Wendell Scott raced into history on Dec. 1, 1963 at Speedway Park on the west-side of Jacksonville. That was the day he became the first black man to win a NASCAR race in the Grand National Series.
Richard Petty was the favorite to win the race. Petty held the lead position for most of the race but Scott passed him with 25 laps remaining for the win. Scott won the race but the checkered flag was not waved until Buck Baker crossed the finish line. Baker, a white driver and the second place finisher, was named the winner.
A local beauty queen was present to hand the winner the trophy and a kiss on the cheek. Scott reportedly walked up to Baker, and said, “Mr. Buck, you can kiss that beauty queen, but that trophy’s mine. I won that race.”
After a two plus hour huddle by NASCAR officials, owners, and drivers it was decided that Scott had not only won, but was two laps in front of the rest of the field.
Even so it would take NASCAR another two years to officially proclaim Wendell Scott the winner.
Speculation at the time was they had concerns about announcing a black man as the winner to stands full of a majority white crowd in the 1960’s South.
Wendell Scott never received his trophy.
It would take another 47 years before the family of Wendell Scott received his trophy, 20 years after his death.
Wendell Scott was posthumously inducted into the 2015 class of NASCAR Hall of Fame
The film Greased Lightning, starring Richard Pryor as Scott, was loosely based on Scott’s biography.
Photo by Mike Kalasnik
A 1962 Chevrolet built by Scott for the movie Greased Lightning on display at the NASCAR Hall of Fame
Portions of this article were originally published in the Riverside Review, April 1987.
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Edit: 2010
It would take another 47 years before the family of Wendell Scott received his trophy, 20 years after his death.
Edit:2015
Wendell Scott was posthumously inducted into the 2015 class of NASCAR Hall of Fame