Baker noted that it is one of the best cars that he has ever driven and noted the input from Ontario racing legend Jr. Hanley on getting the car ready for the season.
Beyond his success at Barrie, Baker was also able to notch a pair of podiums in the M.R.E Pro Series, as well as winning the 75 lapper Autumn Colors Limited Late Model feature to end the season.
“It felt pretty good,” Baker noted. “We were right there. Right place, right time.”
For 2013, Baker is making the switch back to Sunset Speedway in hopes of beating out Sunset’s best for the track championship.
“We got a brand new car for this year, running the full season at Sunset trying to beat Tommy for the championship,” Baker said.
They have also built a brand new OSCAAR Super Late Model and expect to be out with that car seven to eight races throughout the 2013 season.
For his efforts this past year, Baker was ranked fifth in Spencer Lewis’ Inside Track Motosports News Ontario Asphalt Short Track Rankings.
