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Bill Lester

Author, Motivational Speaker & Former NASCAR Driver

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Bill Lester Biography

Bill Lester is an author, keynote speaker, and a former NASCAR driver. He earned his B.S. degree in electrical engineering and computer science from the University of California, Berkeley in 1984. Before becoming a professional race car driver, he spent 15 years working as a computer scientist and project manager in Silicon Valley for Hewlett-Packard. He has raced in the SCCA Trans-Am Series, IMSA Series, NASCAR Truck series and is one of only three African American drivers to ever race in NASCAR’S premier Cup Series. Lester worked as a broadcast analyst for the Fox Sports South show, “Around the Track” and the NBC Sports show, “NASCAR America.” His memoir "Winning in Reverse: Defying the Odds and Achieving Dreams—The Bill Lester Story," which was published by Pegasus Books in February 2021, is the dramatic story of one of the most well-known NASCAR drivers in history—and a pioneer whose determination and spirit has paved the way for a new generation of racers.

Bill Lester is a graduate of the Bill Gove Speech Workshop, which is an extensive, week-long public speaker and corporate presentation training program where he learned how to create vignettes and deliver his message in an impactful and entertaining way to become an effective keynote. He is a poised and professional speaker who been interviewed countless times throughout his career and has featured on CNN, NPR, GMA3, The New York Times, NBC Sports, Fox Sports, ESPN, USA Today, Yahoo Sports, CTV News, Car and Driver Magazine, AutoWeek, Black Enterprise, Black News Channel, We Buy Black, Mass Live, Sports Business Daily, The Undefeated, Orlando Sentinel, The Baltimore Times, and many more. During his five seasons of participation in the NASCAR Truck Series, NASCAR featured Lester in a TV ad promoting the series on the Speed Channel. In 2003 and 2004, General Mills featured Lester on Honey Nut Cheerios collector edition cereal boxes. Lester appeared on the cover of Black Enterprise in April of 2004.

Bill Lester competed in NASCAR and IMSA, two of America’s most prestigious racing series. He won over $2 million in purse money, drove a total of 30,162 laps in competition, earned six podium finishes and one victory during his 10 full seasons. In 2006, Lester became the first African American driver in 20 years to compete in NASCAR’S premier Cup Series. It would be another 11 years before another African American driver, Darrell “Bubba” Wallace, would compete again in the Cup ranks. Among Lester’s other credits are initial professional races in the SCCA Trans-Am Series and IMSA Series. In 1999, he won the CART African American Driver Development Program tryout and, as a result, successfully tested an Indy Lights car with Team Kool Green. In 2012, he earned a trip to the Rotax Grand Finals of international karting competition in Portimao, Portugal proudly representing Team USA. Lester “retired” shortly after, but he made a triumphant return in March of 2021 when at the age of 60 years old, he raced in NASCAR’s Truck Series at the Atlanta Motor speedway to support diversity efforts within NASCAR and promote his memoir.

Bill Lester has received various awards including: “Breaking New Frontiers” award from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority in 2004; “Trailblazer in Motor Sports” award from the Rainbow/PUSH organization in 2004, “Jackie Robinson Award” from the Rainbow/PUSH organization in 2006; “Trailblazer Award” from RYSE Magazine in 2013; and the “Sam Lacy Pioneer Award” from the National Association of Black Journalists in 2013.

"Winning in Reverse: Defying the Odds and Achieving Dreams—The Bill Lester Story," tells the story of Lester’s love for racing, which eventually compelled him to take a huge risk, leaving a lucrative career as an engineer to pursue racing full time. Lester had a trifecta of odds against him: he was black, he was middle-aged, and he wasn’t a southerner. Lester rose above it all, as did his rankings, and he made history time and time again.

Acquiring the right set of values and attributes became fundamental to Bill Lester’s success. There were many pitfalls, heartaches, and lessons to be learned during his difficult journey. But Lester defied the odds and overcame adversity, discrimination, and racism, becoming a legend on the track. Lester’s life story resonates with those contemplating a career or lifestyle change, challenging social norms, or struggling against prejudice. His ability to overcome challenges and persevere in the face of adversity and is what makes him a compelling, motivational speaker and an inspiration to anyone who has the honor of listening to him speak.

Videos
Books
Winning in Reverse: Defying the Odds and Achieving Dreams―The Bill Lester Story

Winning in Reverse: Defying the Odds and Achieving Dreams―The Bill Lester Story

FAQs
  • HOW TO BOOK Bill Lester?

    Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Bill Lester for both live and virtual events for over 15 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment. Fill out a booking request form for Bill Lester, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get pricing information and check availability for Bill Lester or any other celebrity of your choice.
  • HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BOOK Bill Lester?

    Booking fees for Bill Lester, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. Pricing often varies between live and virtual events. Other factors that can affect speaker fees include the talent's schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. The live and virtual event speaking fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire Bill Lester, please fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.
  • WHO IS THE AGENT FOR Bill Lester?

    All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Bill Lester for clients worldwide for more than 15 years. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Bill Lester for your next private or corporate function.
  • WHAT IS A FULL-SERVICE TALENT BOOKING AGENCY?

