Wendell Scott


WENDELL OLIVER SCOTT WAS AN AMERICAN STOCK CAR RACING DRIVER. HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN DRIVERS IN NASCAR, AND THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO WIN A RACE IN THE GRAND NATIONAL SERIES, NASCAR’S HIGHEST LEVEL. SCOTT BEGAN HIS RACING CAREER IN LOCAL CIRCUITS AND ATTAINED HIS NASCAR LICENSE IN AROUND 1953, MAKING HIM THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN EVER TO COMPETE IN NASCAR. HE DEBUTED IN THE GRAND NATIONAL SERIES ON MARCH 4, 1961, IN SPARTANBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA. ON DECEMBER 1, 1963, DESPITE BEING CONSIDERED PART OF THE 1964 SEASON, HE WON A GRAND NATIONAL SERIES RACE AT SPEEDWAY PARK IN JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, BECOMING THE FIRST BLACK DRIVER TO WIN A RACE AT NASCAR’S PREMIER LEVEL. SCOTT’S CAREER WAS REPEATEDLY AFFECTED BY RACIAL PREJUDICE AND PROBLEMS WITH TOP-LEVEL NASCAR OFFICIALS. HOWEVER, HIS DETERMINED STRUGGLE AS AN UNDERDOG WON HIM THOUSANDS OF WHITE FANS AND MANY FRIENDS AND ADMIRERS AMONG HIS FELLOW RACERS. HE WAS POSTHUMOUSLY INDUCTED INTO THE NASCAR HALL OF FAME IN 2015.

Fast Facts

LIFE: AUGUST 29, 1921 – DECEMBER 23, 1990
HOMETOWN: DANVILLE, VA

  • Birth in 1921
  • First race in 1947
  • Historic Jacksonville 200 win in 1963
  • Retirement in 1973
  • Posthumous NASCAR Hall of Fame induction in 1990

2015 INDUCTED INTO THE NASCAR HALL OF FAME

Inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in Detroit, Michigan, 2024.

FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN DRIVER TO RACE FULL TIME IN THE NASCAR PREMIER SERIES FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN TO WIN A RACE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN NASCAR TEAM OWNER

SERVED IN WORLD WAR II FOR THREE YEARS AS A PARATROOPER & SOLDIER MECHANIC

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Historical Timeline

1921

Born August 29 in Danville, Virginia

1942

Serves in World War II in Army's 101st Airborne [1942-45]

1943

Wendell Scott Marries Mary Coles

1947

Races for the First Time, Danville Fairgrounds; Begin Racing in the Dixie Circuit

1947

Placed 3rd and Won $50 in the First-Ever Race at Danville Fairgrounds

1950

Opens Car Repair Shop; Makes First Attempt to Race in the Nascar Circuit

1954

Begins Racing in the Nascar Modified Division

1959

Won Virginia State Championship as well as Twenty-Two Other Races in the Dixie Circuit

1961

Debuts In Nascar's Grand National At Spartenburg Fairgrounds In South Carolina

1961

Finished In The Top Ten 5 Times, Earning $3,240

1962

Finished in the Top Ten 11 Times, Earning $7,00

1963

Only Grand National Win, Jacksonville Speedway Park, Jacksonville, Florida, On December 1

1964

An Only Pole Position Start at the Grand National Race In Savannah, Georgia, On July 20

1964

Set Grand National Record For 40th Place Starter at World 600 in Charlotte, North Carolina, When He Finished 9th

1965

Ranked 11th in the Nation, Earning $20,000

1973

Suffers Major Injuries In a Pileup at Talladega Superspeedway In Alabama; Retires From Racing

1977

Inducted Into Black Athletes Hall Of Fame

1977

Greased Lightning, A film Based on his Life Starring Richard Pryor Released

1990

Dies December 23 From Complications Due to Spinal Cancer

1994

Inducted into Jacksonville, Florida Hall Of Fame

1996

Inducted Into Danville Register & Bee Hall of Fame

1997

Inducted into National Sports Hall of Fame

1999

Inducted Into International Motorsports Hall of Fame

2000

Inducted into Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame

2002

Inducted into Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History Hall of Fame one and only grand National Win

2010

Wendell Scott Foundation was Established

2015

Inducted Into Nascar Hall of Fame

2017

Pixar Animation Studios Releases Cars 3, The Character "River Scott" in Inspired by Wendell Scott

2021

Nascar Awards The Scott Family Wendell's Trophy From His 1963 Win

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