Bubba Wallace has often spoken about the impact Bill Lester has had on his racing career. As one of the few Black drivers to compete at NASCAR’s highest levels, Lester helped pave the way for future generations, including Wallace.
In interviews, Wallace has acknowledged how important it was to see someone who looked like him competing in NASCAR. Lester raced in the NASCAR Truck Series and made select starts in the Xfinity and Cup Series in the early 2000s, a time when diversity in the sport was even more limited than it is today. For Wallace, growing up and seeing Lester compete was proof that there was a place for Black drivers in a sport long dominated by white competitors.
Wallace has expressed gratitude for Lester’s perseverance in the face of challenges. Lester, who started his professional racing career later than most, often spoke about the obstacles he faced as a Black driver in NASCAR, from sponsorship struggles to skepticism about his place in the sport. Despite these barriers, Lester made history, becoming the first Black driver in nearly 20 years to compete in a NASCAR Cup Series race when he started at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2006.
When Wallace secured his first NASCAR Cup Series victory at Talladega in 2021, Lester was one of the first to congratulate him. Wallace has acknowledged how much that moment meant to him, knowing that he was building on the foundation that Lester had helped lay.
Today, Wallace continues to honor Lester’s legacy by advocating for diversity and inclusion in NASCAR. He often credits Lester as one of his inspirations and hopes to continue pushing the sport forward, just as Lester did for him.
