Racing Pioneer Willy T. Ribbs Talks Family, Race And New Netflix Film "Uppity" With SiriusXM's 'Auto Trends'



Like baseball’s Jackie Robinson, Willy T. Ribbs found himself in the thick of it too, dealing with the intersection of race and sports. As we embark upon Black History Month, the racing pioneer joins SiriusXM’s Auto Trends with JeffCars.com for a wide-ranging, must-hear two-part conversation.

In pursuing his dream to become a race car driver, Ribbs never allowed the hue of his skin tone to hinder his ‘drive,’ no pun intended. In fact, the racing legend was known as the Jackie Robinson of the racing world.

During our riveting talk, just like in his recently released Netflix documentary entitled, ‘Uppity,’ Ribbs gives us permission to ride along with him, as he shares the bumps, road blocks and unpaved trails he encountered on his path to becoming the first black person to qualify for the Indianapolis 500.

Melissa Harville-Lebron Shares On 'Auto Trends' How Love, Music And A Near Death Experience Drove The Mother Of Seven To Become A NASCAR Team Owner

Melissa Harville-Lebron (Photo Credit: Melissa Harville-Lebron)

If you’re a racing fan, you’re more than likely familiar with such history makers as Willy T. Ribbs, Wendell Scott, Darrell ‘Bubba’ Wallace Jr., Latrice ‘Tia’ Norfleet and Lewis Hamilton.

Unlike the aforementioned noted names, barrier breaker Melissa Harville-Lebron has not spent countless hours behind the wheel racking up laps. She’s literally taken a different course of action to steer the wheel and break into this male dominated sport, which lacks diversity in terms of both melanin and gender.