Which is four times more than the Pathetic amount
who’ve raced in the Indianapolis 500!
Although Wendell Scott’s no longer the winningest
African American driver in NASCAR’s top tier Monster Energy Cup series. With
that Honour going to Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr, whose won twice as many NASCAR
Cup races. Nor is Wendell the first African American to Start a NASCAR race.
Although He may have been the first to receive the necessary license to compete?
Reportedly in 1953.
Nonetheless, Scott is definitely the most
prolific, with a massive 495 Starts made over twelve years, between 1961-73.
Scoring 147 Top 10 Finishes, nearly one third of All entries!
As Scott, who never had top flight equipment or
any major sponsors, had a best finish of sixth Overall in 1966. During a streak
of four consecutive years of finishing in the Top 10 Overall! Before a Horrific
accident at Talladega ended His racing career.
Yet how well do you know the other seven
African American’s to have contested a top tier NASCAR race? Be that Grand
National, Winston Cup, Nextel Cup Sprint Cup or today’s Monster Energy cup
racing series.
On July 31, 1955, Elias Bowie entered the NASCAR
Bay Meadows Racetrack’s Grand National race in San Mateo, California. Where
this Thoroughbred Horse Racing facility hosted NASCAR between 1954-56.
As Bowie became the first ever African American
to contest a Grand National event and claimed a prize of $90.00 for finishing 28th
in His 1953 Cadillac. As this would be Bowie’s one and only Grand National
start.
“Watching,” Err listening to Greased Lightning.
Before the movie began, the TCM Studio Pundit Ben Mankiewickz briefly mentioned
the name Charlie Scott, having competed in a Grand National race before Wendell
Scott.
As Charlie, not Wendall, who’ve got zero relationship.
Made His lone Grand National start in the 1956 Daytona Beach race. Qualifying
His Chrysler 300 14th out of a massive 76 Car field! And finished a
very respectable 19th.
Another of the unknown African American Stock
Car Drivers to Mwah was George Wiltshire. Not to be Cornfuzed with the Actor named
George Wiltshire who Died in 1976. As the Wiltshire racing driver apparently made
a Baker’s Dozen starts. Mostly in the USAC Stock Car series between 1971 and
1982, driving for His own team.
Yet Wiltshire became the fourth African American
to race in NASCAR’s top tier Winston Cup series upon starting in the 1971 Islit
250, in Islit, New Yor, on July 15th.
As the Islit Speedway just so happens to hold
the Honour of being NASCAR’s Shortest ever racetrack competed on, at a miniscule
distance of 0200 mile! With the ’71 event being it’s last event du to NASCAR cancelling
All races shorter than 250 miles. (400K)
Interestingly, there’s two Black Racecar
Drivers listed as having competed in this race, which “The King,” Richard Petty
thoroughly dominated. Leading Flag-to-Flag from Pole position, albeit only 230
laps were completed during to a scoring error.
The No. 34 of Wendell Scott started 17th in His
1969 ford. While George Wiltshire in His No. 89 1970 Plymouth lined-up P29. Scott
is credited with finishing a respectable 11th, whilst Wiltshire failed to
finish the race, and was classified P28.
Wiltshire’s second and final Winston Cup start
came four years later at the 1975 Purolator 500 at Pocono Raceway, where His dodge
Charger Done Blown Up after only 15 laps!
The fourth and final driver’s name of these
eight Bold Men I’d never heard of before was the seemingly obscure Randy Bethea
who Hails from Johnson city, Tennessee. As Bethea made a solitary Winston Cup
start at the World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, 1975. Yet like his
contemporary Wiltshire above. Bethea’s motor went Kuh-Blamoe! As Bethea retired
on lap 251 of 400 and was classified 33rd.
Arguably the third best known or most notable on
this list has to be Willy T. Ribbs. Who for Mwah, I was more aware of His Open
Wheel Racing and Sports Cars accomplishments. As Ribbs was the first African
American to compete in the Indianapolis 500 in 1991. For which as of 2023 still
has only two African Americans to have ever done so…
Ribbs antics of dancing atop the roof of His racecar
after winning is legendous’, as I believe He was doing His Mohammed Ali shuffle
tribute? With Ribbs driving for both thee “Cat in the Hat” Jack Roush and Dan
Gurney in SCCA Trans Am and IMSA GTO competition. With Ribbs winning a total of
17 Trans Am and 10 IMSA GTO races during His career.
Willy T is also the first African American to
ever test a formula 1 car, doing so for the eponymous Uncle Bernaughty’, aka
Bernie Ecclestone. When Ecclestone was then the F1 Team Owner of Brabham at
Estoril in 1986.
Humpy Wheeler Hired Ribbs to race in the 1978
World 600, but Ribbs elected to forgo the event after allegedly receiving Death
Threats, and His ride was given to somebody named Dale Earnhardt instead…
Willy T then made the first of His three NASCAR
Winston Cup starts at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 1986, where He scored His
best Cup result of P22. As Ribbs would contest a total of three races that year
for DiGard Motorsports.
As I’d say that the recent Documentary titled
Uppity describes Ribbs personality perfectly! Since I always forget that this
Brash, Outspoken retired racer once was suspended for a month by IMSA following
a 1987 race at Portland International Raceway for punching Scott Pruett!
Two Decades later, Bill Lester made His only two
starts in the Nextel Cup Series at Atlanta and Michigan Speedways, with a best
finish of 32nd.
Lester who earned a Bachelor of Science Degree
in 1984, predominantly spent His Roundy round career in the Craftsman Trucks
series, where He made a total of 143 starts. Making His Trucks Debut at
Portland International Raceway in 2000.
Lester also raced for several years in Sports
Cars. Mostly in Grand Am competition, where He became the first African American
Driver to win a Sports Car race in May of 2011 at Virginia International
Raceway. Winning the GT Class aboard an Autohaus Racing Camaro with Co-Driver
Jordan Taylor.
Then I’d say it came full circle, when Darrell “Bubba”
Wallace Jr. almost did the unthinkable in only His fifth career NASCAR Cup
start at Daytona! Which is when I first became aware of Wallace, our eighth
African American Cup driver, who audaciously finished a close Runner-up to Austin
Dillon in the 2018 Day-Toner’ 500 driving for Richard Petty Motorsports! (RPM)
Aboard it’s iconic No. 43.
I say Full circle since it was that very same
Richard Petty, a la “The King” who Wendell Scott had passed for His lone Cup
victory 55 years earlier! Although the scoring Error wasn’t rectified until two
hours later after everybody had left the racetrack…
As Wallace drove for RPM thru the 2020 season
before getting to compete in First-rate equipment at the newly formed 23XI Racing
Team co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin.
As even better yet, Wallace’s maiden Cup victory
came in the Deep South at Talladega in 2021. And then He claimed His second
Monster Energy Cup victory last year at Kansas in the team’s second entry, the
No. 45 entry which began the year with Kurth Busch as it’s driver. As Wallace
and substitute driver ty Gibbs swaped racecars since the #45 was still eligible
for the Owners Championship…
