As the 2015 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame were announced on February 21, I began putting together my list of hopefuls for induction. Wendell Scott’s name immediately came to mind.
He was selected as a nominee for the 2013 class but even before then, his worthiness has often been a subject of debate. If you look only at his statistics, you may agree that he falls short of Hall of Fame status. In a career that spanned 13 years and 495 races in what is now the Sprint Cup Series, he has one win, 20 top-fives and 147 top-10 finishes.
But if you dig deeper, it’s obvious that the numbers do not tell the whole story.
In some ways, his story is not so different from the grass roots racers who built this sport. Like many others, Scott raced in inferior equipment with little or no financial backing. He raced because from the moment he strapped into a racecar, he was hooked.
But his story diverges from other racers when you add in the discrimination he faced each time he chose to get into a car and compete. Most of the people didn’t want him there and that included the fans, track promoters and other drivers. His tires were slashed and rules were fabricated to discourage him.
One of the most glaring examples of this animosity happened when he won his first race. Buck Baker was initially named as the winner of the race. Officials eventually admitted their “scoring error” and declared Scott as the winner.
But the truth is that it wasn’t a mistake in scoring at all. It was simply a way for the track owner to avoid the backlash from a black driver kissing a white trophy queen during the victory celebration.
Scott never got to accept the winner’s trophy. In fact, it wasn’t until October 2010 that NASCAR presented the trophy to Scott’s family.
It would be easy to speculate on what he could have accomplished…if only. But Hall of Fame honors aren’t handed out for what could have been.
How do you measure a man’s (or woman’s) worth in this sport?
It’s not only about wins and championships. If that was the case we wouldn’t need a voting committee. They also consider the contributions and impact a person has on the sport.
Scott is the only African-American to ever win a Cup race in NASCAR. That alone should guarantee him a place in the Hall of Fame. However, this particular achievement is not only his biggest accomplishment but his detractors would add that it is also his biggest failure.
If his win made such an impact, they ask, why did we have to wait almost 50 years for another African-American driver to win a NASCAR national series race?
Maybe it has less to do with his impact and more to do with the perception of those doing the judging.
Maybe his impact seems diminished only through the eyes of a sport whose roots are firmly entrenched in the antiquated traditions of the good old days. Just ask NASCAR’s appointed king, Richard Petty, who recently questioned the role of women in NASCAR.
NASCAR will tell you they are fully invested in expanding the sport through institutions like their Drive for Diversity program and I have no reason to doubt their sincerity. But is it enough? Despite their efforts, does NASCAR truly reflect the America we live in today?
Perhaps the importance of someone like Wendell Scott is not apparent because of some perceived failure on his part to inspire but simply because change takes time.
I would also suggest that the members of the voting committee are asking the right questions but are looking for the answers in the wrong places. If you want to measure Scott’s influence, speak to the African American community. How many youngsters watched him and said, ‘if he can do it, maybe I can too.’ How many have tried and failed? Is success the yardstick by which we measure his influence?
Shouldn’t we be asking, how many would have never tried if not for someone like Wendell Scott?
I think the landmark award would be a just acknowledgement he was a car owner driver builder all around racer I think it would be appropriate to recognize him in all the categories since he excelled in each I don’t understand how richie Evans and jack Ingram went in as hall of famers although accomplished they were not in the premier divison IMHO I think the class sizes should be larger to accommodate some of the legends before it’s to late give um hell wendell
I think Wendell should definitely be honored for his accomplishments and expanding the class to include more each year is a good idea.
Jackie Robinson was at least given a chance to succeed and make the Hall of Fame. Read the Wendell Scott book and your opinion might change of NASCAR and the “good old boys”. I think that’s the main reason keeping him out. If he gets in, what does the family say at the acceptance speech? That it’s an honor to included or do they talk about how NASCAR really was back then?
I find it more and more difficult to read reasons my father shouldn’t be in the hof when I was with the man and saw why he should be. His passion to race required that those around him contribute too. As he actually won races I began to see what he was seeking. He actually wanted to win the hearts of his oppressors so that everyone could race too!
It’s disheartening to read and hear such negativity. His passion, determination and skill should be celebrated and I am confident that he will become a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The only question that remains to be answered is when.
I always had the utmost respect for your father. Induction in The HOF should not relay on win/records etc. The measure of a mans character and tenacity are just as, if not more important.
Funny isn’t it. NA$CAR wouldln’t give Scott his trophy for obvious reasons, and now they have a diversity program. Go figure.
Thanks NA$CAR for offering your opinion about AZ 1062. Duly noted.
I do not believe Wendell Scott should be inducted as a driver. I have enough trouble with the induction of those who have made their mark in levels below that of Cup. I do, however, believe he would be an automatic selection for the Landmark Award. At present, inductees are drivers, owners, promoters, mechanics, broadcasters, crew chiefs, and engineers. Instead of a Landmark Award, seven categories could be set up for Drivers, Crew Chiefs, Owners, Promoters, Pioneers (Mr. Scott would certainly be eligible), Contributors (Ken Squires would be an example), and Builders (a catch-all category for those who deserve recognition). I have no problem with Wendell Scott being inducted, just under what category.
That’s not a bad idea Ron and might be the best way for him to get recognition since the Landmark awards are for “outstanding contributions to NASCAR.” However, he’s already a nominee to the Hall of Fame and as a driver, I think that’s where he belongs. I mean no disrespect to those nominated for the Landmark Award, but in Scott’s case, I think it might be considered a consolation prize.
Jackie Robinson would never have made the HOF, if his performance in baseball had not called for it.
Giving anyone special recognition (good or bad), because of their race, creed or color, IS racism, no matter what month it is!
If Americans would REWARD excellence, instead of ” circumstances of birth”, we would HAVE excellence, instead of people who think participating, is the same as winning.
Once again, a racist plays the race card. While he did well with what he had, he doesn’t deserve to be in the HOF because he is BLACK. That is a disgrace to him, his race and the sport. Many drivers back in the day went through the same struggles as Wendell did, with financing ect. I applaud him for the off track issues he had to go through, but his on track performance does not make him a HOF performer and to put him in because of what his off track issues were just lessons him as a man. It took a man to deal with those issues, and succeed, but to make it a race sympathy induction just lessons his accomplishments and tells others why work hard for what you want, we will give it to you anyway.
Why does NASCAR have to be a reflection of today’s America? No other sports organization worries about such things? Does the NBA or NHL reflect today’s America? I think not. Its a southern sport for the most part, and I do not see that changing anytime soon.
NASCAR is primarily a southern sport but I think that’s changing, however slowly. They seem determined to change that image too with things like the Drive for Diversity program and I think this would be a positive step in that direction.
NASCAR hasn’t been a southern sport since the mid 1990’s. Look at the schedule they are all over the country and it’s people like you that want to bash the sport and have no clue what your talking about. I have followed this sport since the late 70’s. I was in the military at the time and was stationed all over the country and guess what I found fans of the sport all over the country too. So open your eyes, drop this “southern sport” BS. It is a national sport that started primarily in the south but has followers and tracks today all over the country.
How many southerner’s are in this sport today?
He should have been included last year. He should have been included in the first draft. He had done a lot trying to race against a bunch of racists, and endured the hate produced by the other drivers. He belongs in the Hall of Fame because of the accomplishments’ that he obtained.
I think he deserves recognition too and hope that he gets inducted into the Hall of Fame sooner rather than later.