Oakland native and Skyline High School graduate Bill Lester will become the first African-American driver in 20 years to attempt to qualify for a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Lester, a regular on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for Bill Davis Racing, will pilot the No. 23 Waste Management car in qualifying on Friday.
Lester was also the first African-American to compete in a Busch Series event (1999), and the first to win a pole for a modern-era NASCAR race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte (2003).
"To say I am proud and honored to have this company behind me is an understatement," he said. "Their commitment to diversity, alone, is laudable, but the fact that they really believe in me and support me so thoroughly is really meaningful."
Lester will pull double-duty this weekend, competing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event on Friday night. The Golden Corral 500 NASCAR feature takes place on Sunday.
