Uppity - The Willy T. Ribbs story on Netflix

M

motomania2007

TC/MSF/CMSP/ Instructor
Is a very good movie about a very good racer that was held back from too many opportunities because he is black.

I was a Willy T. Ribs fan in the 80s but did not know half of what the movie portrayed.

Lots of good racing footage too.
 
lefty

lefty

Well-known member
Thank you very much for this info. I will watch it. I had a very good friend in the 80's whose family was related to Mr. Ribs. The lady I knew called him her Uncle. They were from San Jose. I assume that he was a local as well?
 
msethhunter

msethhunter

Well-known member
I watched it on my commute the other day. He would have probably kicked everyone's ass had he been let off his chain. The whole NASCAR deal was pretty shitty, and he made it into Indy with a clapped out racecar and borrowed engines.
 
M

motomania2007

TC/MSF/CMSP/ Instructor
msethhunter said:
I watched it on my commute the other day. He would have probably kicked everyone's ass had he been let off his chain. The whole NASCAR deal was pretty shitty, and he made it into Indy with a clapped out racecar and borrowed engines.
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If he had driven even a backup car for one of the main teams he would have really made serious marks in IndyCar
 
Blankpage

Blankpage

alien
A lot of names have come and gone. Bet a lot of dudes could have been the next big thing had the pieces fallen into place.
 
GAJ

GAJ

Well-known member
If he'd taken the Jackie Robinson approach he "might" have done better.

But it seems like the hatred of black folks in that time was even greater in auto racing in general and Nascar in particular than in baseball.
 
msethhunter

msethhunter

Well-known member
Blankpage said:
A lot of names have come and gone. Bet a lot of dudes could have been the next big thing had the pieces fallen into place.
Click to expand...

His pieces didn't fall into place a lot of the time simply because he wasn't white. When they did, he was usually handing people their ass. He was a great driver. Had he come onto the scene today, he'd probably be the next Lewis Hamilton.
 
GAJ

GAJ

Well-known member
msethhunter said:
His pieces didn't fall into place a lot of the time simply because he wasn't white. When they did, he was usually handing people their ass. He was a great driver. Had he come onto the scene today, he'd probably be the next Lewis Hamilton.
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Yes, the racism he faced was far far worse than I had feared.

The interesting thing was that he found NONE of that in the UK when he raced and succeeded there, but unlike Hamilton he could not find a deep pockets backer.
 
Holeshot

Holeshot

Super Moderator
Staff member
Watched it a few days ago...good suggestion George! Good to see Chris Miles in it too...was friendly with him when in Orlando years ago.
 
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