Who was Wendell Scott? All you need to know about the NASCAR legend

Wendell Scott is a pioneering NASCAR racer who drove in the Cup Series throughout the 1960s. Scott has etched his name in history as the first African-American to race in the premier series and is also the first African-American driver to win a race in the Grand National Series, the highest level of stock car racing.

Scott was one of the first drivers to break the color barrier in motorsports. His racing career was affected by racial prejudice, as it was prevalent in the 1950s and 60s in the southern states. He overcame these obstacles and paved the way for other drivers from his community to step into the racing world.

Honoring his achievements in his career, he was posthumously inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2015.

Born in 1921 in Danville, Virginia, an agro-industrial town, Scott Wendell vowed not to work as a laborer in the mills. He learned auto mechanics from his father, who worked as a driver and mechanic. He later went on to serve as a car mechanic in World War II. After the war, he set up an auto repair shop in town.

To aid his income and support his family, Scott started bootlegging moonshine whiskey, which was illegal in his state of Virginia. He continued running moonshine along with his friend and was caught once by the police. His driving skills were recognized in this business and he got his first racing opportunity in 1951.

Despite the challenging circumstances, Scott won hundreds of short-track races in local races and won the Virginia NASCAR Sportsman championship in 1960.

He then competed in his first NASCAR Cup Series race on March 4, 1961, at the Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds in Spartanburg, South Carolina. His first and only win came in the 1964 Jacksonville 200 where he battled Richard Petty and Buddy Baker for the win.

Money was always in short supply for Scott, so he spent most of his career racing in used race cars that he bought from other drivers and teams. However, it was his mechanical acumen and ability to compete with bigger teams with a shoestring budget that impressed many.

Scott passed away in 1990 having suffered from spinal cancer. The Wendell Scott Foundation was established to commemorate his contribution to the sport and his community. The organization provides youth services to at-risk youth from the age of 8-18.

A trailblazer, skilled mechanic, family man, and World War II veteran, Wendell Scott will be remembered as one of NASCAR's pioneering drivers.

---

Wendell Scott inspired this NASCAR documentary

Wendell Scott is the protagonist of the 1977 biographical film Greased Lightening. Richard Pryor portrays Scott in a film based on his life story. Directed by Michael Schultz, it loosely follows his racing career as he becomes the first black NASCAR driver to win a race in the Grand National Series.

Pam Grier played the role of Mary Jones, Wendell's wife. The movie cast also includes Beau Bridges, Cleavon Little, and Earl Hindman. The roles played by Pryor and Grier were well received for their performances.

The film is a must-watch for die-hard NASCAR fans.