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Lester, William Alexander III

1961- · Contribution: 1999-2012

NASCAR driver and engineer

Left a 15-year engineering career at Hewlett-Packard at age 40 to become a full-time professional NASCAR driver; became the second Black driver in NASCAR history to win a pole position, exactly forty years after Wendell Scott, already profiled in this collection, became the first

Sports & Athletics: collage image
Sports & Athletics

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Quick facts

Born
1961, Washington, D.C.
Active since
2000
Category
Sports & Athletics
Best known for
Barrier-breaking Black NASCAR driver

Impact on the world

Lester revived a Black presence in NASCAR's top ranks after decades, breaking through in a sport with almost no Black drivers and helping set the stage for those who followed.

An alternative history

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