Wendell scott, t he only black driver in nascar for virtually all of his career, probably earned more respect than he did money. In this excellent biography, donovan, a pulitzer prizewinning newspaper reporter and seasoned race car driver, recounts the overlooked life of wendell scott, the onetime danville, va. You have surely never heard of a black racecar driver named dewey. Thats because wendell scott is known as the man who broke the color barrier in stock car racing and he did so in 1963 when he became the first and still the only black driver to win a race in. Wendell scott racing career profile driver database.
Hard driving is the dramatic story of one mans dogged determination to live the life he loved, and to compete, despite daunting obstacles, at the highest level of his sport. Wendell scott won at least 128 races at local tracks long before he started his premier series sprint cup career. Wendell scott by ned jarrett information on collecting. He was not immune to the ill effects of racism, however. The animated story of wendell scott, african american. Nprs storycorps project recorded his son franks remembrance, and artist julie zammarchi animated the interview in this short film. You cant be afraid to go fast bleacher report latest news. Wendell scott was a pioneer in the sport of auto racing, the first black nascar driver. Wendell had a very light complexion and blue eyes, and as such many white people did not realize that he was black. Omission of black pioneer wendell scott stirs nascar. Wendell scott stats, race results, wins, news, record. Wendell scott experienced a crash and exited the western. In 2012, scott was also the first black race car driver on the nomination ballot for the nascar hall of fame. Wendell had a very light complexion and blue eyes, and as such.
He moved up to nascars grand national circuit, later renamed the winston cup series, in 1961. Wendell oliver scott august 29, 1921 december 23, 1990 was an american stock car racing driver from danville, virginia. Feb, 2014 wendell oliver scott august 29, 1921 december 23, 1990 was an american stock car racing driver from danville, virginia. Hall of famer wendell scott was nascars first black driver and even won a race on the grand national circuit. An older man stared back at him, his eyes afire with anger, and held up his middle finger. This date marks the birth of wendell scott in 1921. Acting as a driver and his own mechanic he gained the admiration of fans and fellow drivers through his grit and determination to be successful in a sport deeplyentrenched in the jim crow south. Storycorps gives nascar legend wendell scott his due. Wendell oliver scott was a race car driver who won over 128 races in his career in various divisions including a win in the grand national series, now known as the nascar sprint cup series. Wendell scott got his nascar license in 1953, at a time when africanamericans.
Brian joseph scott born january 12, 1988 is an american former professional stock car racing driver. Wendell scotts legacy looms at lost danville track. Wendell scott began racing in 1947 and in 1959 he won 22 races at the local richmond track and was track champion, also in 1959 he won the virginia state sportsman title. Wendell scott, the nascar driver who made history the atlantic. In 1953, wendell scott became the first african american to obtain a nascar racing license. Nascar driver wendell scott began his career in the south during the jim crow era in 1952. He was an independent driver racing against factorybacked drivers. Wendell scott stats, race results, wins, news, record, videos. Scott decided to avoid nascar for the time being and race with the.
Wendell scott nascar racing documentary documentary on legendary stock car racing driver wendell scott, his life and career. His son and grandson remember what it was like for wendell as one of the first africanamerican drivers. In 1936, wiggins lost a leg and an eye after a car crash in the gold and. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times.
If you ever saw the richard pryor movie greased lightening that was the hollywood version of wendells life. Jun 26, 2019 raymond clings to the staplebound program signed by members of the scott family from oct. That victory came in 1963 at speedway park in jacksonville, florida, in a race which also featured richard petty, ned jarrett, david pearson, and other top nascar stars of. This meant he never drove a new car, often buying last. Jan 16, 2018 hall of famer wendell scott was nascars first black driver and even won a race on the grand national circuit. Wendell scott was the first africanamerican to win a nascar premier series event the jacksonville 200 in 1963, during the height of the civil rights movement. Scott repaired his car and towed it to a nascarsanctioned race in winstonsalem, north carolina. He was the first africanamerican driver in nascar, and the first africanamerican to win a race in the grand national series now the sprint cup series, nascars highest level. But the biggest debate may be over a name missing from the 25 contenders announced last month.
