W-OLF
03-18-2006, 07:10 PM
Lester Wants to Be Known As a Racer
Published: 3/18/06, 12:46 PM EDT
HAMPTON, Ga. (AP) - Bill Lester doesn't want to be a footnote in history. Instead of being remembered as the first black driver to qualify for a race in NASCAR's top stock car series in nearly 20 years, Lester would prefer to be thought of as "just a race car driver."
The 45-year-old regular in NASCAR's Craftsman Truck Series did make history, though, qualifying for Sunday's Golden Corral 500 in his first try at racing in the Nextel Cup series.
And the unassuming Lester, who left a six-figure job in corporate America 14 years ago to try his hand in racing, remained very composed after realizing the first step of his biggest dream.
"The biggest issue has been the age issue but, fortunately, I don't look or act my age," he said, smiling. "I'm pleased that those doubting Thomases are a little bit in the situation of re-evaluating the statements they made. There are always people who don't believe in you. But if I listened to those people, I wouldn't be where I am today."
Where he will be Sunday is starting 19th in the 43-car field for the race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. And he didn't back in.
Lester qualified at 190.502 mph, the fastest of the 15 drivers competing for eight open positions in the lineup. The other spots went to cars that were the top 35 in car owner points last year.
And now that he is in the race, Lester has some goals.
"I expect to race 500 miles," he said. "I expect to learn a lot and add knowledge to my database of information. I hope to gain the respect of my competitors. I'm hoping for a top-20 finish, but you can't predict the outcome. I'm just excited to race with the best drivers this country has to offer."
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Lester's qualifying effort this week reawakened memories of Wendell Scott, the most famous of the handful of black drivers who have competed at NASCAR's top level.
Scott's 13-year career spanned 495 races from 1961 to 1973. He won a landmark victory on a dirt track in Jacksonville, Fla., in 1964. A few years after he retired, Richard Pryor starred in the movie "Greased Lightning," largely based on Scott's battle for acceptance in the white-dominated sport.
It was not easy for Scott and his family, and even his one victory was in dispute because race officials were afraid the fans might riot if a black man was declared the winner of the race.
Ned Jarrett, a two-time champion who raced against Scott, recalled that race.
"Buck Baker was sent to the winner's circle and Wendell walked over there and said, `Mr. Buck, you can kiss the queen, but I won the race and I want the money.'
"Wendell was a very good driver. He had a lot of talent and a lot of guts."
Asked about Lester's achievement in making Sunday's race, Jarrett said, "Bill Lester has proven he can drive race cars. I think it's good for the whole sport. I think it's a major step for the diversity of the sport."
Since NASCAR's first sanctioned race in 1948, only four other black drivers have raced in its top series.
Charlie Scott, no relation to Wendell, competed in one race in 1956, George Wiltshire ran in one race in 1971 and one in 1975, Randy Bethea ran one race in 1976 and Willy T. Ribbs raced in three events in 1986.
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MAKING MORE HISTORY: In a sport whose biggest promoter for 30 years was a cigarette maker, it's somewhat ironic that Saturday's Busch Series race was sponsored by a company that is trying to help people quit smoking.
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare sponsored the Nicorette 300. The company also is an associate sponsor for four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon and rookie contender Reed Sorenson and has started programs to help race fans and team members stop smoking.
"Last year, we counseled 100,000 race fans on quitting smoking," said Steve Kapur, a company spokesman. "And we worked with 14 people from the (Chip) Ganassi (Racing) team last year and, so far this year, we've signed up 34 people at Hendrick (Motorsports) and 20 with Petty (Enterprises) for our Quit Crew program."
To help make its point, GlaxoSmithKline brought in NASCAR legends Richard Petty, David Pearson, Donnie Allison, Buddy Baker, Benny Parsons and Ned Jarrett as grand marshals for Saturday's race. All six of the longtime NASCAR stars quit smoking at some time in the past.
"It was probably a lot harder doing it on our own," said Pearson, who was known for having a lighter built into his race car and smoking during caution periods.
___
SPARK PLUGS: Bobby Labonte, who will start fourth Sunday, is the leading active driver with six wins at Atlanta. ... By ending Ryan Newman's string of consecutive poles at six Friday night, Kasey Kahne preserved David Pearson's Atlanta record of seven in a row during the '70s. ... Seventy-two of 93 Cup races here have been won from starting positions in the top 10, including 13 from the pole. ... Carl Edwards, who won both Atlanta races last year, bumped past Jimmie Johnson to win here last spring by .028 seconds - half a car-length. It was the ninth-closest finish since
Published: 3/18/06, 12:46 PM EDT
HAMPTON, Ga. (AP) - Bill Lester doesn't want to be a footnote in history. Instead of being remembered as the first black driver to qualify for a race in NASCAR's top stock car series in nearly 20 years, Lester would prefer to be thought of as "just a race car driver."
