Willy T. Ribbs
Encyclopedia
William "Willy" Theodore Ribbs, Jr. (born January 3, 1955 in San Jose, California
) is a racecar 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
.
Also in 1986, Ribbs became the first Black person to drive a Formula One
car, when he tested for the Bernie Ecclestone
-owned Brabham team at the Autódromo do Estoril
, Portugal
. Ultimately, Ribbs was not given the drive for the upcoming season. Lewis Hamilton
became the first and only black driver to compete in a F1 championship.
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 IndyCar 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
.
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.
cartoon The Proud Family
, Penny Proud and her friends attend "Willy T. Ribbs Middle School," where the mascot is the "Racer."
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
) is a racecar driver who competed in many forms of auto racing
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of 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
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
to compete in the Formula Ford
Formula Ford
Formula Ford is a single seater, open wheel class in motorsport which exists in some form in many countries around the world. It is an entry-level series to motor racing....
Series. He won the Dunlop Championship in his first year of competition, then returned to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
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
Dale Earnhardt
Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...
.
Ribbs went on to race Formula Atlantic
Formula Atlantic
Formula Atlantic is a specification of open wheel racing car developed in the 1970s. It was used in professional racing through the IMSA Atlantic Championship until 2009 and is currently primarily used in amateur racing through Sports Car Club of America Formula Atlantic.-History:The history of...
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
DiGard Motorsports
DiGard Motorsports was a championship-winning race team in NASCAR Winston Cup that had its most success in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
. His best finish came at his debut, a 22nd at North Wilkesboro Speedway
North Wilkesboro Speedway
North Wilkesboro Speedway was a short track that held races in NASCAR's top three series from NASCAR's inception in 1949 until its closure in 1996...
.
Also in 1986, Ribbs became the first Black person to drive a Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
car, when he tested for the Bernie Ecclestone
Bernie Ecclestone
Bernard Charles "Bernie" Ecclestone is an English business magnate, as president and CEO of Formula One Management and Formula One Administration and through his part-ownership of Alpha Prema, the parent company of the Formula One Group of companies. As such, he is generally considered the primary...
-owned Brabham team at the Autódromo do Estoril
Autódromo do Estoril
The Autódromo do Estoril is a race course in Portugal, owned by state-run holding management company Parpública. Its length is . It was the home of the Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix from 1984 to 1996....
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. Ultimately, Ribbs was not given the drive for the upcoming season. Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton, MBE is a British Formula One racing driver from England, currently racing for the McLaren team. He was the Formula One World Champion.Hamilton was born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire...
became the first and only black driver to compete in a F1 championship.
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
circuit in a car funded in-part by comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby
William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
. Ribbs had one top-10 event that season. Also in 1990, Ribbs was involved in an unfortunate incident during the Molson Indy Vancouver
Molson Indy Vancouver
Molson Indy Vancouver was an annual Champ Car race held in a street circuit near B.C. Place and running past Science World in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada held in July or August from 1990 to 2004....
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
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
. 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
Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than in Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas...
and New Hampshire International Speedway
New Hampshire International Speedway
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a oval speedway located in Loudon, New Hampshire which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since the early 1990s, as well as an IndyCar weekend and the oldest motorcycle race in North America, the Loudon Classic...
races.
In 1999, Ribbs raced in an Indy Racing League IndyCar Series
IndyCar Series
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada near Las Vegas, is a complex of multiple tracks for automobile racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:...
for McCormack Motorsports
McCormack Motorsports
McCormack Motorsports is a former Indy Racing League team owned by Dennis McCormack that operated from 1996 to 2001. Based in Avon, Indiana, the team debuted at the 1996 Indianapolis 500 with a car for Randy Tolsma, however, it failed to make the field. For the 1996-1997 season, the team used 3...
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
Trans-Am Series
The Trans-Am Series is an automobile racing series which was created in 1966 by Sports Car Club of America President John Bishop. Originally known as the Trans-American Sedan Championship it has evolved over time from its original format as a manufacturers championship for modified racing sedans...
in 2000, Ribbs signed to drive the #8 Dodge Ram
Dodge Ram
The Dodge Ram is a full-size pickup truck manufactured by the Chrysler Group LLC. As of late 2010, it has been sold under the Ram Trucks brand. Previously, Ram was part of the Dodge lineup of light trucks...
for Bobby Hamilton Racing
Bobby Hamilton Racing
Bobby Hamilton Racing-Virginia was a former NASCAR racing team. It was owned by four-time NEXTEL Cup winner and 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Bobby Hamilton until his death on January 7, 2007. Bobby Hamilton, Jr. was given ownership after the death of his father, but the younger...
in the Craftsman Truck Series
Craftsman Truck Series
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...