You cant be afraid to go fast bleacher report latest. He is the only black driver to win a race in what is now the sprint cup series. Im too scared to look in my drivers eyes to find out, i start freaking out lol. Owners of the danville raceway approached scott about racing, with hopes of increasing african american attendance at their events. At this level, scott would race against the best stock car drivers in the. Check out the latest wendell scott photos and pictures on. The courage and determination that fuelled wendell scott, nascars first black driver if i leave in a pine box, thats what i gotta do.
He closes his eyes to envision his first shotbut his thoughts quickly drift to the matter. Wendell was invited to race and he jumped on it bringing one of his best moonshine running cars to the next race, which made him the first africanamerican driver in southern stock car. Wendell scott was the jackie robinson of nascar, a black pioneer. See more ideas about wendell scott, nascar and black history. Click on the site to see wendell scott s career results at that track. Dec 15, 2008 im too scared to look in my drivers eyes to find out, i start freaking out lol. He was one of the first africanamerican drivers in nascar, and the first africanamerican to win a race in the grand national series, nascars highest level. As he drove home, scott recalled, i had tears in my eyes. Remembering wendell scotts lone nascar win 51 years later. Wendell scott was the first black driver in nascar and the first to win a race at its. Benny parsons had driven it in arca in 68 and 69, winning the arca championship both years with that same car.
Scott began his racing career in local circuits and attained his nascar license in around 1953, making him the first africanamerican. If you look closely at the photos on the link to the parsons car you can see it in the wendell scott colors. Scott started from the 15th spot and led 27 laps in the race, but as he drove his now famous no. The wrecked race car is the same chassis that became barry millers benny parsons race car.
Later he hauled illegal whiskey, an occupation that called for skills as both a highperformance mechanic and a fearless driver. In 1961 wendell moved up to grand national racing and in 1964 on a onemile track in florida he became the first and to date only africanamerican driver to win a grand. Jan 16, 2018 therefore, he will be the first black driver to have a significant shot at winning a cup race since the late wendell scott became the only one to visit a cup victory lane in december 1963. Scott said the car he drove to school was a 1966 ford with a 427 engine that had a mickey. He finished as high as sixth in points in nascars top series, numerous times in the top15 in points. Wendell scott was the jackie robinson of nascar, a black. Wendell scott embodied that persona and more on his way to becoming one the sports trailblazing drivers who was involved in an infamous 1973 nascar crash. A few days later he went to another nascar event in high point, north carolina. Journey for wendell scotts family ends with a kiss video january 31, 2015 12. Martinsville, vawendell oliver scott not only made a name for himself on the racetrack, but he. Legacy of nascars first black winner drives on cbs news. With a career that started during the jim crow era, wendell scott was a fulltime race driver who won innumerable local shorttrack races. Wendell scott had a lot working against him in his career as a grand national nascar national association for stock car auto racing driver.
Nascar media groups docudrama about the first african american to win in nascar. The nascar crash that ended a career they say nascars heroes of the 1950s and 60s were just everyday men who liked driving a little fast. The courage and determination that fuelled wendell scott. Nov 08, 2017 the race car driver is on the firsthole tee box at birkdale golf club in huntersville, north carolina. Wendell scott was the first africanamerican driver on the nascar circuit, and the first and still only to win a grand national race. Wendell oliver scott was from danville, virginias crooktown section.
The carolina vintage stock car racing association appeared in the film. But i think matts eyes are green, maybe gray, or a mixture of something. Jan, 2015 wendell scott was a pioneer in the sport of auto racing as the first black fulltime driver on the nascar circuit. His career was a constant struggle with low budgets.
