S1 Ep184: Willy T. Ribbs: The First Black Driver to Test a F1 Car
Past Gas
Donut Media
4.9 • 7.2K Ratings
🗓️ 22 May 2023
⏱️ 72 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
After blowing three engines, Willy T Ribbs was about to give up on his dream of running in the Indy 500. With only hours left to get into the race, his team disassembled the engine, assessed the situation, and tried for a fourth time. They succeeded. That was the day Willy became a part of racing - and more importantly - American history. But why did it take so long for Willy to get the start he deserved? Where did he get his brash attitude and how did that affect his career? And how did he finally become the first African-American driver to race in the Indy 500? Today on Past Gas, we look at a legend of both racing and civil rights, Willy T Ribbs.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Big thanks to Chime for sponsoring this episode of Past Gas. |
| 0:04.0 | Sign up for a Chime Checking account today to link your paycheck. |
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| 0:26.0 | Big thanks to Turo for sponsoring this episode of Past Gas. |
| 0:32.0 | Turo is the world's largest car sharing marketplace. |
| 0:35.0 | With Turo, you can book any car you want wherever you want it. |
| 0:38.0 | From a community of local hosts across the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, |
| 0:43.0 | find your drive and forget boring rental cars at Turo.com. |
| 0:47.0 | May 19, 1991. |
| 0:57.0 | Willie T. Ribs have been grinding at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a month, |
| 1:01.0 | trying to qualify for the Indy 500. |
| 1:04.0 | Surrounded by his peers, and haunted by a career of false starts and prejudice, |
| 1:08.0 | it didn't seem like Willie would make the cut. |
| 1:11.0 | He was up against two blown engines, two failed qualifying events, |
| 1:15.0 | and a seemingly insurmountable gap between his scrappy hardware and the high-tech machines of the other racers. |
... |
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