FANTASY NASCAR Racin

was a race car driver who competed in many forms of auto racing. After retiring, he became a sport shooter in the National Sporting Clays Association. Following his graduation from high school in 1975, Ribbs moved to Europe to compete in the Formula Ford Series. He won the Dunlop Championship in his first year of competition, then returned to the United States. Charlotte Motor Speedway president Humpy Wheeler entered Ribbs to drive a Winston Cup car owned by Will Cronkite in the 1978 World 600 at the Charlotte track. After Ribbs skipped two practice sessions and was arrested for evading police when he drove the wrong way down a one way street, Cronkite replaced him with Dale Earnhardt. Ribbs went on to race Formula Atlantic cars, winning the pole in the Long Beach Formula Atlantic race in 1982. The following year, Ribbs won five races in the SCCA Trans-Am Series and was honored as Pro Rookie of the Year. Ribbs would attempt NASCAR again in 1986, running three races in the #30 Red Roof Inns car owned by DiGard Motorsports. His best finish came at his debut, a 22nd at North Wilkesboro Speedway. In 1990, Ribbs joined the CART circuit in a car funded in-part by comedian Bill Cosby. Ribbs had one top-10 event that

season. Also in 1990, Ribbs was involved in an unfortunate incident during the Molson Indy Vancouver where a track marshal was killed. The track worker, Jean Patrick Hein, was pushing another car off the track when he darted in front of Ribbs' car, was run over, and killed. In 1991, he became the first African-American to qualify for the Indianapolis 500. He raced there a second time in 1993. In 1994, he continued in the CART series with the team, finishing in the top 10 at the Michigan International Speedway and New Hampshire International Speedway

races. In 1999, Ribbs raced in an Indy Racing League Indy Car Series event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for McCormack Motorsports as a try-out to join the team full-time in 2000. However he crashed on lap four and finished in 26th and last place. After three top-10s the Trans-Am Series in 2000, Ribbs signed to drive the #8 Dodge Ram for Bobby Hamilton Racing in the Craftsman Truck Series. Driving 23 out of 24 races, Ribbs had a best finish of 13th, and finished 16th in points. In May 2006, a newspaper column by Jason Whitlock of Knight-Ridder quoted Ribbs detailing his criticism of NASCAR and his lauding of the Indianapolis 500. Ribbs created controversy by referring to NASCAR as Al-Qaida, "Neckcar", and WWE.

Ribbs always seemed to run mid-pack in the Truck series, even thought Hamilton supplied him with competitive equipment. The majority of his finishes were between 15th and 25th. He did seem to take care of his equipment as he only had one blown motor and two crashes in his 23 starts. (but here is a video of a 1986 spin at North Wilkesboro) He had a best qualifying attempt of third in 2001 at Daytona. For his career driving Indy cars he had 47 starts, never posting a top 10 finish. He career best was a 7th place finish at Michigan Speedway in 1994. In May 2011, Ribbs announced he had formed Willy T. Ribbs Racing to campaign former NASCAR driver Chase Austin in the Firestone Indy Lights' Freedom 100 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which would coincide with Ribbs' 20th anniversary of breaking the color barrier at Indy. Some info from WikiPedia

Fantasy NASCAR Racing

WILLIAMS THEODORE "WILLY T" RIBBS - 01/03/1955