A pioneer in the world of auto racing, Bill Lester will make his return to the sport of NASCAR when he hops behind the wheel of David Gilliland Racing’s No. 17 Ford F-150 on March 20th at the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. 2007 marked Lester’s last start in the Camping World Truck Series, a series in which he has recorded 142 starts, led 92 laps and scored three pole awards. Notably, he was the first African American driver to ever capture a pole in the series.
Lester is joined by his sponsors, Camping World, the Greater Atlanta Ford Dealers and Tommy’s Express Car Wash, all of which will be prominently featured on his No. 17 Ford F-150.
Lester is one of just four African American NASCAR drivers in the last 60-years to race in the NASCAR Cup Series and he was the first black driver ever in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. In 2011, Bill also became the first African American driver in history to win a race in the NASCAR sanctioned Grand-Am Sports Car Series.
Lester’s best-selling book, ‘Winning in Reverse: Defying the Odds and Achieving Dreams’, was released in February and tells the story of his journey from working on muscle cars as a child to an engineering job at Hewlett-Packard to the winner’s circle, as he challenged social norms and battled racism along the way. Lester will be using #WinningInReverse on Twitter and Facebook throughout race week and beyond to help promote his inspiring message of hope and perseverance.
Lester, who resides in the Atlanta area, is excited to make his return to the Camping World Truck Series.
“I’m excited to get back behind the wheel in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and I want to thank David Gilliland Racing for their help in making this happen,” Lester said. “It’s been more than a few years since my last race in the series, but to have strong partners like the Greater Atlanta Ford Dealers, Camping World, and Tommy’s Express Car Wash joining me for my return means a lot and I am honored to have them on-board. I look forward to competing at my home track, Atlanta Motor Speedway, and hope to make all those who are supporting me proud.”
Aside from his storied racing career, Lester graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
Bill Lester and the No. 17 Ford F-150 will hit the track at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 20th, for the Fr8Auctions 200. The race will be televised live on FS1 beginning at 2:30 PM (ET). The Motor Racing Network (MRN) will carry the live radio broadcast, along with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.
Please visit www.BillLester.com to learn more about Bill Lester and his journey in life and auto racing.
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