The 45-year-old regular in NASCAR's Craftsman Truck Series did make history, though, qualifying for Sunday's Golden Corral 500 in his first try at racing in the Nextel Cup series.
And the unassuming Lester, who left a six-figure job in corporate America 14 years ago to try his hand in racing, remained very composed after realizing the first step of his biggest dream.
"The biggest issue has been the age issue but, fortunately, I don't look or act my age," he said, smiling. "I'm pleased that those doubting Thomases are a little bit in the situation of re-evaluating the statements they made. There are always people who don't believe in you. But if I listened to those people, I wouldn't be where I am today."
Where he will be Sunday is starting 19th in the 43-car field for the race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. And he didn't back in.
Lester qualified at 190.502 mph, the fastest of the 15 drivers competing for eight open positions in the lineup. The other spots went to cars that were the top 35 in car owner points last year.
And now that he is in the race, Lester has some goals.
"I expect to race 500 miles," he said. "I expect to learn a lot and add knowledge to my database of information. I hope to gain the respect of my competitors. I'm hoping for a top-20 finish, but you can't predict the outcome. I'm just excited to race with the best drivers this country has to offer."
___
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Lester's qualifying effort this week reawakened memories of Wendell Scott, the most famous of the handful of black drivers who have competed at NASCAR's top level.
Scott's 13-year career spanned 495 races from 1961 to 1973. He won a landmark victory on a dirt track in Jacksonville, Fla., in 1964. A few years after he retired, Richard Pryor starred in the movie "Greased Lightning," largely based on Scott's battle for acceptance in the white-dominated sport.
It was not easy for Scott and his family, and even his one victory was in dispute because race officials were afraid the fans might riot if a black man was declared the winner of the race.
Ned Jarrett, a two-time champion who raced against Scott, recalled that race.
"Buck Baker was sent to the winner's circle and Wendell walked over there and said, `Mr. Buck, you can kiss the queen, but I won the race and I want the money.'
"Wendell was a very good driver. He had a lot of talent and a lot of guts."
Asked about Lester's achievement in making Sunday's race, Jarrett said, "Bill Lester has proven he can drive race cars. I think it's good for the whole sport. I think it's a major step for the diversity of the sport."
Since NASCAR's first sanctioned race in 1948, only four other black drivers have raced in its top series.
Charlie Scott, no relation to Wendell, competed in one race in 1956, George Wiltshire ran in one race in 1971 and one in 1975, Randy Bethea ran one race in 1976 and Willy T. Ribbs raced in three events in 1986.
___
MAKING MORE HISTORY: In a sport whose biggest promoter for 30 years was a cigarette maker, it's somewhat ironic that Saturday's Busch Series race was sponsored by a company that is trying to help people quit smoking.
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare sponsored the Nicorette 300. The company also is an associate sponsor for four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon and rookie contender Reed Sorenson and has started programs to help race fans and team members stop smoking.
"Last year, we counseled 100,000 race fans on quitting smoking," said Steve Kapur, a company spokesman. "And we worked with 14 people from the (Chip) Ganassi (Racing) team last year and, so far this year, we've signed up 34 people at Hendrick (Motorsports) and 20 with Petty (Enterprises) for our Quit Crew program."
To help make its point, GlaxoSmithKline brought in NASCAR legends Richard Petty, David Pearson, Donnie Allison, Buddy Baker, Benny Parsons and Ned Jarrett as grand marshals for Saturday's race. All six of the longtime NASCAR stars quit smoking at some time in the past.
"It was probably a lot harder doing it on our own," said Pearson, who was known for having a lighter built into his race car and smoking during caution periods.
___
SPARK PLUGS: Bobby Labonte, who will start fourth Sunday, is the leading active driver with six wins at Atlanta. ... By ending Ryan Newman's string of consecutive poles at six Friday night, Kasey Kahne preserved David Pearson's Atlanta record of seven in a row during the '70s. ... Seventy-two of 93 Cup races here have been won from starting positions in the top 10, including 13 from the pole. ... Carl Edwards, who won both Atlanta races last year, bumped past Jimmie Johnson to win here last spring by .028 seconds - half a car-length. It was the ninth-closest finish since