Auto racing is a sport that seems to have a powerful lure for anyone who just has the absolute "need for speed." Be it a car enthusiast who has a NASCAR race playing on his radio while waxing their convertible or a young mother who's gotten her whole family to huddle around the living room TV, cheering loudly for her asphalt arena hero while her husband and children either join in or wonder what's going on.
In the case of Bill Lester, his passion for motorsports led him from working with one of the world's largest computer companies to a career racing in various series - for 25 years! Imagine leaving your day job to pursue a dream in a sport that certainly has no guarantees - to say the least, Lester has worked hard to make his racing dreams realized!
Hardly looking like a driver who's celebrating his silver anniversary, Lester's a staying power in racing, determined to be on the track and to succeed on any given day. He's worked diligently throughout his career to get the best opportunity out there, rising to the challenge and often succeeds and more.
Be it the economic crunch in the States or going out there to charge his way to the front, Lester knows to succeed, you have to do more than just merely be there, but for everyone to give it their all.
A versatile leadfooter, Lester has competed on the Grand-Am Series circuit for the past three years, nabbing six top-10 finishes overall, including a podium finish in the Brumos Porche 250 at the Daytona International Speedway.
While most fans may recognize Lester, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competitor, there's a lot to find out about the 49-year-old driver, who I interviewed recently to discuss about his career in the ever competitive world of racing. As you'll see, he is definitely a true racer who's certainly persevered through the challenges presented to him.
If there's one word to describe Lester, determined is certainly the first one that'll come to mind after reading this piece! Rest assured, if the entry list has his name on it, be it for a stock car race, an endurance event in any premier road racing facility, or even a local go-kart track, he's one racer who'll work his way to the front of the field!
Get to know Bill Lester, who we'll go "In the Driver's Seat" with to talk about his life and career in NASCAR and Grand Am racing!
Rob Tiongson: You’ve got quite the motorsports resume, racing for over 25 years across the States. From SCCA action to the paint trading meets of NASCAR, has it been a total blur for you or have you been able to reflect on it and realize you’ve accomplished a lot?
Bill Lester: I’d say it’s been a little of both. It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years but, thinking back on it, it truly has. I’ve enjoyed the ride but the road hasn’t been all candy and nuts. It’s taken a long time for me to accomplish what I have but I’m glad I took the journey. I have a hard time imagining what my life would be like had I stayed in the computer industry.
RT: For the fine readers of The Podium Finish, tell us how you cut your teeth in racing – I understand you have a bit of a unique story as to how you got the need for speed while you were working with Hewlett-Packard Company.
BL: Since mom and dad weren’t going to put me in a race car, I knew I had to find a way to buy one myself. That’s where my Electrical Engineering and Computer Science degree came in. I figured that way I could write my own ticket and, sure enough, I got a job with HP and got involved in SCCA road racing immediately afterwords. The problem was that I wound up having for work for HP 16 years before I was finally able to put high tech behind me and pursue racing as my full time profession.
RT: Long time fans may associate you more for your sports car and road racing expertise, but there are some newer enthusiasts who probably got to know you when you competed in NASCAR. Was it an easy decision to transition from sports cars to stock cars and back?
BL: Actually, it was a somewhat difficult decision and quite surprising that my driving career has taken me in so many different directions. Looking back, I never had the desire to drive stock cars. Growing up in Northern California, I was exposed to open wheel and sports cars. NASCAR was something I saw on television but the whole culture was completely foreign to me.
I also didn’t understand driving around in circles when I believed that true racing involved turning right and left. But I saw the growth and popularity of NASCAR consume all other forms of motorsport and I wanted to be where the action was so, when the opportunity to test a stock car came about, I jumped all over it. However, transitioning back to sports cars was easy because I enjoy driving them more and better opportunities presented themselves here.
From behind the wheel, sports cars and stock cars are very different and require two totally different driving techniques and mindsets. I often say I had to forget everything I knew about driving a sports car in order to drive a stock car and vice versa.
Let me explain with a few examples. With sports cars, you beat your opposition into the corner (ie. trying to be the last one to brake), but with stock cars, you beat them off the corner (ie. easy in but hard off).
Another point, in sports cars, body contact is frowned upon and you are generally patient until you can negotiate a clean pass whereas in stock cars, “rubbin' is racin'” and just about anything goes. Additionally, in sports cars, you are totally dependent upon your mirrors and your own judgment but in stock cars, you are heavily dependent on your spotter – a luxury you typically don’t have in sports car racing.
RT: You had some memorable campaigns in the Camping World Truck Series, particularly when you were racing with Bobby Hamilton Racing and Bill Davis Racing. What were some of your highlights when you raced in that series and some of the lessons you learned that have applied not only for you as a racer, but for you outside the track?
BL: I enjoyed the majority of my experiences with both Bobby Hamilton Racing and Bill Davis Racing and have memories that will last a lifetime. Probably the thing that I learned that was most important then and continues to be true in racing today is that you are only as good as your team.
The people you surround yourself with can make or break you and the driver is only one element to a successful program. I don’t care how talented you are behind the wheel, if you don’t have all of the right people working from the same page, ultimately you’re not going to win.