    All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent Bill Lester or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for Bill Lester or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.
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This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

Author, Motivational Speaker & Former NASCAR Driver

Travels From:
Atlanta, GA, USA
Speaking Fee:

Bill Lester Biography

Bill Lester is an author, keynote speaker, and a former NASCAR driver. He earned his B.S. degree in electrical engineering and computer science from the University of California, Berkeley in 1984. Before becoming a professional race car driver, he spent 15 years working as a computer scientist and project manager in Silicon Valley for Hewlett-Packard. He has raced in the SCCA Trans-Am Series, IMSA Series, NASCAR Truck series and is one of only three African American drivers to ever race in NASCAR’S premier Cup Series. Lester worked as a broadcast analyst for the Fox Sports South show, “Around the Track” and the NBC Sports show, “NASCAR America.” His memoir "Winning in Reverse: Defying the Odds and Achieving Dreams—The Bill Lester Story," which was published by Pegasus Books in February 2021, is the dramatic story of one of the most well-known NASCAR drivers in history—and a pioneer whose determination and spirit has paved the way for a new generation of racers.

Bill Lester is a graduate of the Bill Gove Speech Workshop, which is an extensive, week-long public speaker and corporate presentation training program where he learned how to create vignettes and deliver his message in an impactful and entertaining way to become an effective keynote. He is a poised and professional speaker who been interviewed countless times throughout his career and has featured on CNN, NPR, GMA3, The New York Times, NBC Sports, Fox Sports, ESPN, USA Today, Yahoo Sports, CTV News, Car and Driver Magazine, AutoWeek, Black Enterprise, Black News Channel, We Buy Black, Mass Live, Sports Business Daily, The Undefeated, Orlando Sentinel, The Baltimore Times, and many more. During his five seasons of participation in the NASCAR Truck Series, NASCAR featured Lester in a TV ad promoting the series on the Speed Channel. In 2003 and 2004, General Mills featured Lester on Honey Nut Cheerios collector edition cereal boxes. Lester appeared on the cover of Black Enterprise in April of 2004.

Bill Lester competed in NASCAR and IMSA, two of America’s most prestigious racing series. He won over $2 million in purse money, drove a total of 30,162 laps in competition, earned six podium finishes and one victory during his 10 full seasons. In 2006, Lester became the first African American driver in 20 years to compete in NASCAR’S premier Cup Series. It would be another 11 years before another African American driver, Darrell “Bubba” Wallace, would compete again in the Cup ranks. Among Lester’s other credits are initial professional races in the SCCA Trans-Am Series and IMSA Series. In 1999, he won the CART African American Driver Development Program tryout and, as a result, successfully tested an Indy Lights car with Team Kool Green. In 2012, he earned a trip to the Rotax Grand Finals of international karting competition in Portimao, Portugal proudly representing Team USA. Lester “retired” shortly after, but he made a triumphant return in March of 2021 when at the age of 60 years old, he raced in NASCAR’s Truck Series at the Atlanta Motor speedway to support diversity efforts within NASCAR and promote his memoir.

Bill Lester has received various awards including: “Breaking New Frontiers” award from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority in 2004; “Trailblazer in Motor Sports” award from the Rainbow/PUSH organization in 2004, “Jackie Robinson Award” from the Rainbow/PUSH organization in 2006; “Trailblazer Award” from RYSE Magazine in 2013; and the “Sam Lacy Pioneer Award” from the National Association of Black Journalists in 2013.

"Winning in Reverse: Defying the Odds and Achieving Dreams—The Bill Lester Story," tells the story of Lester’s love for racing, which eventually compelled him to take a huge risk, leaving a lucrative career as an engineer to pursue racing full time. Lester had a trifecta of odds against him: he was black, he was middle-aged, and he wasn’t a southerner. Lester rose above it all, as did his rankings, and he made history time and time again.

Acquiring the right set of values and attributes became fundamental to Bill Lester’s success. There were many pitfalls, heartaches, and lessons to be learned during his difficult journey. But Lester defied the odds and overcame adversity, discrimination, and racism, becoming a legend on the track. Lester’s life story resonates with those contemplating a career or lifestyle change, challenging social norms, or struggling against prejudice. His ability to overcome challenges and persevere in the face of adversity and is what makes him a compelling, motivational speaker and an inspiration to anyone who has the honor of listening to him speak.

Bill Lester Videos

  • Bill Lester Pre-Race Interview | Return to NASCAR
  • Former NASCAR driver opens up about being 1 of only 7 black drivers
  • Winning In Reverse: Black NASCAR Driver Bill Lester Talks New Book

Bill Lester Books

Speaker Lists Featuring Bill Lester

FAQs on booking Bill Lester

  • How to book Bill Lester?

    Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Bill Lester for both live and virtual events for over 20 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment. Fill out a booking request form for Bill Lester, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get pricing information and check availability for Bill Lester or any other celebrity of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Bill Lester?

    Booking fees for Bill Lester, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. Pricing often varies between live and virtual events. Other factors that can affect speaker fees include the talent's schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. The live and virtual event speaking fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire Bill Lester, please fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.
  • Who is the agent for Bill Lester?

    All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Bill Lester for clients worldwide for more than 20 years. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Bill Lester for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service talent booking agency?

    All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent Bill Lester or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for Bill Lester or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.

Bill Lester is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Bill Lester for your event is $30,000 - $50,000. Bill Lester generally travels from Atlanta, GA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Vernice "FlyGirl" Armour, Andy Papathanassiou, Coach Ken Carter, John "GUCCI" Foley and Chad Knaus. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Bill Lester for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Bill Lester Speaker Videos

  • Bill Lester Pre-Race Interview | Return to NASCAR
    Former NASCAR driver opens up about being 1 of only 7 black drivers
  • Winning In Reverse: Black NASCAR Driver Bill Lester Talks New Book
    Bill Lester talks about the racism he faced during his NASCAR career

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During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

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Speakers Similar to Bill Lester

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

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