Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Lester breaks down barriers, aims for Winston Cup ride

AT A GLANCE

NoonQualifying (two laps, all positions)

2:15-3:15 p.m.Final practice

4:30 p.m.Driver autograph session (behind grandstand)

5:15 p.m.Pre-race concert featuring Daze of Haze

6:30 p.m.Driver introductions

7 p.m.Las Vegas 350 (146 laps, 219 miles)

Bill Lester realizes his situation is unique and he anticipates the question even before it is asked.

As the only black driver in NASCAR's three national touring series, Lester is asked, virtually at every stop on the 25-race NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series circuit, about the pressures of attempting to succeed in a predominantly white sport.

Lester, 42, answers the question easily -- usually before it is asked.

"Some people ask what it's like to be a pioneer or a trailblazer," Lester said. "My whole life, I've been somewhat of that so it's not really a transition for me and I don't look at it that way. I look at it that I'm an individual and I can do this if I put my mind to it and I really apply myself."

A successful road racer from Northern California, Lester eventually would like to progress from the Truck Series to the highest level of stock-car racing: the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.

Now in his second full season in trucks, Lester is having a solid season. Although winless in 46 career starts, he earned his first pole earlier this season at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., and is 13th in NCTS points going into Saturday's Las Vegas 350 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Lester, who drives the red No. 8 Dodge for Bobby Hamilton Racing, insisted he doesn't put any undue pressure on himself to perform because of his race. It's just in his nature, he said.

"(There's no pressure) from a standpoint of being African-American, but just from the standpoint that I have very high goals and expectations of myself," he said. "I've been brought up to achieve and strive for excellence. Whenever I set a goal, I typically achieve and accomplish it and I somewhat (feel) pressure because I haven't been able to do that here yet."

A success in the business world before he gave up his career to pursue his childhood dream of racing professionally, Lester said he believes race is not a barrier in NASCAR.

"When I went to (the University of California at Berkeley) and I got an electrical engineering-computer science degree, there were a number of peers of mine, African-Americans, who were in the engineering program," Lester said. "When I got my degree, I was the only African-American to get that degree from Cal-Berkeley -- out of a class of over 700 students. Then when I went to work for the Hewlett-Packard computer company, more often than not, I was the only African-American manager in these management meetings.

"I know that can happen in this environment as well -- it's just going to take a little bit of time and all the right chemistry coming together. I've been greeted wholeheartedly with open arms here in the Craftsman Truck Series and I don't have any reason to think otherwise when I get to the Nextel Cup.

"I don't think race really has anything to do with it. As a matter of fact, I think race might be somewhat of a benefit because of its uniqueness. Who knows? It's all a matter of what the sponsor is looking for because, ultimately, it's the sponsor who kind of dictates your future at the end of the day."

Lester already has broken ground in NASCAR by signing a personal endorsement agreement with General Mills' Honey Nut Cheerios cereal. He is the first driver from the Truck Series and the first African-American driver to appear on packaging for a major product.

"This is a really unique situation because wherever Bill Lester goes in his racing career, the Honey Nut Cheerios-General Mills relationship goes with him," Lester said. "I think that's a fairly unique situation and I'm happy about that."

Lester uses his position as a professional driver to speak to at-risk youth across the country -- although he said he doesn't consider himself a role model.

"I didn't get into racing and doing what I'm doing to become role model but I'm aware of the fact that that responsibility comes along with it and it's something that comes with the territory," he said. "I'm just doing what it is that I like to do with my life. I've been brought up, I think, with very good morals and values and I think that people realize that this is somebody who sets a good example and presents himself well and has accomplished some things outside of racing and is maybe a generally good person and somebody who kids can look up to.

"Especially in the African-American community, there aren't a lot of African-American drivers out there so my uniqueness is something that maybe can give them the idea that 'hey, we don't have to do something that's in the box; we can do something outside the norm.' It doesn't necessarily have to be racing, but whatever it is you want to do with your life, I'm a testimony to perserverance and persistence and pursuing your dreams."

Lester said he is confident that his persistence and perseverance in racing will pay off, but he added that his fate is not entirely in how own hands.

"Another question that's asked of me is what is it going to take for a successful African-American racecar driver to make it to the fore," Lester said. "Well, unlike the Tiger Woods and the Venus and Serena Williams phenomenon, where they rely on a golf club or a racket, I rely not only on a mechanical device, but I rely on eight to 10 other guys -- as well as all the guys at the shop -- to make it so that I can be successful.

"There's a whole lot more, in terms of teamwork, that's required here to be successful than it is (in) individual sports like golf or tennis. No matter how good you are as a driver, everything has to be hitting on all cylinders for there to be success. It's a little bit more frustrating in my respect because I know I can drive these trucks, I know I can drive a stock car, but everything has to be perfect for there to be success.

"It's a challenging situation I'm in, but by no means am I giving up on it. I know that we're going to get there; it's just a matter of time. It's not a matter of if -- it's a matter of when."

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