There is a new organization called Drive for Diversity where there goal is to change the demographics to highlight and include more black/African American drivers and other people who are in the minority group such as women to make the autoracing sport an event for all to participate. NASCAR is more than happy to help make this happen.
In an effort to encourage more African Americans - and other minorities -- to get involved with NASCAR, Mr. Calhoun developed Drive for Diversity. He says NASCAR officials were enthusiastic when he approached them with the idea. "They had open arms for me," Mr. Calhoun says. "They said, 'Go out and do it, we just think that you should include more than just African Americans. We think you should have minorities as a whole.'" Drive for Diversity aims to broaden minority representation among racing crews as well as drivers, and is supporting new roles for women, who already made headlines in other racing circuits when Danica Patrick placed 4th at this year's Indy 500.
The problem in the autoracing sports is that it is extremely expensive to maintain and run a crew where it may cost several million dollars. But that didn't stop one guy from driving and his name is Willy T. Ribbs. He was the first African American to qualify and compete in the Indianopolis 500. First to compete in NASCAR's winston Cup series. First in a lot of things in his illustrious life and still going strong.
There is another famous black autoracer in the Indy 500 and his name is George Mack. He tells the people that when it comes to driving, it doesn't matter who is behind the wheel.
"Am I Black? Can you tell with my helmet on? I don't think it makes any difference. I think it's all about results. I just think it shows that anybody can do whatever they want to do, regardless of ethnicity."
And if you think that this was a recent phenenom where we are seeing black professional race car drivers, you couldn't be more wrong. From the Indiana University for Black History Month they note the famous Todd Gould during the 1920s and 1930s.
Before Jackie Robinson, Joe Louis and Jessie Owens, there was Charlie Wiggins, arguably the greatest auto racer of his era regardless of race. Known at that time as the Negro Speed King, Wiggins is the subject of a new Indiana University Press book, For Gold and Glory: Charlie Wiggins and the African-American Racing Car Circuit, and an upcoming PBS program of the same name. Author Todd Gould traces the little-known history of the Gold and Glory Sweepstakes, the highly celebrated auto racing event for African Americans in the 1920s and 1930s, when the Ku Klux Klan cast a shadow over the social and political landscape and sporting events were segregated. Held on the one-mile dirt oval at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, the Gold and Glory Sweepstakes featured the nation's top African American drivers and mechanics and boasted one of the largest purses in all of auto racing.Now, lest you think that these black professional race car drivers get their daily racist remarks at the raceway or in the garages, think again. Here's what one black NASCAR driver Bill Lester had to say,
Not only has he never heard anything derogatory at a NASCAR race, Mr. Lester says, "the fact of the matter is, it's been a very welcoming environment for me. I feel very comfortable whenever I'm in the garage area, whenever I'm interacting with fans." He hopes that by sharing his positive experiences with NASCAR he can encourage "minority fans who are typically in the closet" to come out the races.
Indeed. All of these people, including Greg Gunderson, have one thing in common. They're all speed demons when it comes to racing on the race track where the onlydriving requirement is skill and nerves of steel. As for a professional deaf race car driver? They can do just as well as anybody else in the world of professional autoracing. Just watch.
Watch out for Greg Gunderson as he makes his way into the NASCAR racing business.
Check for past and current updates on Greg Gunderson.
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