Darrell “Bubba” Wallace, a 23-year-old driver from Mobile, Ala., will be the fourth Black driver to race in the NASCAR Cup Series, the sport’s top level, when he races this weekend at Pennsylvania’s Pocono Raceway. “The Southern, white sport has integrated slower than any other major American sport after decades of racism and discrimination,” Jonathan Jones wrote last year in the Charlotte Observer. Since then, only two other Black drivers — Willy T. Ribbs in 1986 and Bill Lester sporadically between 1999 and 2006 — have competed at that level. NASCAR history was made in 1961, when Wendell Scott became the first Black driver to race at the sport’s top level. “If he wins a Cup race,” he said, the sport will attract a new wave of African American drivers.

Source: thestar June 06, 2017 17:02 UTC