If you were in the grandstands a couple weeks ago, then you saw a wild last lap in the Q104.1 Stadium Stock Division. All four leaders got together out of turn two, with Adam Baker Jr. emerging from the smoke and chaos to capture his first Bowman Gray Stadium victory.
23-year-old Adam ‘P-Nut’ Baker has a story and family connections that run deep within the walls of Bowman Gray Stadium. The Walkertown native first came to The Madhouse as an infant and is now amid his third season racing in the Q104.1 Stadium Stock Division.
“My family’s been going there since I was only a couple days old,” Baker said. “My uncles used to race there in the ’90s and everything. So it’s basically been in my blood since I was a child.”
One of the most unique and memorable nicknames at Bowman Gray, ‘P-Nut’ dates back to when Adam Baker Jr. was born.
“It was a nickname that actually my mom gave me. Her and my dad had some type of bet whenever I was a baby, that I was gonna be a girl, because all my scans and everything were equal to my sister. She basically said, ‘You’re not gonna have a Junior,’ and laughed at him. So once it was found out that I was a boy, he said, ‘I am gonna have a Junior,’ and she said, ‘Well, I’m not gonna call him that. I call him my little P-Nut.'”
Baker’s family ties to racing begin with his uncles Earl and Danny Baker, both were Bowman Gray Stadium regulars throughout the 1990s. The Baker family also used to own Friendship Motor Speedway, further leading P-Nut down the racing path.
“I started racing at Bowman Gray in 2023. I ran a handful of races, but last year was my full season. I ran as a rookie. And this year is my sophomore season, technically.”
“If it wasn’t for all the fans and stands and the sponsors that want you to go and be out there in front of everybody, honestly, I don’t think I’d go.”
Baker’s best memory made at The Madhouse before winning last week was “watching my dad win his second ever race in the A-Race. He struggled early in his career, but once he got it figured out, he started to pick up the wins. I just always enjoyed watching him win because, I mean, it was just special to me to know that my father was out there winning.”
“Since I’ve been going to Bowman Gray, I’ve always known that the characters usually get most of the fans. So that’s why whenever we came over there, I decided to go with the name P-Nut. Just because, I mean, how can you not like a guy with a name like P-Nut?”
P-Nut said that he’s been trying as hard as possible to land a sponsorship fitting his nickname, and a partner like that would be very fitting.
“Whenever I’m not working or not driving, I help in the car store with Setzer Racing Development sometimes. Then I also spot for Mike Speeney on the SMART Modified Tour whenever he goes and runs those races.”
“The main reason I enjoy racing is because having Chuck [Wall] there. Chuck’s always been like a second father to me, so I feel like being with Chuck, racing with him, and then Zak [Taylor], he’s always been like a brother to me. Just being able to be out there with them, and now my buddy Cody [Livengood] started. It’s just an experience racing with all of them and just having fun. That’s something you can’t beat.”
Adam Baker will try and chase another moment of Bowman Gray Stadium glory for the rest of this season. This week’s 50-lap race was another point of emphasis he put on growth for 2026, wanting to perform better in the marquee event. Don’t miss the No. 22 Lil’ Donuts, Taylor’s Water & Sewer, John Baker Plumbing Stadium Stock chasing more checkered flags at The Madhouse.
