See more ideas about wendell scott, race cars and nascar. Wendell scott embodied that persona and more on his way to becoming one the sports trailblazing. Wendell scott was the first black driver in nascar and the first to win a race at its highest level. The nascar community will honor pioneer wendell scott, whose first monster energy nascar cup series start came 57 years ago, this weekend at las vegas motor speedway.
On december 1st, 1963, scott was the first africanamerican driver to win a nascar premier series race, at speedway park in jacksonville, florida. Wendell scott had a lot working against him in his career as a grand national nascar national association for stock car auto racing driver. Get the latest race results, news, videos, pictures, win record and more for wendell scott on. Petty holds records for most series wins 200, poles 123, wins in a season 27 in 1967, consecutive wins 10 in 1967 and starts 1,185. In 2015, wendell scott became the first african american person inducted in the nascar hall of fame. Kyle petty visited danville, a town located 33 miles east of martinsville, to talk with the family of nascar hall of famer wendell scott, the only africanamerican driver to win a.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, he poured his heart, soul, and all of his earnings into maintaining his own race car. The incredible story of wendell scott, nascars first. Richard pryor portayed him in motion picture greased lightening. He was one of the first africanamerican drivers in nascar, and the first. His son and grandson remember what it was like for wendell as. Wendell scott in 1963, the year he became the first african american driver to win in nascars premier series. With richard pryor, beau bridges, pam grier, cleavon little. The nascar crash that ended a career they say nascar s heroes of the 1950s and 60s were just everyday men who liked driving a little fast.
Wendell scott race car driver africanamerican driver nascar old postcard. This season, wallace is scheduled to become the first fulltime black driver in cup racing since 1971, reviving memories of the highs and lows of. If theres one thing to know about wendell oliver scott, its that he was born to drive scott was born in danville, va. And he did it all with outdated and handmedown equipment the racist. Click on the year to see the standings for that year. The story of wendell scott, nascars first black hall of. Martin luther king blvd, charlotte, north carolina 28202. Brian joseph scott born january 12, 1988 is an american former professional stock car racing driver. But when scott passed petty and later claimed the win, the atmosphere chilled even more. Scott finished sixth in points in 1966again, despite missing several races10th in 1967 and ninth in 1968 and 1969. 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. He was an independent driver racing against factorybacked drivers.
Rare 1991 tg racing 6 card set wendell scott 1st black driver nascar pioneer. The courage and determination that fuelled wendell scott. Nascar has again partnered with the united negro college fund uncf to award students with the 2018 nascar wendell scott sr. Wendell scott was issued a nascar license for the first time and allowed to compete at the old richmond speedway in virginia, either in 19521953.
Remembering wendell scotts lone nascar win 51 years later. This season, wallace is scheduled to become the first fulltime black driver in cup racing since 1971, reviving memories of the highs and lows of the wendell scott story. At this race in 55, our heroes team up with wendell scott, who in a roughly decadelong career as a driver, raced to 20 topfive finishes and one firstplace win. The story of wendell scott, the first black driver. Nascar announces start times, tv networks for 2018 cup season following in the tire tracks of scott, who raced. Memorial highway in danville, virginia, his hometown. This date marks the birth of wendell scott in 1921. Wendell scott stats, race results, wins, news, record.
Wendell scott was a pioneer in the sport of auto racing as the first black fulltime driver on the nascar circuit. 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. Get the best deals on wendell scott when you shop the largest online selection at. The true life story of wendell scott, the first black. Click on the site to see wendell scotts career results at that track glossary. He was the first african american stock car racer, beginning racing in nascars winston cup division in 1961. Wendell scott was the jackie robinson of nascar, a black pioneer. Wendell oliver scott august 29, 1921 december 23, 1990 was an american stock car racing driver.
Drivers, nascar to honor wendell scott this weekend. Wendell scott was the jackie robinson of nascar, a black. Former motorcycle photo journalist and vintage nascar enthusiast joe jordan will be the guest for a special interview on am 1170s morning drive program on may 5th at 9 am, to discuss what may be the last surviving example of an authentic race car that was driven by the late wendell scott, the only african. Wendell oliver scott august 29, 1921 december 23, 1990 was an. Wendell scott was the first african american inducted into the nascar national association for stock car auto racing hall of fame located in charlotte, north carolina. 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. 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.
He was one of the first africanamerican drivers in nascar, and the first africanamerican to win a race in the grand national series, nascar s highest level scott began his racing career in local circuits and attained his nascar license in around 1953, making him the first africanamerican. Wendell scott, the nascar driver who made history the. Wendell scott was one of the greatest drivers of his time. Independent driver, mechanic and owner wendell scott will be inducted into the nascar hall of fame in 2015 for his efforts at breaking the racial barrier. 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. As you can imagine, scott s career wasnt made easy. The courage and determination that fuelled wendell scott, nascars first black driver. May 5 today in jayskis nascar history page 21 of 24. He is the only black to win a majorleague nascar race. If so, you should know a bit about the sports history, even if some parts arent so pretty.
Free shipping on many items browse your favorite brands. Wendell scott won at least 128 races at local tracks long before he started his premier series sprint cup career. 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. See more ideas about wendell scott, race cars and nascar racing. Scott, the first and only africanamerican driver to win a nascar cup series race, was honored with the wendell o. Wendell scott racing career profile driver database. Wendell scott, the nascar driver who made history the atlantic. This meant he never drove a new car, often buying last. Nascar driver wendell scott began his career in the south during the jim crow era in 1952. This is an amazing accomplishment for any driver, but the story of wendell scott is one of amazing portions. Although scott, one of the first black nascar drivers, finished the race one lap ahead of secondplace driver buck baker, it was baker who was initially declared the winner of the race after top level race officials noticed scorecard errors.
Though he wasnt able to fully actualize his talenthe had to miss several races a year. Wendell scott, the only black driver in nascar for virtually all of his career, probably earned more respect than he did money. Click on the number of races to see individual races for that year. Driver wendell scott 1966 nascar grand national results.
His career was a constant struggle with low budgets. Facing racial prejudice among not only some of the nascar fans, but also fellow drivers and nascar officials, scott eventually won most of. Wendell scott nascar racing documentary documentary on legendary stock car racing driver wendell scott, his life and career. He learned about cars at a young age from his automechanic father. Wendell oliver scott, sr 19211990 find a grave memorial. Based on his body of work, scott deserves to be in the nascar hall. Richard petty, known as the king, coholds the record for most nascar cup series series titles 7 with the late dale earnhardt and jimmie johnson. Wendell scott figured he was signing up for trouble when he became nascars version of jackie robinson in the segregated 1950s.