View Bill Lester
Bill Lester
By Gregg Leary
Category:Auto Racing
DOB: 2-6-61
Birthplace: Washington, DC
Hometown: Oakland, CA
“I’m a race car driver that happens to be black, not a black race car driver.” “I’m not here trying to wave the flag for diversity. I realize that I have a responsibility being that I’m African-American out in this sport and so I welcome that, but that’s not all I am.”
Lester donates his time to the Urban Youth Racing School…in 2001 , 320 urban kids completed the program
Lester’s parallels to IHRA African American Pro-Modified driver Harold Martin are quite extraordinary.
Harold Martin is an IHRA Pro Modified Driver…he is a former GM engineer and holds 10 worldwide patents…and does motivational speeches to inner city youth.
“If I meet my expectations, I’ll far exceed everyone else’s,” says Bill Lester.
Wife: Cheryl
Children: William Alexander IV (Alex)
Earned Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley in 1984.
Worked for Hewlet-Packard as a project manager…raced on weekends.
“I wanted to get a degree that would get me a job that would allow me to pay for me to go racing.”
The racing bug bit him when he went to a race at age 8. “I was really interested in speed from an early age. I was doing the ‘Fast and Furious’ on the streets when I was a kid.”
Won SCCA Northern California Region Rookie of the Year in 1985.
1986: Won SCCA GT-3 Regional Road Racing Championship.
1989: IMSA GTO
Ran several Trans Am races
Ran in four 24 Hours of Daytona
First NASCAR break…1999 Busch race at Watkins Glen…Q24…ran in Top 10…finished 21st
2000: Ran one Truck race: S31 F24 (Portland)
2001: Ran 5 Truck Races for Bobby Hamilton
2002: Ran Full Truck Series…Best Start, 2nd…best finish 11 th…17th in Points for Hamilton Dodge Ram #8
2003: Ran Full Truck Series: Best finish 10th (Kansas), 1 Pole (Charlotte)…14th in Points for Hamilton
Dodge folded diversity program…Lester lost his ride
2004: Drove #22Toyota Tundra for Bill Davis Racing
On Cover of Black Enterprise Magazine
Filmed a Craftsman Truck Commercial
On Cheerios Box
1. Bill, you stress…”I’m a race car driver that happens to be black, not a black race car driver.” In a perfect world that’s great…have you faced incidents of prejudice during your career…how about recently?
2. Dodge’s Diversity Program with Bobby Hamilton Racing provided a nice opportunity for you. Tell us about the program and what it meant to your career.
3. The program folded last year and you were out of a ride. Were you bitter?
4. When you were running with Bill Davis Racing and Toyota…did you feel prejudice against the Toyota brand from some so called “fans?”
5. NASCAR’s Diversity Program… Is it going to work? What opportunities will it provide?
6. Your route to racing full time is an unusual one…a BS in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from UC Berkeley…project manager for Hewlett-Packard…raced on the weekends. When did you decide to pursue the dream of racing FULL time?
7. I hear the racing bug bit you quite early. (Age 8)
8. Tell us about your “Fast and Furious” days.
9. Give us a Cliff Notes version of your racing career…SCCA, IMSA, Trans Am. 24 Hours of Daytona…
10. In 1999 you got your first NASCAR break at Watkins Glen. (Busch…Q24…Ran in Top 10…F21)
11. Your Truck career started in 2000. Bring us up to speed from there.
12. What’s it like to be a “star?” You were on the cover of “Black Enterprise” magazine AND a Cheerios box.
13. Has your son, Alex expressed an interest in racing? If so what advice do you give him?
14. Tell us about your work with the Urban Youth Racing League.
15. You said, If I meet my expectations, I’ll far exceed anyone else’s.” Have you met yours?