Dan Wheldon tragedy: African Americans in IndyCar racing

The unfortunate tragedy that resulted from the spectacular multi-car crash and subsequent death of IndyCar racing star Dan Wheldon on Oct. 16 in Las Vegas has brought increasing attention to the sport and the racers themselves.

Although their numbers are infinitesimal, IndyCar racing does boast several racers and owners in the popular sport.

Willy T. Ribbs is returning to the sport after a 10-year moratorium. He became the Indianapolis 500’s first African American starter exactly 20 years ago. He competed in the Firestone Indy Lights Series’ inaugural street race in Baltimore on Sept. 4. And he said he won’t rule out more starts if he is able line up sponsorship dollars. Eventually, he would like to become a full-time owner of the sport he loves.

It might start with a man who is now trying to get on the Indy circuit, Chase Austin, who was not even born when Ribbs made history.Austin who began driving for Ribbs’ startup Indy Lights team in this past May at Indianapolis. Today, Ribbs plans only to drive in the temporary street-course race in downtown Baltimore as a means of ramping the team’s profile while Austin concentrates on the Indy Lights’ oval races.

If Austin succeeds, there may be more African American drivers entering into the nation’s most popular spectator sport.

–terry shropshire