Willy T. Ribbs

Last updated
Willy T. Ribbs
WillyTRibbs.jpg
Ribbs in 1984
BornWilliam Theodore Ribbs Jr.
(1955-01-03) January 3, 1955 (age 69)
San Jose, California, U.S.
Achievements1976 Formula Ford Dunlop Championship Champion
Awards1983 Trans-Am Series Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Cup Series career
4 races run over 1 year
Best finish65th (1986)
First race 1986 First Union 400 (North Wilkesboro)
Last race 1986 The Budweiser at The Glen (Watkins Glen)
WinsTop tens Poles
000
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career
23 races run over 1 year
Best finish16th (2001)
First race 2001 Florida Dodge Dealers 250 (Daytona)
Last race 2001 Auto Club 200 (California)
WinsTop tens Poles
000
IndyCar Series career
1 race run over 1 year
Team(s)McCormack Motorsports (1999)
Best finish47th – 1999
First race 1999 Vegas.com 500 (Las Vegas)
WinsPodiums Poles
000
Champ Car career
46 races run over 5 years
Years active1990–1994
Team(s)Raynor Motorsports (1990)
Walker Racing (1991–1994)
Best finish17th (1991)
First race 1990 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach (Long Beach)
Last race 1994 Toyota Grand Prix of Monterey (Laguna Seca)
WinsPodiums Poles
000
Statistics current as of March 20, 2012.

William Theodore Ribbs Jr. (born January 3, 1955) is a retired American race car driver, racing owner, and sport shooter known for being the first African-American man to have tested a Formula One car (he did so in 1986) and to compete in the Indianapolis 500 (tested in 1985, raced in 1991 and 1993). Ribbs competed in many forms of auto racing, including the Trans-Am Series, IndyCar, Champ Car, IMSA, and the NASCAR Cup Series and Gander Outdoors Truck Series. [1] After retiring, he became a sport shooter in the National Sporting Clays Association.

Contents

Ribbs saw his most success in the Trans-Am Series, winning 17 races while driving for Dan Gurney and Jack Roush.

Biography

Ribbs won the SCCA Trans-Am race at Portland International Raceway in 1983. WillyTRibbsCamaro.jpg
Ribbs won the SCCA Trans-Am race at Portland International Raceway in 1983.

Ribbs grew up in San Jose, California as one of five children in a middle-class family. His father William "Bunny" Ribbs, Sr. was a plumbing contractor and amateur sportscar racer and was friends and neighbors with Indy Car driver Joe Leonard. Ribbs was nearly killed at eight years old when an out-of-control car at a race struck him. As a teenager, Ribbs would take his car out in the California mountains at high speeds, frequently stopped by police for reckless driving. Ribbs proceeded to enter a racing school at the age of 21. [2] [3] [4] Following his graduation from high school in 1975, Ribbs moved to Europe to compete. In 1977, Ribbs won the Dunlop/Autosport Star of Tomorrow FF1600 in his first year of competition, winning six races in eleven starts with Mike Eastick's Scorpion Racing School. Ribbs returned to the United States in 1978, making his debut in the Formula Atlantic open-wheel series at Long Beach on April 1, finishing 10th after running as high as 4th. [5] [2] [4] [6]

In May 1978, Charlotte Motor Speedway president and race promoter Humpy Wheeler entered Ribbs to drive a NASCAR Winston Cup car in the World 600 at Charlotte in an effort to attract black fans to his racetrack. Ribbs was partnered with veteran crew chief Harry Hyde. [7] After being initially rejected by track officials due to a lack of stock car experience, [8] and when the Dodge Magnum Ribbs was supposed to drive was committed to another driver, [9] Wheeler set Ribbs up with owner Will Cronkite and a Bud Moore Engineering-built Ford Torino. [10] Cronkite replaced him with future champion Dale Earnhardt. [7] [11]

Ribbs returned to the Formula Atlantic series in 1981, [2] winning the pole in the Long Beach Formula Atlantic race in 1982. The following year, Ribbs moved to the SCCA Trans-Am Series, driving Chevrolet Camaros with sponsorship from Budweiser. Ribbs won five races and was honored as Pro Rookie of the Year, while his teammate David Hobbs won the series championship. [2] Ribbs won four races in 1984 driving factory-backed Mercury Capris for Roush Racing. [2] [4]

Ribbs' made his first attempt at the Indianapolis 500 in 1985, which ended in controversy when during testing he topped out at 170 miles per hour while other rookie drivers were running laps above 200 miles per hour. Ribbs proceeded to withdraw from the race altogether. The deal had been put together in part by boxing promoter Don King, who Ribbs hired to manage him, with sponsorship from Miller Brewing Company, but with a second hand Cosworth machine from Arie Luyendyk. [2] [4] [12]

