I stopped by to see Randy Baker, Buddy’s half-brother, Buck had a driving school and needed a few cars painted. When I got there, they hired a painter from Florida, but had several school cars that needed windows, grills, ductwork, crush panels. I met with Buck and Susan his wife; I told him I would contract labor $600 week to week, that I had a job coming up after Thanksgiving, but I had to leave at 4pm to pick up my daughter everyday Mon through Friday. They agreed. Buck was a character, the car they tried to run at Charlotte had too wide of frame, Buck was used to theory back in the days when things that didn’t change the performance were turn head items for NASCAR, the new sheriff didn’t give a squat who you were. After sending home their best car, Randy wanted a rematch for Atlanta. Making the car complaint was a big task for most, after 15 years in major collision, and a little exposure to chassis construction at Hutch’s, the repair was just a thing. Doing it in two weeks was the issue. The body guy was sharp, Todd Bodine was just starting his career, ole Tex was a season veteran of something, and Roger Purcell worked 10 minutes for Harry Hyde. We jumped in and after the frame was compliant, the team headed to Atlanta to race. Randy started 34th, finished 21st. Buck Baker was very polite to me, Susan was a great employer, Buck had a mean streak, was always conniving to get a leg up. He was walking encyclopedia of NASCAR history, he lived it, was free with his opinionated version. Being from Jacksonville/ Baker County I spoke with him about the race Wendall Scott won, he said Wendall won because he didn’t pit, he went on to say that the Speedway Park folks knew Buck didn’t win but the Victory Circle Celebration included a trophy queen and Wendell kissing her wasn’t going to fly. They gave Wendell the winner’s check and sent him up the road. He said history has not been kind to that story. He embellished the racer of the late fifty’s early sixties, they owned 5 or 6 cars, drug them to every track on multi car trailers, found random drivers, put all the winnings back in team, and went to the next track. He said the night Buddy started he had a car, no driver, so there you go. His business prowess was wicked, always chasing a deal, always looking for a fight, and always discounted, his family as productive. After we identified the wide frame rule violation, Buck hunted and purchased several obsolete cars. The ones with bodies were dolled up, the others got new dresses and paint. His plan was a fleet of cars to race in a school environment at Rockingham. He was always chasing the next dollar. When he got close on funds he would sell a car, most were not even legal, but the narrative was “you are a tenth faster than the pole last race in that car” need I say more. My departure from Buck’s was a cumulation of a number of things, Buck would never break his promise directly, but he would put someone in charge to do it. I told Buck and Susan that I was a shop guy period, 7:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday – Friday. They agreed to that. Buck had no equipment, no fab equipment, no hand tools, no machine tools, it was a trip to Pistone’s, Hutch’s, Hendrick’s, to do even simple chores. Each Friday was a scramble to get your check cashed, many times the last man cashing found out the hard way that being first is good. Buck’s idea of time was scattered at best, the driving school was his income center, he was married to 12 events per year, all were in the heat of the Summer. The concept of the golden goose was always lurking, he had students he promised full schedule cup deals if the funding was in place, he had a reputation of taking advantage of young women hoping to be the first women superstar. That included them being totally dedicated to his every suggestion. Roger ended up being the shop foreman, he was the shop suck up, but more than anything he owned the only toolbox in the shop. One Friday Roger walked through said all hands-on deck in Rockingham 5am in the morning. I wasn’t on the track team, so I didn’t go. Monday the track cats all had a bur under their saddle, we had a car the body man was stripping/grinding Bondo, dust was all over the shop, I got there and told them warming the back of the panels released the Bondo and paint, but they had no torch. Buck got there, and shit hit the fan. He wanted the shop cleaned up, all the dust, he told Roger to get in the office. After Roger removed the foot from his ass, he wandered out headed to Lowes, got two bags of floor sweep, and two butane torches, he paid for. Our work week was Thursday to Thursday, we were paid @ lunch on Friday. Thursday afternoon, Roger wanted to see me in the office. The meeting started with the premise that when the shop foreman tells the team to be in Rockingham, they show up, second was the pay had been reevaluated based on the position’s importance to the business model, so starting next week I would be paid $100 per day, and every 2 weeks would work Saturday/ Sunday and paid $700. So, in reality I would still make the same money. I looked at Buck and said that wasn’t our agreement, Buck said you are working for him now. I said cool and walked out the door. Susan always dropped off the checks at the shop at 8:00am after dropping off their daughter at school. I was waiting, as I walked in Susan handed me my check, Buck said what’s up? I shook his hand and said great getting to know you all, if you need me to work for you again call and leave a message. That was that. As I drove to the bank, I was more convinced than ever my answer was a shop of my own. I called Todd Gantt to see where they were at, his mom Darlene said, Carlise needs help, as quickly as that I was back at Curb getting the Buick ready for Daytona.