#The last black NASCAR driver speaks out following Bubba Wallace controversy

Bubba Wallace described himself as “wore the hell out” after a month as the most important voice in NASCAR.

Bill Lester wishes Wallace — NASCAR’s only Black driver — didn’t have to shoulder so much of the weight, but the most recent Black NASCAR driver before Wallace is thankful to see the impact the 26-year-old has made. Lester, 59, competed in NASCAR Cup, Xfinity and Truck series from 1999 to 2007.

“I’m very pleased at the stance that NASCAR has taken,” Lester told USA TODAY Sports. “It’s long overdue. I would have loved to have been able to have the platform that Bubba was given because of the unfortunate deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. Bubba called for change, and NASCAR was receptive, as a lot of the country is receptive to change.

“When I was racing in the early 2000s, I would have been looked at like I had two heads. I went on record talking about how uncomfortable the Confederate flag made me, but that fell on deaf ears. The sport was not ready for change at that time.”

Over the last month, the 26-year-old Wallace led the charge in getting the Confederate flag banned at NASCAR events and was a part of the Black Lives Matter movement. He was also thought to be the victim of a suspected hate crime when a noose was found in his assigned NASCAR stall, although the FBI ruled that no crime was committed as the noose had been there beforehand.

Though Lester said he never had issues with other NASCAR drivers, he often felt like an outcast at events in front of the sport’s traditional Southern fanbase.

“I never felt threatened, but I was made to feel uncomfortable,” Lester said. “I was fine in the garage area, but getting to the garage area, there was definitely some anxiety. At Las Vegas or Fontana (Calif.), I had no concerns. It was mostly a Southeast thing. Going from the parking lot to the track at Martinsville, oh man, I definitely felt my blood pressure rising on a couple of occasions.”

For Wallace — and future Black drivers — Lester expects racism to continue from fans who won’t be “welcoming and inviting.” Lester would like to help Wallace’s efforts and has made NASCAR president Steve Phelps aware of his interest in participating in the company’s diversity initiatives.

“I would like to be a part of what’s happening,” Lester said. “Bubba can’t shoulder all this himself. He is worn out. I’ve seen it. I’ve texted with him. The toll it’s taking on him is immense.

“I know what it’s like to be in that position. I’ve indicated to NASCAR that I’m there for them. I believe in the sport.”