Wendell Scott poses for a portrait in his car as he became the first African-American driver to win in the NASCAR Cup division with a victory in 1963 at Jacksonville Speedway Park in Jacksonville, Florida. Scott was NASCAR’s first black competitor, starting in the sportsman class in 1953. Photo – Getty Images Archive
HAMPTON, GA — 1973: Wendell Scott of Danville, VA, at Atlanta International Raceway during his final year of competition on the NASCAR Cup circuit. During his career, Scott started 495 Cup events, won once, and finished in the top 10 position 147 times. Photo – Getty Images Archive
1968: Wendell Scott ran in 48 of the 49 NASCAR Cup races during the 1968 season, taking 17 top-10 finishes and ninth in the season-long Cup standings. Photo – Getty Images Archives
1955: Wendell Scott poses with his young son at a Modified race. Photo – Getty Images Archives
Wendell Scott checks over the engine of his 1966 NASCAR Cup Ford at a race in the mid-1960s. Photo – Getty Images Archives
Wendell Scott of Danville, VA, was NASCAR’s first black American competitor, starting out in the modified ranks on the dirt tracks of the South. Photo – Getty Images Archives
Wendell Scott got his dream ride at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina on May 28, 1972. Driving for race promoter Richard Howar, Wendell finished 22nd in the World 600 in the 1971 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Photo – Getty Images Archives
Wendell Scott with sons Wendell Jr. (C) and Frankie (L ) work on enging in Danville, Virginia. Photo – Getty Images Archives
DANVILLE, VA – 1954: Wendell Scott began his racing career driving homebuilt Modifieds such as this one. Scott was the first full-time African-American driver to run the NASCAR circuit, recording a Grand National win in 1963 at Jacksonville Speedway Photo – Getty Images Archives
Wendell Scott won only one NASCAR Grand National race during his 40-plus year career. His lone victory came in the 200-mile event at Jacksonville Speedway in Jacksonville, Florida on December 1, 1963. Photo – Getty Images Archives
Wendell Scott poses for a portrait in his car. He was the first African-American driver to win in the NASCAR Cup division with a victory in 1963 at Jacksonville Speedway Park in Jacksonville, Florida. Scott was NASCAR’s first black competitor, starting in the sportsman class in 1953. Photo – Getty Images Archive
Scott’s Legacy a Story of Perseverance, Excellence
Note: This release is part of a series in advance of the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Jan. 30, broadcast live at 8 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network, Motor Racing Network Radio and SiriusXM Satellite Radio. Bill Elliott, Fred Lorenzen, Wendell Scott, Joe Weatherly and Rex White are the five 2015 inductees.
During a 13-year premier series career, Wendell Scott likely never considered he was making NASCAR history. The Virginian’s sole concern was getting to the next race on a miniscule budget.
Scott wasn’t the only driver to struggle financially. The odds of making a good living racing stock cars were long in the 1960s and early 1970s when purses were small, large sponsors unheard of and manufacturer support came and went with the turning of the calendar’s pages.
But Scott faced a challenge not shared by his fellow competitors: that of an African-American battling to succeed in a still-segregated society. Continue reading →
ARCA Racing driver, Patrick Staropoli, at 9 pm ET. Photo courtesy of Patrick Staropoli
NASCAR Next driver, Cole Custer, at 9:30 pm ET. Photo – Getty Images
NASCAR Hot Topic Sound Off 10 to 10:30 pm ET Every Monday
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Guests include ARCA Racing driver, Patrick Staropoli,talking about testing at Daytona with Empire Racing, his Harvard Magazine feature, and more.
NASCAR Next driver Cole Custer, with JR Motorsports talks about his 2015 season and racing in the Chili Bowl Nationals this past week.
Join host Sharon Burton and co-host Sal Sigala every Monday night 8:30 to 10 pm ET as we bring fans the smartest racing talk around on Fan4Racing Fan2Fan NASCAR & Race Talk!
NASCAR Hot Topic Sound Off is 10 to 10:30 pm ET with Sharon Burton hosting an interactive discussion with co-host Chris Knight from the Catchfence.
Listen to our panel discussion with drivers, crew, and other racing personalities and call 714-202-9918 during the LIVE Broadcast to join the conversation about the hottest topics leading up to the next race.
ARCA Racing driver, Patrick Staropoli, at 9 pm ET. Photo courtesy of Patrick Staropoli
ARCA Racing driver, Patrick Staropoli, is our next guest on Fan4Racing Fan2Fan NASCAR & Race Talk on Monday, January 19, 2014 at 9 pm ET. Call 714-202-9918 with any questions or comments during the LIVE broadcast.
In trying to give new meaning to the term “double duty”, Patrick Staropoli went from taking a rheumatology exam at the University of Miami at 9 am this past Friday to making a beeline for Daytona ARCA testing, with Empire Racing in the afternoon. Despite getting on-track with only an hour left in the session, Staropoli still ended up top-three on the speed charts.
NASCAR Next driver Cole Custer at 9:30 pm ET. Photo – Getty Images
NASCAR Next driver, Cole Custer is our next guest on Fan4Racing Fan2Fan NASCAR & Race Talk on Monday, January 19, 2015 at 9:30 pm ET. Call 714-202-9918 with any questions or comments during the LIVE broadcast.
On January 12, 2015, JR Motorsports announced their expansion into the Camping World Truck Series for the 2015 season, with Haas Automation driver Cole Custer behind the wheel of the No. 00 for ten races.
Haas Automation has sponsored Custer for four years. The company was founded in 1983 by industrialist Gene Haas, and it manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers and rotary tables and indexers in the company’s one million square-foot manufacturing facility in Oxnard, California. Continue reading →
