Wendell Scott was the first African American driver to win a NASCAR Cup level race. Scott made 495 starts during his career and posted 147 top-10 finishes. His career average finish was 15.1 and he finished in the top 10 in points in four consecutive seasons (1966-69) before retiring in 1973.
His victory came on Dec. 1, 1963, on a 1-mile dirt track in Jacksonville, Fla.
Scott raced competitively until 1973 when he sustained three cracked ribs, a lacerated arm and a cracked pelvis in a massive 21-car pileup at Talladega which essentially knocked him out of the sport. Scott died on Dec. 22, 1990, after a long battle with spinal cancer.
Wendell Scott was a trailblazer and his legacy lives today in the accomplishments of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity participants. Young drivers like Darrell Wallace Jr., Ryan Gifford, Bryan Ortiz, Sergio Pena and Kyle Larson are in part why Wendell Scott raced so hard. To see Mr. Scott nominated to the NASCAR Hall of Fame demonstrates to these young drivers and all who cheer them on that dreams are worth striving for and attaining.