Benny Scott facts for kids
Benny Scott (born February 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California – died September 25, 2009) was a pioneering African American race car driver. His father, Bill "Bullet" Scott, was also a racer. He inspired Benny by racing small "midget" cars in Southern California in the 1930s. Benny followed in his father's footsteps, becoming a rare sight in the world of motor racing.
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Benny Scott's Early Racing Career
In 1968, Benny Scott realized that car racing cost a lot of money. So, he earned a master's degree in psychology. He taught psychology at Los Angeles Harbor College. At the same time, he raced foreign stock cars in Southern California. He drove a Renault 4CV and finished 10th in points that season.
In 1969, he returned with an improved Renault car. It had a special frame and a powerful Gordini engine. He won his first championship, the Foreign Stock Car Association of Southern California title. Soon after, he started road racing. He drove an Austin-Healey Bug-Eyed Sprite and Formula B cars. He raced at Riverside International Raceway and earned his Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) license.
Mel Leighton, another African American racing pioneer from Los Angeles, introduced Benny to Leonard W. Miller. Miller was an African American businessman. He led a company called Dynamic Programs, Inc.
Joining a Racing Team: Vanguard Racing
In 1971, Leonard W. Miller created Vanguard Racing, Inc. Their goal was to prepare Benny Scott for the Indianapolis 500 race over five years. The team's leaders included important people. These included Paul Jackson, Sargent Shriver (who was the first head of the Peace Corps and later ran for Vice President in 1972), Washington Redskins player Brig Owens, and Richard Deutsch.
Benny drove a McLaren M10-A car for Vanguard. It had a powerful 500-horsepower Chevrolet V-8 engine. He competed in the L & M Continental 5000 Championship and SCCA races. Drivers from all over the world came to race in Formula A. In 1972, Benny won the CSCC-SCCA Southern Pacific Division Championship with his McLaren M10-A.
Benny Scott was featured in Champion Spark Plug's first national advertisement with an African American driver. The ad campaign was called "Fast Road to Indianapolis." It showed Benny next to his Vanguard McLaren M10-A. Champion also became a sponsor for Black American Racers, Inc. They were a founding member of the Black American Racers Association (BARA).
BARA was started in 1972 by Leonard W. Miller, Ron Hines, Wendell Scott, and Malcolm Durham. This group grew to 5,000 members across the country. They supported all African American efforts in car racing. BARA also helped Benny Scott achieve his racing dreams after the Civil Rights Movement.
Vanguard Racing, Inc. also had a white driver, John Mahler. He raced in the 1972 Indianapolis 500. Vanguard hoped Mahler would help Benny prepare for the Indianapolis 500 in future years. However, many of Vanguard's investors were so excited about the Indianapolis race with John Mahler that they lost patience. They wanted Benny to race there sooner. Because of this, the team broke up.
National Sponsorship and Big Races
In 1973, Leonard W. Miller formed Black American Racers, Inc. (BAR). Their office was in Trenton, New Jersey. BAR got a major sponsorship from Brown & Williamson Tobacco Company, through their Viceroy Cigarettes brand. This sponsorship had a plan called "Road to Indy."
This plan helped Benny race in Formula Super Vee (FSV) competitions. These races were part of SCCA, International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), and the Robert Bosch Gold Cup series. He raced on famous tracks across America, like Watkins Glen and Laguna Seca.
Benny had several great finishes in his Lola T-324 FSV cars. His most memorable race was at Laguna Seca Raceway in California on May 4, 1975. He started in "pole position," meaning he was the fastest in qualifying. He reached a speed of 100.882 mph. He was the first driver to go over 100 mph in a Formula Super Vee at Laguna Seca. He was even faster than Germany's famous Hans-Joachim Stuck, who was racing in another series. In the actual race, Benny was beaten by only inches by Freddie Phillips right at the finish line. Other drivers who raced in FSV and later went to the Indianapolis 500 included Howdy Holmes, Bob Lazier, and Bill Alsup.
Racing in the Long Beach Grand Prix
Brown & Williamson Tobacco was very happy with Benny's progress. The company helped BAR move into Formula 5000 racing. This meant Benny raced on the same tracks as legends like Al Unser, Mario Andretti, David Hobbs, Brian Redman, Jackie Oliver, and Jody Scheckter.
Benny's most famous Formula 5000 race was the first-ever Long Beach Grand Prix on September 28, 1975. He qualified 24th out of 30 drivers. There were 60 drivers from five countries trying to qualify! Viceroy also sponsored Al Unser and Mario Andretti. Benny finished 11th in the grand prix. This was only his third race in the very fast 210-mph Lola T332. The Viceroy Parnelli cars, driven by Unser and Andretti, had mechanical problems and could not finish.
At the end of 1975, Brown & Williamson Tobacco Company stopped all their car racing sponsorships worldwide. This was due to internal company reasons. BAR could not find another sponsor like them.
Hall of Fame Recognition
In 1976, Benny Scott was honored. He was inducted into the Black Athletes Hall of Fame at the New York Hilton. The famous actor Bill Cosby hosted the event. Many other sports stars were also inducted. These included football great Frank Gifford, TV commentator Howard Cosell, boxing promoter Don King, NBA player Earl "The Pearl" Monroe, and boxer Joe Frazier. Over 1,000 people attended this special event.
In 1978, Benny Scott returned to Formula Super Vee racing. He finished the season for BAR's African American driver Tommy Thompson. Tommy had passed away in a racing accident in September at the Trenton Speedway. After 1978, Benny never raced again because he could not find another company to sponsor him.
Retirement and Legacy
Benny Scott's wife, Shill Scott, was a great support during his racing career. She passed away in 1994. They had one son, Damien. Benny also had another son, Eric Parker, who was adopted at birth in 1964. Benny and Eric were reunited in the mid-1990s.
Benny worked for many years as a psychology professor in Southern California. In 2001, he left his home in Malibu. He retired from his job as dean of academic affairs at Los Angeles Mission College. He moved to an island in Washington State. Benny Scott is known as the most educated African American race car driver to reach the professional level in open-wheel racing. Leonard W. Miller, Ron Hines, and Benny Scott remained close friends throughout their lives.
