Wendell Scott - Black History

Wendell Scott (August 29, 1921 – December 23, 1990) was an American stock car racer.  Scott was a pioneer in the sport of auto racing as the first Black full-time 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 deeply-entrenched in the Jim Crow south.  Wendell had a very light complexion and blue eyes and as such many white people did not realize that he was Black. He was not immune to the ill effects of racism, however. Despite his enthusiasm and skill, racing was not easy for Scott as he faced numerous obstacles. Fans derided him on almost every lap and white drivers often did everything they could to wreck him, knowing that in the era of Jim Crow, he wouldn’t dare retaliate. Many other drivers, however, came to respect Scott. They saw his skills as a mechanic and driver, and they liked his quiet, uncomplaining manner. They saw him as someone similar to themselves, another hard-working blue-collar guy swept up in the adrenalin rush of racing, not somebody trying to make a racial point. "He was a racer -- you could look at somebody and tell whether they were a racer or not," said driver Rodney Ligon. "Didn't nobody send him [to the track] to represent his race -- he come down because he wanted to drive a damn racecar." Some white drivers became his close friends and also occasionally acted as his bodyguards.

In April 2012, Scott was nominated for inclusion in the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and was selected for induction in the 2015 class, in May 2014. In January 2013, Scott was awarded his own historical marker in Danville, Virginia. The marker's statement reads “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.”

A 1962 Chevrolet built by Scott for the movie Greased Lightning on display at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.  Greased Lighting was loosely based on Wendell Scott's life. Richard Pryor played Scott in the film.

Wendell was Inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on January 30, 2015.