Celebrating Black History Month
Posted on by The Simoniz Garage
African Americans in NASCAR
This month we celebrate Black History Month and the achievements of Black men and women in our country and across the globe.
Seeing as we are entrenched in the auto industry, we would like to bring attention to the only 8 known African American Race Car Drivers who have ever started at least one race in the NASCAR Cup Series.
The 8 Drivers are: Wendell Scott, Elias Bowie, Charlie Scott, George Wiltshire, Randy Bethea, Willy T. Ribbs, Bill Lester, and currently only Bubba Wallace is racing in NASCAR's top series.
The film Grease Lightning, starring Richard Prior was actually based loosely on the life of Wendell Scott who to this day is the only African American Race Car Driver to win a race in NASCAR's Cup Series.
Currently, Bubba Wallace is the only African American Race Car Driver in the field of 40 cars that take green flag on Sundays.
The 2021 NASCAR season kicks off Tuesday, February 9th (Two days after the Superbowl) with "The Clash at Daytona" and the Daytona 500 is on Sunday, February 14th. Will Bubba Wallace be the first African American to win the Great American Race? Let's find out!