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Great Read: The Story of Wendell Scott and How He Broke NASCAR's Color Barrier

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  • Great Read: The Story of Wendell Scott and How He Broke NASCAR's Color Barrier


  • #2
    Re: Great Read: The Story of Wendell Scott and How He Broke NASCAR's Color Barrier

    I've often thought that a life-sized, barely street-legal clone of Wendell Scott's #34 1965 Galaxie would be a cool way to show up for a NASCAR race . . .

    . . .except for the fact that almost nobody in the "Junior Nation" would get it.

    Drag racing was much kinder to "competitors of color" back in the '60s.

    (Big Willie and the Brotherhood of Street Racers, circa 1970)

    See Iowahawk's brilliant essay "Quarter Mile Soul" at http://iowahawk.typepad.com/bolus/20...r-mile-so.html

    Of course the drag racing community wasn't exactly perfect in how it dealt with racial issues.

    For example, Ryan Cochran wrote at http://www.jalopyjournal.com/?p=904 about the photo above: "Noticeably absent are Stone and Woods -- both black men and both important Drag Racing pioneers. . . .[I](I)t saddens me that there is a significant absence of Stone and Woods in the historical media. You will often find photos of the Willys with Cook, but rarely (if ever) find published photos of the whole crew with the car. It could be a testament to the times . . . those battles have been fought . . . are still being fought. . . .

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    • #3
      Re: Great Read: The Story of Wendell Scott and How He Broke NASCAR's Color Barrier

      Earlier this year I was at a car show in Hillsboro, NC, at the site of the old Occanechee-Orange Speedway (one of the three original NASCAR tracks). The annual event is held to raise money to restore the speedway. Many former drivers were there as well as the widows of Tim Flock and Wendell Scott. Mrs. Scott seemed like a really nice lady. There were lots of good things spoken about Wendell. It really was quite moving.

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      • #4
        Re: Great Read: The Story of Wendell Scott and How He Broke NASCAR's Color Barrier


        Greased Lightning is a good movie about him


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        • #5
          Re: Great Read: The Story of Wendell Scott and How He Broke NASCAR's Color Barrier

          AS luck would have it, this was the only time in my military career that Hot Rods and the US Navy have come together in one instance where I benefited from the occurance. While deployed in 2007 the ship I was on received a large package of letters and loving gifts from support groups in the United States to let us know how the people of the USA appreciate our sacrafice and service to the nation (this happens every year around July 4th and Christmas).

          I by chance received a package from an old lady in South Carolina that had sent a heart felt letter and a complete DVD documentary of the history of NASCAR, including an entire DVD dedicated to Wendell Scott and his accomplishments in NASCAR. The entire collection was in no doubt a dedication and tribute to the man as it included a picture book about Wendell as well as a reproduction of his US Army dog tags.

          I have no idea if this was ever sold to the public but the work that went into this documentary was unbelieveable and Wendell (who I had never heard of at the time) was so inspiring that even though I do not care for current NASCAR made me respect and admire his achievements. Who better to show the true colors of racing in NASCAR in the 1960's. Wendell is as much a part of the sport of NASCAR as "The King", the Allison Family, Fireball Roberts and Dale.

          Every gearhead should know of Wendell Scott if you appreciate the history of NASCAR because Wendell is a large part of it.

          Great Job Brian, keep up the great work!!

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          • #6
            Re: Great Read: The Story of Wendell Scott and How He Broke NASCAR's Color Barrier

            Greased Lighting is a pisser of a movie.
            Maybe one of the guys not pictured with Willys is snapping the picture? You know Hot Wheels
            made a SWC Willys and you never see a gasser article without those guys being mentioned.
            What about Malcom Durham? Legendary guy as well.

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            • #7
              Re: Great Read: The Story of Wendell Scott and How He Broke NASCAR's Color Barrier

              I read Hard Driving: The Wendell Scott Story while I was on jury duty. It was really well done and doesn't gloss over alot of the things Nascar likes to pretend didn't happen

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