Sunday 1st November 1953

Buck Baker surged to victory in the season finale at Lakewood Speedway outside of Atlanta (Georgia, US) as Herb Thomas drove home 14th to become the first two-time NASCAR Grand National (now Sprint Cup) series champion. Baker led 22 of the 100 laps at the mile-long dirt track, edging runner-up Fonty Flock and third-place Lee Petty. Both Baker and Thomas would be honored the following year as inductees into the 2013 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.