. 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
Jason Whitlock
Jason Lee Whitlock is a sportswriter for Foxsports.com, as well as a former columnist at the Kansas City Star, AOL Sports writer, contributor to ESPN, and radio personality for WHB and KCSP sports stations in the Kansas City area.-College and sports:Whitlock was an all-state offensive lineman at...
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
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
.
In May 2011, Ribbs announced he had formed Willy T. Ribbs Racing to campaign former NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver Chase Austin
Chase Austin
Chase Austin is an American racecar driver. He is a former development driver with Hendrick Motorsports and Rusty Wallace Racing. He is currently a part-time driver in the INDYCAR Firestone Indy Lights series.-Background:...
in the Firestone Indy Lights' Freedom 100
Freedom 100
The Firestone Freedom 100 is a Firestone Indy Lights Series auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is currently held the Friday before the Indianapolis 500...
at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
, which would coincide with Ribbs' 20th anniversary of breaking the color barrier at Indy.
Trivia
In the Disney ChannelDisney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
cartoon The Proud Family
The Proud Family
The Proud Family is an American animated television series that premiered on Disney Channel from September 15, 2001 to August 19, 2005.-Production:...
, Penny Proud and her friends attend "Willy T. Ribbs Middle School," where the mascot is the "Racer."
CART
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Raynor Motorsports |  PHX |
LBH Ret |
INDY 1990 Indianapolis 500 The 74th Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 27, 1990. Arie Luyendyk took the lead with 32 laps to go, and earned his first-ever victory in championship-level competition... |
MIL |
DET Ret |
POR |
CLE |
MEA Ret |
 TOR Ret |
MIS |
DEN Ret |
VAN 10 |
MDO Ret |
ROA |
NZR |
LS 13 |
26th | 3 | |
| 1991 | Walker Racing Walker Racing Walker Racing is a racing team founded by Derrick Walker in 1991 racing originally in the CART Championship Car series. Presently the team competes in the Firestone Indy Lights series.-Early success:... |
 SRF 1991 Gold Coast IndyCar Grand Prix The 1991 Gold Coast IndyCar Grand Prix was the opening round of the 1991 IndyCar season, held on 17 March 1991 on the Streets of Surfers Paradise, Australia.-Qualifying results:- Race :-External links:... |
LBH |
PHX |
INDY 1991 Indianapolis 500 The 75th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 26, 1991. Rick Mears won from the pole position, becoming the third four-time winner of the Indy 500, joining A. J. Foyt and Al Unser.... Ret |
MIL |
DET 11 |
POR |
CLE Ret |
MEA 10 |
TOR |
MIS |
DEN 6 |
VAN Ret |
MDO |
ROA 10 |
NZR Ret |
LS 12 |
17th | 17 |
| 1992 | Walker Racing Walker Racing Walker Racing is a racing team founded by Derrick Walker in 1991 racing originally in the CART Championship Car series. Presently the team competes in the Firestone Indy Lights series.-Early success:... |
SRF |
PHX |
LBH |
INDY 1992 Indianapolis 500 The 76th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 24, 1992. The race is famous for the fierce battle in the closing laps, as race winner Al Unser, Jr... |
DET |
POR |
MIL |
NHM |
TOR |
MIS |
CLE |
ROA |
VAN |
MDO |
NZR |
LS Ret |
57th | 0 | |
| 1993 | Walker Racing Walker Racing Walker Racing is a racing team founded by Derrick Walker in 1991 racing originally in the CART Championship Car series. Presently the team competes in the Firestone Indy Lights series.-Early success:... |
SRF 1993 Australian FAI IndyCar Grand Prix The 1993 Australian FAI IndyCar Grand Prix was the opening round of the 1993 CART World Series season, held on 21 March 1993 on the Streets of Surfers Paradise, Australia. The race was won by series débutant Nigel Mansell, the first person to win his first race in the series.-Qualifying results:-... |
PHX |
LBH |
INDY 1993 Indianapolis 500 The 77th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 30, 1993. Emerson Fittipaldi took the lead with 16 laps to go, and won his second career Indy 500 victory... 21 |
MIL 11 |
DET 12 |
POR 16 |
CLE Ret |
TOR Ret |
MIS 10 |
NHM 15 |
ROA 12 |
VAN 16 |
MDO 11 |
NZR 19 |
LS Ret |
20th | 9 | |
| 1994 | Walker Racing Walker Racing Walker Racing is a racing team founded by Derrick Walker in 1991 racing originally in the CART Championship Car series. Presently the team competes in the Firestone Indy Lights series.-Early success:... |
SRF 1994 Australian FAI Indycar Grand Prix The 1994 Australian FAI Indycar Grand Prix was the opening round of the 1994 CART World Series season, held on 20 March 1994 on the streets of Surfers Paradise, Australia.... Ret |
