Bill Lester Biography

Bill Lester is a motivational speaker, author, and former NASCAR driver. In 1984, he graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a B.S. in electrical engineering and computer science. He worked for Hewlett-Packard for 15 years as a computer scientist and project manager in Silicon Valley before becoming a professional racing car driver. He's competed in the SCCA Trans-Am Series, the IMSA Series, and the NASCAR Truck Series, and is one of just three African-American drivers to have ever raced in NASCAR's elite Cup Series. Lester worked as a TV analyst for "Around the Track" on Fox Sports South and "NASCAR America" on NBC Sports. Winning in Reverse: Defying the Odds and Achieving Dreams is his memoir. The Bill Lester Account is a dramatic story of one of the most well-known NASCAR drivers in history—and a pioneer whose dedication and enthusiasm opened the way for a new generation of racers. It was released by Pegasus Books in February 2021. Bill Lester is a graduate of the Bill Gove Speech Workshop, a week-long public speaking and corporate presentation training program where he learned how to construct vignettes and communicate his message in an engaging and amusing manner in order to become a successful keynote speaker. He is a poised and professional speaker who has appeared on CNN, NPR, GMA3, The New York Times, NBC Sports, Fox Sports, ESPN, USA Today, Yahoo Sports, CTV News, Car and Driver Magazine, AutoWeek, Black Enterprise, Black News Channel, We Buy Black, Mass Live, Sports Business Daily, The Undefeated, Orlando Sentinel, The Baltimore Times, and many more throughout his career. During Lester's five seasons in the NASCAR Truck Series, he was featured in a Speed Channel TV commercial promoting the series. Lester was featured on Honey Nut Cheerios collector edition cereal boxes in 2003 and 2004 by General Mills. In April of 2004, Lester was featured on the cover of Black Enterprise. Bill Lester raced in NASCAR and IMSA, two of the most prominent racing series in the United States. During his ten complete seasons, he won nearly $2 million in prize money, drove a total of 30,162 laps in a competition, and gained six podium places and one win. Lester became the first African-American driver to participate in NASCAR's elite Cup Series in 20 years in 2006. Another African American driver, Darrell "Bubba" Wallace, would not participate in the Cup rankings for another 11 years. Initial professional races in the SCCA Trans-Am Series and the IMSA Series are among Lester's notable accomplishments. He won the CART African American Driver Development Program audition in 1999 and was able to test an Indy Lights car with Team Kool Green as a consequence. In 2012, he was selected to represent Team USA in the Rotax Grand Finals of the international karting competition in Portimao, Portugal. Lester "retired" soon after, but he made a successful return in March of 2021 when he raced in NASCAR's Truck Series at the Atlanta Motor Speedway at the age of 60 to support NASCAR's diversity initiatives and promote his biography. Bill Lester has received numerous awards, including the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority's "Breaking New Frontiers" award in 2004, the Rainbow/PUSH organization's "Trailblazer in Motor Sports" award in 2004, the Rainbow/PUSH organization's "Jackie Robinson Award" in 2006, the RYSE Magazine's "Trailblazer Award" in 2013, and the National Association of Black Journalists' "Sam Lacy Pioneer Award" in 2013. Winning in Reverse: Overcoming Obstacles and Realizing Dreams— The Bill Lester Narrative relates the story of Lester's passion for racing, which prompted him to abandon a successful position as an engineer in order to pursue racing full-time. Lester faced a trifecta of disadvantages: he was black, middle-aged, and not from the South. Lester, like his rankings, rose above it all, and he created history again and time again. Bill Lester's success hinged on his ability to acquire the correct set of values and characteristics. During his tough path, he encountered several traps, heartaches, and lessons. Lester, on the other hand, fought the odds and triumphed against adversity, persecution, and bigotry to become a track legend. Lester's experience will appeal to anybody considering a career or lifestyle change, questioning social standards, or fighting discrimination. His ability to overcome obstacles and endure in the face of hardship is what makes him a powerful, motivating speaker and an inspiration to everybody who has the privilege of hearing him speak.

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