The police told them of wendell scott, the bootlegger who they had chased and chased, but only had caught once. He was one of the first africanamerican drivers in nascar, and the first africanamerican to win a race in the grand national series, nascars highest level scott began his racing career in local circuits and attained his nascar license in around 1953, making him the first africanamerican. Acting as a driver and his own mechanic he gained the admiration of fans and fellow drivers through his grit and determination to be successful in a. Feb 24, 2011 nascar media groups docudrama about the first african american to win in nascar. February 23, 2011 uncategorized comments off on the critics annex 39 wendell scott. He was also an underfunded independent who loved racing but struggled throughout his life. May 12, 2009 in this excellent biography, donovan, a pulitzer prizewinning newspaper reporter and seasoned race car driver, recounts the overlooked life of wendell scott, the onetime danville, va. According to a 2008 biography of scott, he broke the color barrier in southern stock car racing on may 23, 1952, at the danville fairgrounds speedway. One of his early career highlights came at the 360 nationals at skagit speedway in alger, washington, when he. Scott was a true racer the first and only africanamerican driver ever to win in the grand nationalwinston cup series. White, black, red, green, blue, yellow, magenta, cyan.
Wendell scott was truly a great man and nascar driver. After working as a taxi driver and a moonshine runner, wendell oliver scott august 28, 1921december 23, 1990 began racing professionally late in the 1940s. Based on his body of work, scott deserves to be in the nascar hall of fame and. This week, the commonwealth of virginia honored black race car driver wendell scott with his own highway marker in danville. Bubba wallace knows hes the first black superstar of modern nascar. Wendell scott, the only black driver in nascar for virtually all of his career, probably earned more respect than he did money. Wendell oliver scott august 29, 1921 december 23, 1990 was an american stock car racing driver.
Well, wendell scott was the first black race car driver in nascar to win a grand national todays cup series race. Get the latest race results, news, videos, pictures, win record and more for wendell scott on. Wendell scott figured he was signing up for trouble when he became nascars version of jackie robinson in the segregated 1950s. Wendell scott was a pioneer in the sport of auto racing as the first black fulltime driver on the nascar circuit. Wendell scott by ned jarrett information on collecting cars. The race car driver is on the firsthole tee box at birkdale golf club in huntersville, north carolina. Wendell oliver scott sr, an american stock car driver from danville, virginia.
The us race car driver wendell scott 19211990 was the first african american to compete in nascar and to win a race at nascars highest level. Driver wendell scott 1972 nascar winston cup results. But the nascar officials refused to let him compete. He went to college and is now a teacher and coach at laurel park high school in henry county, va. Barry now owns a holmanmoody race car that was raced by wendell scott after he had aquired it from benny parsons. Wendell scott was the first black driver in nascar and the first to win a race at its highest level. See more ideas about wendell scott, race cars and nascar. He is the only africanamerican driver to ever win a winston cup race.
Therefore, he will be the first black driver to have a significant shot at winning a cup race since the late wendell scott became the only one to visit a cup victory lane in december 1963. Scott said his goal was to be a race car driver, but it didnt happen. Prior to benny parsons, it was also raced by parnelli jones. When wendell scotts career is discussed it is inevitably said that he had one win and with that one win at jacksonville in 1963 he was the first african american driver to win a nascar race. He seemed destined to follow in his fathers shoes, racing white kids on his bicycle or on roller skates. The class is working with barry miller to obtain photos and measurements to get their tribute car as close as they can to the original without.
Driver wendell scott 1972 nascar winston cup results racing. For other people named brian scott, see brian scott disambiguation. Wendell scott experienced a crash and exited the western north carolina 500 at ashevilleweaverville speedway in asheville, north carolina on november 5, 1967. Scott has been racing competitively since the age of 12. Wendells family played a role back home in the shop and in the pits. Scott signed in and went to the infield and found out that wendell had blown the engine in his race car. Raymond clings to the staplebound program signed by members of the scott family from oct. He is the only black driver to win a race in what is now the sprint cup. Click on the site to see wendell scotts career results at that track glossary.
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