JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A historic racing moment in Jacksonville received national attention Wednesday night as CBS News featured a story about Wendell Scott.
Scott was the first African-American to win a NASCAR premier series event. It happened at 1963 at the Jacksonville 200, during the height of the civil rights movement.
Scott's son, Frank, was part of his pit crew.
“We were the only African-Americans in a setting such as this,” Frank Scott said. “He had a lot of death threats. Not everybody loved Wendell Scott."
Scott's trophy was given to second place driver Buck Baker, who was white.
Scott's family said hours later, NASCAR acknowledged he won and paid him the prize money.
Scott has since been inducted into the NASCAR hall of fame.
Cox Media Group
