Ken Wright (auto racing mechanic) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ken Wright
|
|
|---|---|
Wright in 1970 with Mr. Diplomat, the Miller Brothers 1955 Chevy station wagon drag racer
|
|
| Born |
Kenneth W. Wright
1940 (age 84–85) |
| Alma mater | Spring Garden College |
| Occupation |
|
Kenneth W. Wright, born in 1940, is a skilled former race car driver and mechanic. He worked with many teams, including Black American Racers, Inc. (BAR). BAR was the first African American auto racing team in the United States to get big national sponsors.
Contents
Early Life and Car Passion
Kenneth Wright's love for cars started young. His friendship with the Miller brothers, Dexter G. and Leonard W., began when he was just five years old. When he was 13, Leonard would visit his neighborhood in a cool 1940 Ford hot rod convertible.
Riding in that car and seeing its special engine parts made Wright want to become a full-time car technician. After finishing Conestoga High School in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, he took every car class his school offered.
Starting a Car Club
In 1956, Wright helped start the Black Hawk Auto Club. He created it with Horace “Buddy” Sparrow and other African American teens in Wayne, Pennsylvania. In 1957, a club trip to the York Dragway in York, Pennsylvania made him want to try drag racing.
Learning Auto Repair
After high school, Wright started training at Sharpless Auto Body in Devon, Pennsylvania. There, he learned all about fixing cars after crashes. He then went to Spring Garden College in Philadelphia, graduating in 1962. After college, he worked at Horsiey's Automotive Service Center in Narberth, Pennsylvania.
At that time, it was rare for African Americans to have jobs in the auto body trade at big companies. Wright's amazing skills stood out in his community.
Teaching Car Skills
In 1966, Wright joined the School District of Philadelphia. He taught adults aged 18–35 how to repair cars at the John F. Kennedy Center for Vocational Education. While teaching, he earned a degree in education from Temple University in 1979. He retired from teaching in 2002.
Racing Career
From 1969 to 1970, Wright became a successful drag racer. He drove a National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) 1955 Chevrolet station wagon for Miller Brothers Racing. He won many races at tracks like Atco Dragway in Atco, New Jersey, and Englishtown Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey. He also raced at McGuire Air Force Base drag strip and the Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, Pennsylvania.
Joining Black American Racers
When Leonard W. Miller helped create the Black American Racers Association (BARA) in 1972, Wright became one of its first members. This special group had 5,000 African American car racers from all over the country. It included drag racing teams, mechanics, and car collectors. Through BARA, Wright met Ron Hines and the famous African American NASCAR driver Wendell Scott.
Road Racing Mechanic
In 1973, Wright and Hines teamed up with Miller's Black American Racers, Inc. (BAR) team. This team was sponsored by Brown & Williamson Tobacco (Viceroy Cigarettes). They had a talented driver named Benny Scott, who raced in Formula Super Vee (FSV) races. They competed on famous tracks like Pocono Raceway, Lime Rock Park, Watkins Glen International, and Road Atlanta.
Ken Wright had many technical skills, including painting, welding, tuning engines, and fixing transmissions. These skills were very useful for BAR. He helped prepare their Lola T-324 and T-620 race cars. He was a very important part of the team's success in the 1970s.
Wright stayed with the BAR team even after their main sponsorship ended in 1975. He was a special guest when Benny Scott and Leonard W. Miller were honored at the Black Athletes Hall of Fame in 1976. Many famous people attended, including actor Bill Cosby, track star Wilma Rudolph, singer James Brown, and boxing legend Jersey Joe Walcott.
After 1975, Leonard W. Miller started a new FSV racing effort. Ken Wright was still a key part of this team. He helped them win an SCCA Northeast Championship at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania.
The team, including Ken Wright, also raced at the Milwaukee Mile. FSV racing later became the Mini-Indy series, where races were held with Indy Car events on oval tracks. Wright traveled to races across the country, including Texas World Speedway in College Station, Texas.
On September 27, 1978, during a Mini-Indy event at Trenton Speedway, driver Tommy Thompson was in a serious accident and sadly passed away.
After Racing
After Tommy Thompson's death, Ken Wright stopped working as a hands-on race car mechanic. Instead, he worked with recreational motor boats and restored his own 1961 Chevrolet Corvette.
The BAR team took a break from racing for two years. Then, they started racing again in local competitions under different names. Ken Wright continued to support the team. In 1980, Ron Hines came out of retirement and helped BAR win several dirt track races at the Flemington Speedway in Flemington, New Jersey, with 19-year-old driver Bruce Driver.
In later years, Miller Racing Group, Inc. grew out of BAR. They helped African American stock car drivers get into NASCAR races and a Jamaican driver race in Formula BMW Americas. Leonard W. Miller's son, Leonard T. Miller, has been a big part of these efforts.
Today, Ken Wright, Ron Hines, and Leonard W. Miller still keep in touch. They often attend and enter classic car shows and competitions across the United States.
Images for kids
-
Wright in 1970 with Mr. Diplomat, the Miller Brothers 1955 Chevy station wagon drag racer