Ribbs attempted NASCAR again in 1986, running three races in the No. 30 Red Roof Inns car owned by DiGard Motorsports. His best finish came at his debut, a 22nd at North Wilkesboro Speedway. [13] 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. [14] Ultimately, Ribbs was not given the drive for the upcoming season. In 1987, Ribbs began driving Toyota Celicas for Dan Gurney in the IMSA GT Championship, winning four races. [2]

Ribbs driving at Laguna Seca in 1991 WillyTRibbs1991.jpg
Ribbs driving at Laguna Seca in 1991

In 1990, Ribbs joined the CART circuit in a car funded in-part by comedian Bill Cosby. [15] Ribbs had one top-10 event that season. He was involved in an unfortunate incident in Vancouver when a group of track marshals ran onto the track to assist Ross Bentley who had stalled, however, one of the marshals ran in front of Ribbs' car and the marshal was killed in the impact. [16]

In 1991, he became the first African-American to qualify for the Indianapolis 500. [17] He raced there a second time in 1993. [18] In 1994, he continued in the CART series with the team, finishing in the top 10 at the Michigan International Speedway [19] and New Hampshire International Speedway [20] 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. [21] 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 No. 8 Dodge Ram for Bobby Hamilton Racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. [13] [22] Driving 23 out of 24 races, Ribbs had a best finish of 13th, and finished 16th in points.

In May 2011, Ribbs announced he had formed Willy T. Ribbs Racing to campaign former biracial NASCAR driver Chase Austin in the Firestone Indy Lights' Freedom 100 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which coincided with Ribbs' 20th anniversary of breaking the color barrier at Indy. [23] Ribbs himself came out of retirement to drive for the team in the Baltimore GP.

Among Ribbs' career highlights are winning the pole for the Formula Atlantic race at the 1982 Long Beach Grand Prix, IMSA GTO Driver of the Year 1987-88, and Trans Am Series Driver of the Year 1983. Ribbs won 17 Trans Am and 10 IMSA GTO races. He was enshrined on Long Beach Walk of Fame.

In 2019, Ribbs won the Indy Legends Charity Pro–Am race with co-driver Ed Sevadjian. [24]

After racing

After retiring from racing, Ribbs turned to professional shooting, specializing in sporting clays. His son Theodore Ribbs is a professional sport shooter. Ribbs married hotel management executive Stephanie Bauer in August 2018. [13]

Controversy

Ribbs, an outspoken Black man (and not an obsequious "Stepin Fetchit," as Ribbs termed the sort of Black man the racing community wanted) had received criticism for his forthrightness during his career, sometimes from other African Americans in auto racing. Black car owner Leonard T. Miller, felt Ribbs was not the best representative of the Black community due to his outspoken nature. [1] Ribbs has also spoken negatively about his experience in NASCAR. 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. [5] [25] [26]

In 1984, during a warm-up session at the SCCA Trans-Am Series season opener at Road Atlanta, Ribbs was fined $1,000 for throwing a punch at fellow driver Bob Lobenberg, after the two drivers made contact on the track. [4] In 1987 following a race at Portland International Raceway, Ribbs was suspended by the International Motor Sports Association for one month after throwing a punch at driver Scott Pruett. [2] [27]

In media

In the Disney Channel cartoon The Proud Family and its 2021 Disney+ reboot The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder , Penny Proud and her friends attend "Willy T. Ribbs Middle School," where the mascot is the "Racer."

Ribbs was featured in the 2020 documentary Uppity: The Willy T. Ribbs Story, which released on Netflix. [28]

After driving in the 2021 SRX Series, Ribbs became a roving reporter for the 2022 season. [29]

Motorsports career results

Ribbs at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2018 WillyTRibbs2018SVRA.jpg
Ribbs at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2018

Career summary

SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPodiumsPointsPosition
1978 Formula Atlantic 10000136th
1981 North American Formula Atlantic Ralt America 30000633rd
1982 North American Formula Atlantic Archie Snider301001919th
1983 Trans-Am Series DeAtley Motorsports1254761482nd
IMSA GT Championship - GTU All American Racers 100000NC
1984 Trans-Am Series DeAtley Motorsports1342591553rd
IMSA GT Championship - GTO 111012024th
1985 Trans-Am Series Roush Protofab15747102132nd
IMSA GT Championship - GTO 212112027th
Formula One Motor Racing Developments Test driver
1986 IMSA GT Championship - GTO Brooks Racing91124925th
Trans-Am Series 200001127th
NASCAR Winston Cup Series 3000021965th
1987 IMSA GT Championship - GTO All American Racers 1343461255th
1988 IMSA GT Championship - GTO All American Racers 122124963rd
Trans-Am Series Lindley Racing7112378.511th
1989 IMSA GT Championship - GTP All American Racers 1200002423rd
Trans-Am Series Lindley Racing100011622nd
1990 CART PPG Indy Car World Series Raynor Racing80000326th
IMSA GT Championship - GTP All American Racers 100000NC
1991 CART PPG Indy Car World Series Walker Racing 900001717th
IMSA GT Championship - GTP All American Racers 20000737th
1992 CART PPG Indy Car World Series Walker Racing 100000NC
Trans-Am Series Whistler10000658th
1993 CART PPG Indy Car World Series Walker Motorsport 130000920th
1994 CART PPG Indy Car World Series Walker Racing 1500001222nd
1999 Indy Racing League McCormack Motorsports 10000447th
2000 Trans-Am Series Clover Enterprises1100011537th
2001 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Bobby Hamilton Racing 230000231916th
2011 Indy Lights Willy T. Ribbs Racing 100001729th
2021 SRX Series 600006710th

