Bill Lester stole the show from pole-winner Kasey Kahne on Friday by qualifying for the Golden Corral 500 to become the the first black driver to race in NASCAR's top series in nearly 20 years.
Driving a Dodge fielded by Bill Davis Racing and facing enormous pressure, the slim, quiet NASCAR truck series regular put up a lap of 190.502mph early in the Nextel Cup series qualifying session on the 1.5-mile oval at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
That was nearly 6mph faster than he ran in practice. But Lester still had to wait for more than an hour to see if it would be good enough to make it into the 43-car field for today's race.
PHOTO: AFP
"I only need to hold my breath for 30 or 35 more drivers," a smiling Lester said after getting out of his car. "I'm just glad I was able to realize my dream and get this opportunity."
The top 35 cars from last season's owners points are guaranteed starting spots at every race, leaving only eight places to the other entries like the 45-year-old Lester, trying to make a Cup race for the first time.
He made it easily, qualifying 19th overall and the fastest of 15 drivers who tried to drive their way into the race.
Lester is the first black man to qualify for a Cup race since Willy T. Ribbs ran three events in 1986.
NASCAR's most successful black driver was Wendell Scott, whose 13-year career spanned 495 races and a landmark victory in 1964.
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