Bill Lester qualifies for Atlanta Nextel Cup race

Bill Lester is a black driver from California who has been a regular in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for the last several years. This weekend, Lester got his first opportunity to qualify for a Nextel Cup race in Atlanta in the #23 Waste Management Dodge owned by Bill Davis. Lester was successful in Friday's qualifying run and will start 19th in Sunday's race. Lester is the first black to drive in a Nextel Cup race since Willy T. Ribbs in 1986. Lester is also scheduled to run two more Nextel Cup races later this season and Davis says if he can get sponsorship he would like to move Lester to Nextel Cup full time in 2007. We'll see how he does in the race on Sunday. Having watched Lester in the Craftsman Truck Series for the last few years, he tends to be a very good qualifier but doesn't do well in the race. Good luck to him anyway. Kasey Kahne won the pole in the #9 UAW-Dodge Dealers Dodge.