Posted on 10/06/2002 8:40:36 PM PDT by Michael2001
Name one of the most popular sports in America without a black superstar: NASCAR, the hugely popular car racing circuit. But NASCAR is determined to do something about that, because it makes sense, as in dollars and cents.
BILL LESTER is the only black man racing in America’s fastest growing sport. NASCAR, with 40 million hardcore fans, is trying to shed its redneck reputation. “NASCAR realizes to continue to fill the stands, they’re going to have to reach out to everybody,” says Lester. NASCAR’s spectacular crashes and stunning speeds have been the sole domain of southerners who raced with rebel flags out of mountain hollers decades ago, onto racing teams that now cost $15 million a year. Sadly, critics say, most corporations will not risk marketing dollars on black drivers. Black ball players, you bet, they say, that’s a gold mine. Black drivers — that’s a money pit. Officials say that’s because drivers have the celebrity and revenue pull of rock stars. There is no black Dale Earnhardt, Jr., NASCAR’s reigning icon. Enter Bill Lester. Dodge gave the former engineer from Hewlett Packard a chance because, said one executive, the Detroit racing adage is true: Win on Sunday, sells on Monday, and blacks buy cars, too.
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That's a different definition than the one from your profile page. Which says:
Satire...
Main Entry: sat·ire
Pronunciation: 'sa-"tIr
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin satura, satira, perhaps from (lanx) satura dish of mixed ingredients, from feminine of satur well-fed; akin to Latin satis enough
Date: 1501
1 : a literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn
2 : trenchant wit, irony, or sarcasm used to expose and discredit vice or folly
I nominate that for the official motto of every tow truck company in America
ROFLOL! Good one!
Kinda like that commercial with the hot chick that's asking for help with her broken Toyota and the guy drives off all of a sudden. He knows that the "chick" is really a bad guy and, when questioned by his passenger, explains, "You ever seen a Toyota break down?"
LOL
Wendell Scott was inducted to the Motor Sports Hall of Fame in April 1999. 
Bill Lester has driven in the Busch Series circuit as a road course driver.
Other black drivers who have competed in NASCAR include Bill "Bullet" Scott, Red Oliver, and Malcolm Durham.
Contrast this with another demographic, say, drivers from Wisconsin . . .
IMHO, NASCAR is just trying to pre-empt a "shakedown" lawsuit -- Jesse Jackson-style.
Yes, they did. They even had a Japanese broadcaster on hand and aired for several minutes in Japanese.
If Bill Lester can add to the sport and make it more enjoyable to watch then I wish him the best of luck.
Matt Kenseth #17 DEWALT Fan!
That post was from Texas Eagle...
What?
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