PHX Ret |
LBH Ret |
INDY 1994 Indianapolis 500 The 78th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 29, 1994. Al Unser, Jr. won from the pole position, his second Indy 500 victory. Much to the surprise of competitors, media, and fans, Marlboro Team Penske arrived at the Speedway with a brand new, secretly-built... DNQ |
MIL 25 |
DET 16 |
POR 25 |
CLE 12 |
TOR Ret |
MIS 7 |
MDO Ret |
NHM 10 |
VAN Ret |
ROA Ret |
NZR 18 |
LS 11 |
22nd | 12 |
Indy Racing League
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | McCormack Motorsports McCormack Motorsports McCormack Motorsports is a former Indy Racing League team owned by Dennis McCormack that operated from 1996 to 2001. Based in Avon, Indiana, the team debuted at the 1996 Indianapolis 500 with a car for Randy Tolsma, however, it failed to make the field. For the 1996-1997 season, the team used 3... |
WDW |
PHX |
INDY 1999 Indianapolis 500 The 1999 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 30, 1999.-Recap:Robby Gordon and Team Menard take a major gamble late in the race, and try to stretch their fuel for the win. Gordon had last pit on lap 164, and attempted to run the final 36 laps on one tank... |
TXS |
PPIR |
ATL |
DOV |
PPI2 |
LVS 26 |
TX2 |
47th | 4 |
Indy Lights
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 2011 Indy Lights season The 2011 Indy Lights season is a season of open wheel motor racing in which cars' drivers will compete against each other using cars which conform to the Indy Lights set of motor racing regulations. It is the 26th season of the Indy Lights series and the tenth sanctioned by IndyCar where the... |
Willy T. Ribbs Racing | STP Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg The Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is an IndyCar Series race held in St. Petersburg, Florida.-History:Racing in the St. Petersburg area dates back to 1985. The SCCA Trans-Am Series held a race on a downtown waterfront circuit from 1985-1990. Local residents and businesses complained about... |
ALA Indy Grand Prix of Alabama The Indy Grand Prix of Alabama is an IndyCar Series race held at Barber Motorsports Park, a 16-turn road course, in Leeds, Alabama, United States. Officially announced on July 27, 2009, the inaugural event was on the weekend of April 9–11, 2010. The event is under contract through the 2012 season... |
LBH |
INDY |
MIL |
IOW Iowa Corn Indy 250 The Iowa Corn Indy 250 Presented by Pioneer is an IndyCar Series race held at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa. The first event was held in 2007.-IndyCar history in Iowa:... |
TOR Honda Indy Toronto The Honda Indy Toronto is an annual IndyCar Series race, held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Originally known as the Molson Indy Toronto, it was a Champ Car World Series race held annually from 1986 to 2007... |
EDM1 |
EDM2 |
TRO Circuit Trois-Rivières The Circuit Trois-Rivières is a street circuit located in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada. The circuit has hosted American Le Mans Series, Grand-Am Rolex Series, Trans-Am series and Formula Atlantic races in the past... |
NHM New England Indy 200 The MoveThatBlock.com Indy 225 is an IndyCar race at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire. It was held as a CART Champ Car event from 1992 until 1995, switching to the Indy Racing League for the 1996–97 season. On June 21, 2010, it was announced that the IndyCar Series would... |
BAL Baltimore Grand Prix The Baltimore Grand Prix is an IndyCar Series and American Le Mans Series race held on a street circuit in Baltimore, Maryland. The inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix was held September 4, 2011. The races are contested on a temporary street circuit around the Inner Harbor area of downtown Baltimore... 13 |
KTY |
LVS Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada near Las Vegas, is a complex of multiple tracks for automobile racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:... |
28th* | 17* |
- * Season in progress.
See also
- Lewis HamiltonLewis HamiltonLewis Carl Davidson Hamilton, MBE is a British Formula One racing driver from England, currently racing for the McLaren team. He was the Formula One World Champion.Hamilton was born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire...
, first black driver to compete in a Formula OneFormula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
Grand PrixGrand Prix motor racingGrand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver...
, win a race, and become World Drivers' Champion2008 Formula One seasonThe 2008 Formula One season was the 59th FIA Formula One World Championship season. It began on 16 March and ended on 2 November with eighteen Grand Prix races....
.