Steve Baker (motorcyclist)

Steve Baker (born September 5, 1952) is an American former professional Grand Prix motorcycle roadracer. He is notable for being the first American to win a road racing world championship when he won the 1977 Formula 750 title.[1]

Steve Baker
Steve Baker (2016)
NationalityAmerican
BornSeptember 5, 1952
Bellingham, Washington
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Active years1977 - 1978
First race1977 500cc Venezuelan Grand Prix
Last race1978 500cc West German Grand Prix
Team(s)Yamaha, Suzuki
ChampionshipsFormula 750 - 1977
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
20 0 7 1 0 122

Motorcycle racing career

Born in Bellingham, Washington, Baker began his career racing on the dirt track ovals of the Pacific Northwest.[1] He then switched to road racing and began competing in Canada, becoming a three-time Canadian champion.[1]

In 1976, Baker won the prestigious Imola 200 pre-season race in Europe, then traveled to Great Britain to compete for the North American team in the 1976 Transatlantic Trophy match races.[2] The Transatlantic Trophy match races pitted the best British riders against the top North American road racers on 750cc motorcycles in a six-race series. Baker dominated the series as the top individual points leader with four victories.[3][4]

He then returned the United States to compete in the AMA Grand National Championship where he earned his first AMA national victory when he won the Loudon Classic.[1] He also won the 250cc support class at the Loudon Classic.[1] He repeated his Loudon victories at the Laguna Seca Raceway, again winning the national and the 250c support race.[5] He then returned to Europe where he won the Mallory Park Race of the Year.[6]

Baker's good results earned him a factory sponsored ride with the Yamaha factory team for the 1977 season.[1] He began the year by winning the prestigious Daytona 200 before traveling to Europe to compete in the world championships.[1][7][8] Baker won the 1977 Formula 750 title and finished second to Barry Sheene in the 500cc world championship.[9][10]

Steve Baker at the 2010 Centennial Classic TT

He was released by the Yamaha team after the season and competed in the 1978 championship on a privately supported Suzuki.[1] At the end of that season, Baker suffered a devastating accident at the Mosport circuit in Canada that left him with a broken arm and shattered his left leg. Afterwards, he decided to retire from competitive racing.[1]

After his racing career, Baker purchased a motorcycle dealership in his hometown of Bellingham.[1] He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999.[1]

Motorcycle Grand Prix results [10]
Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Points 15 12 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Yr Class Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Rank Pts
1977 500cc Yamaha VEN
2		 AUT
DNF		 GER
3		 NAT
4		 FRA
3		 NED
5		 BEL
2		 SWE
3		 FIN
12		 CZE
DNF		 GBR
2		 2nd 80
1978 500cc Suzuki VEN
3		 SPA
6		 AUT
DNF		 FRA
NS		 NAT
4		 NED
9		 BEL
DNF		 SWE
4		 FIN
6		 GBR
DNF		 GER
7		 7th 42

References
  1. "Steve Baker at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame". motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  2. "Imola 200 race results". racingmemo.free.fr. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. "Teamwork's The Key" (PDF). Motor Cycle News. 2 April 1980. p. 36. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  4. "John Player Transatlantic Trophy". January 1979. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  5. Amick, Bill (January 1979). "Grand National Series History". Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  6. "Race of the Year". Archived from the original on 2011-08-03. Retrieved 2013-08-17.
  7. "Daytona 200 winners". motorsportsetc.com. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  8. "It Was A Piece Of Cake For Baker". si.com. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  9. "Formula 750 world champions". Racing Memo.
  10. "Steve Baker career statistics". motogp.com. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
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