Winning in Reverse

The amazing and dramatic story of Bill Lester, one of the most well-known NASCAR drivers in history—and a pioneer whose determination and spirit has paved the way for a new generation of racers.

NASCAR has traditionally been a southern, white man’s sports, but it was knocked off its axis when Bill Lester entered the playing field. Bill did not grow up in the sport as so many other drivers had.  He enjoyed racing as a side hobby while he worked as an engineer at Hewlett-Packard until, at the age of 40, and while standing on the brink of peril or promise, he quit his job to pursue racing full time. 

Blessed with natural talent, Bill still had a trifecta of odds against him: he was black, he was middle aged, and he wasn’t a southerner. Bill was not the quintessential “good old boy” that NASCAR was used to seeing and many fans did not hide their contempt for him. 

Bill Lester rose above it all, as did his rankings, and he made history time and time again, becoming the first African American to race in NASCAR’s Busch Series, the first to participate in the Nextel Cup and the first to win a Pole Positon start in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

In Winning In Reverse, Bill reveals how he came to love working on muscle cars as a child, racing in the streets as a teenager, getting married, pursuing amateur racing and then finally transitioning to the pros.  Readers will be inspired by Bill's inspirational and encouraging voice and the conviction that fills each page.

Whether you are contemplating a career or lifestyle change,  challenging social norms, or struggling against prejudice or bigotry, Winning in Reverse is a story for sports fans and readers everywhere about the power of perserverance in the face of adversity.