American open–wheel racing results

(key)

PPG Indycar Series

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

YearTeam1234567891011121314151617RankPointsRef
1984 Doug Shierson Racing LBH PHX INDY
Wth1
MIL POR MEA CLE MCH ROA POC MDO SAN MCH PHX LAG CPL NC- [30]
1985 AMI Racing LBH INDY
Wth2
MIL POR MEA CLE MCH ROA POC MDO SAN MCH LAG PHX MIA NC- [31]
1990 Raynor Motorsports PHX LBH
20
INDY MIL DET
20
POR CLE MEA
23
TOR
27
MCH DEN
26
VAN
10
MDO
27
ROA NAZ LAG
13
26th3 [32]
1991 Walker Racing SRF LBH PHX INDY
32
MIL DET
11
POR CLE
22
MEA
10
TOR MCH DEN
6
VAN
21
MDO ROA
10
NAZ
17
LAG
12
17th17 [33]
1992 Walker Racing SRF PHX LBH INDY DET POR MIL NHA TOR MCH CLE ROA VAN MDO NAZ LAG
25
57th0 [34]
1993 Walker Racing SRF PHX LBH INDY
21
MIL
11
DET
12
POR
16
CLE
27
TOR
18
MCH
10
NHA
15
ROA
12
VAN
16
MDO
11
NAZ
19
LAG
28
20th9 [35]
1994 Walker Racing SRF
18
PHX
28
LBH
18
INDY
DNQ
MIL
25
DET
16
POR
25
CLE
12
TOR
21
MCH
7
MDO
28
NHA
10
VAN
25
ROA
24
NAZ
18
LAG
11
22nd12 [36]
1 Did not appear
2 Withdrew from rookie orientation

Indy Racing League

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

YearTeamChassisNo.Engine1234567891011RankPointsRef
1999 McCormack Motorsports G-Force GF01C30 Oldsmobile Aurora V8 WDW PHX CLT INDY TXS PPIR ATL DOV PPIR LVS
26
TXS 47th4 [37]

Indianapolis 500

YearChassisEngineStartFinishTeam
1984 DSR-1 Cosworth Wth Doug Shierson Racing
1985 March 85C Cosworth Wth AMI Racing
1991 Lola T9000 Buick 2932 Raynor Motorsports
1993 Lola T9200 FordXB 3021 Walker Racing
1994 Lola T9400 FordXB DNQ Walker Racing

Indy Lights

YearTeam1234567891011121314RankPointsRef
2011 Willy T. Ribbs Racing STP ALA LBH INDY MIL IOW TOR EDM1 EDM2 TRO NHM BAL
13
KTY LVS 29th17 [38]

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
YearTeamNo.Make1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829NWCCPtsRef
1986 DiGard Motorsports 30 Chevy DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI
DNQ
DAR NWS
22
MAR TAL DOV CLT
DNQ
MCH
39
DAY POC TAL GLN
37
MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD 65th219 [39]
64 RSD
29
POC

Craftsman Truck Series

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results
YearTeamNo.Make123456789101112131415161718192021222324NCTCPtsRef
2001 Bobby Hamilton Racing 8 Dodge DAY
23
HOM
19
MMR
28
MAR
DNQ
GTY
20
DAR
29
PPR
13
DOV
19
TEX
25
MEM
17
MLW
18
KAN
15
KEN
30
NHA
18
IRP
20
NSH
24
CIC
28
NZH
18
RCH
20
SBO
28
TEX
19
LVS
25
PHO
19
CAL
18
16th2319 [40]

Superstar Racing Experience

(key) * – Most laps led. 1 – Heat 1 winner. 2 – Heat 2 winner.

Superstar Racing Experience results
YearNo.123456SRXCPts
2021 17 STA
8
KNX
10
ELD
9
IRP
11
SLG
7
NSV
12
10th67

* Season still in progress

See also

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