Still to this day, Wendell Scott remains the only African-American to win a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. His legacy is long-lived. The number 34 was then passed down to yet another pioneering gentleman by the name of Bobby Norfleet who was viewed by many as a fierce competitor. Known for his mechanical genius and love for motorsports, Mr. Norfleet founded Bobby Norfleet Racing, Inc., and has been around racing for over 25 years, starting out in Motorcycle Racing and then onto Drag Racing. In 1992, he took his racing career to the next level and began competing in NASCAR. Mr. Norfleet was the first African- American to bring a minority based company into motorsports as a major sponsor.
Norfleet has built a solid reputation for being able to evaluate motorsports equipment and technical problematic issues that often arise in the sport. Mr. Norfleet is constantly called upon for his expertise and knowledge of engine cost, quality and ingenuity. The NASCAR Diversity Program today is a direct result of an initiative that Mr. Norfleet led back in 2000. After serious training and coaching, Mr. Norfleet has passed on the historic number to his eldest daughter, Tia Norfleet. Today she is taking the number to higher heights and around the world, while keeping the legacy and its significance alive. “To me, the number 34 represents the struggle, the pain, victory, the adventure and a fierce urgency of now and that’s why I’m working so hard to make it in this sport. When kids see me or the number, I want them to know that they can do anything they set their mind to,” stated Tia Norfleet.
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