Teamwork is key in racing and most people really don’t fully realize or appreciate that. Most think it’s all about the driver but I’m here to tell you that it isn’t.
As far as highlights are concerned, the things that immediately come to mind are: getting my first pole position with BHR at Charlotte in 2003; leading the truck race at Daytona while driving for BDR; and setting back to back pole positions at Kansas and Kentucky Speedway in 2005 with my Kentucky qualifying time being a track record that still stands today.
RT: These days, you’ve been competing in the Rolex Sports Car Series in the Daytona Prototype category. Describe how these cars handle as well as the nuances of these machines in comparison to the vehicles you drove throughout your career.
BL: I really enjoy driving sports cars and the Daytona Prototype especially. It’s light and nimble and I’ve always enjoyed turning both left and right. Compared to a stock car, the DP is about 1100 lbs lighter with a body made primarily of composites instead of sheet metal.
Inside, we utilize a five-speed sequential no-lift shift transmission instead of a clutch dependent “ h” pattern four-speed. The DP employs a fuel injected engine instead of a carbureted one so, essentially, you’re talking about a much more sophisticated piece of machinery. That said, they’re both fun to drive but as I indicated before, require very different technique behind the wheel. I find the DP a more rewarding experience than the stock car but, the fact is, I’ve also driven both Indy Lights and Toyota Atlantic open wheel cars and neither sports cars nor stock cars handle like they do.I’ll admit though, that I like the driver protection afforded by the sports car and the stock car over that of the open wheeler.
RT: It seems like drivers and various crew members have found a new social networking home in the form of Twitter – how important is it to maintain contact with fans, media, and anyone else in between, especially with the advent of social networking? Has it helped you as a driver with anything, be it an opportunity, sponsor, and your fan base?
BL: I have to admit that I’m new to Twitter and really haven’t fully embraced it yet. That might sound strange coming from a former computer scientist but I guess I’m old school and am just now getting with the program.
I think that any medium that connects you closer to your fan base is advantageous especially since it is the fans that allow us as race car drivers to do what we love to do. I’ve always preferred personal interaction with my fans but realize that isn’t always possible, so I recognize the importance of social networking and am starting to come around.
RT: I have to ask you about one of your history making moments with your career during the 2006 racing season – when you made the Sprint Cup field for the spring Atlanta race that year, what were some of the things that were on your mind when you learned you made the field? Would you consider it one of your biggest accomplishments in your career?
BL: There is no question that competing in my first Sprint Cup race was my most significant accomplishment in racing. I remember how that feat effectively justified my journey in motorsports and rewarded all the struggle, sacrifice and risks that I took along the way.
Competing in that event at the Atlanta Motor Speedway vindicated that I could compete at the top of sport and was also meaningful for me because I made history and helped pave the way for others of my racial origin follow in my footsteps.
RT: Free Association time, Lester! No Bill Jokes here, just tell me the first thing that comes to your mind with the following, starting…now!
Twitter.
BL: Seems to be taking over.
RT: Family.
BL: My wife and kids.
RT: Faith.
BL: Belief in one who is above us.
RT: Favorite musician.
BL: Nicki Minaj - she's everywhere!
RT: Obstacles.
BL: Sponsorship money.
RT: Victory.
BL: Sweet and rewarding feeling.
RT: My future is..
BL: Unsettled; a work in progress.
RT: If I could change anything about racing, it would be...
BL: Less expensive!
RT: You’re still relatively young, got your health, and the knack to drive behind the wheel for many years to go – what are your short-term plans, in terms of the rest of the 2010 season? Any races you’ll be competing in now or at least heading into next year?
BL: Fact is, the 2010 Grand-Am season is over and my full attention is turned toward having a better 2011. Lack of sponsorship cut this season short so we’re working to ensure that we are properly funded to compete in all the events in order to race for a championship. In the meantime, we have some testing to look forward to and I plan to kart as often as possible - in addition to my regularly scheduled gym training.
RT: More than ever, it seems like finding a sponsor is almost paramount in order for you to even just show up at the track on at least a meager budget. What lengths does a driver go to just to attract a sponsor for a small deal – when you do know it’s worth it and when do you say, I’d rather sit it out and wait for the right opportunity?
BL: Well, especially in this economic climate, getting the proper financial support is extremely challenging. We’re looking for dollars under every rock and are going to extreme lengths to put programs together to satisfy potential sponsors.
More often than not these days, these sponsorships are for lesser amounts so even small deals are desireable. Rarely do you turn your back on anything and it really does you no good to sit out. Anytime you’re not behind the wheel or competing at the track places you further behind the competition (who is out there gaining knowledge and experience), so sitting out is something that you are typically forced to do, not something you choose to do.
Author's Note: I would like to thank Bill Lester for letting me interview him on behalf of the readers of The Podium Finish, as well as for the photos provided in this piece! If you'd like to learn more about Bill and his racing ventures, check out his official website. You can also follow him on Twitter (@bill_lester), where you can interact with "The Bill Man" faster than you can say "four wide!"
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