We have talked endlessly this year about black athletes who have paved the way for integration into their sports, and I thought you all might be interested in Wendell Scott. Earning his NASCAR license in 1953, he became the first African American to race in the big leagues. Although his talent and perseverance have gained him thousands of fans, and his skill has earned him countless wins in the arena, he has been less successful at drawing in fellow African Americans to the sport. This may also be due to the fact that rebel flags still fly in the infield and crewmembers mocking a black employee by wearing white hoods "as a joke."
As Wendell Scott is inducted into the NASCAR hall of fame, I think that this sport, the fans and the executives have some thinking to do surrounding their exclusive nature and out-dated way of running the show. They are not trying hard enough to make this an equal opportunity sport to all ethnicities and there are still no full time drivers in the Sprint Cup or Nationwide series. How do you guys feel about NASCAR remaining a highly white washed/exclusive sport?
Here is an article I found on the topic:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2014/05/21/nascar-hall-of-fame-column-wendell-scott-african-american-2015-inductee/9394843/
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