Wendell Oliver Scott
August 29, 1921- December 23, 1990
Stock car racer and the first African American to obtain a NASCAR racing license first African-American to win a race in the Grand National Series, NASCAR’s highest level and was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2015.
Wendell was born in Danville, Virginia. As a boy, Scott learned auto mechanics from his father and later earned his reputation for speed driving as a taxi cab driver and bootlegger.
From 1943 to 1945, he served in the United States Army in Europe.
On May 23, 1952, Scott broke the color barrier in Southern stock car racing at the Danville Fairgrounds Speedway. He earned his NASCAR racing license in 1953 and won his only race December 1, 1963 at Speedway Park in Jacksonville, Florida.
He is still the only Black driver to win a race in what is now known as the Sprint Cup Series.
From 1965 to 1969, Scott consistently finished in the top ten in the drivers’ point standings. Scott was forced to retire in 1973 due to injuries with one win and 147 top ten finishes in 495 career races.
After retiring, he ran Scott’s Garage until his death December 23, 1990. The 1977 movie “Greased Lightning” was loosely based on Scott’s story.
On December 23, 1990 Wendell passed away at the age of 91 from Spinal Cancer in Danville, Virginia
Only six other black drivers are known to have started at least one race in what is now the Sprint Cup Series: Elias Bowie, Charlie Scott, George Wiltshire, Randy Bethea, Willy T. Ribbs and, most recently, Bill Lester, who made the field for races at Atlanta and Michigan in 2006. Those drivers have made a combined nine Cup starts
His biography, “Hard Driving: The American Odyssey of NASCAR’s First Black Driver,” was published in 2008.
HE WAS ADORED BY MANY FANS AND OVERCAME THE RACIAL PREJUDICES. WENDELL OLIVER SCOTT WITH HIS VISION, PASSION AND INTEGRITY WAS DRIVEN AND BROKE THE BARRIERS SO THE DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY IN THE WORLD OF SPORTS CAR RACING TO BE OPENED. A TRUE ICON AND LEADER HIS LEGACY SHALL LIVE ON.
AWARDS
International Motorsports Hall of Fame 1999
NASCAR Hall of Fame 2015
Wendell Scott was awarded his own historical marker in Danville, Virginia. THE MARKER STATEMENT READS AS FOLLOWS: “Persevering over prejudice and discrimination, Scott broke racial barriers in NASCAR, with a 13-year career that included 20 top five and 147 top ten finishes.”