Ribbs grew up in San Jose, California, as one of five children in a middle-class family. His father, William “Bunny” Ribbs Sr., was a plumbing contractor and amateur sportscar racer, and was friends with Indy Car driver Joe Leonard. Ribbs was nearly killed at eight years old when an out-of-control car struck him at a race. As a teenager, Ribbs frequently received police attention for speeding in the California mountains. Ribbs began formal racing training at age 21.
In 1977, Ribbs won the Dunlop/Autosport Star of Tomorrow FF1600, winning six races in eleven starts with Mike Eastick’s Scorpion Racing School. He returned to the United States in 1978, debuting in the Formula Atlantic series at Long Beach on April 1, finishing 10th after running as high as 4th.
In May 1978, Charlotte Motor Speedway president Humpy Wheeler entered Ribbs to drive a NASCAR Winston Cup car in the World 600 at Charlotte in an effort to attract fans. Initially rejected due to a lack of stock car experience, and when the Dodge Magnum Ribbs was supposed to drive was committed to another driver, Wheeler partnered Ribbs with owner Will Cronkite and a Bud Moore Engineering-built Ford Torino, though he was later replaced by Dale Earnhardt.
Ribbs returned to the Formula Atlantic series in 1981, winning the pole in the Long Beach Formula Atlantic race in 1982. The following year, Ribbs moved to the SCCA Trans-Am Series, driving Chevrolet Camaros with sponsorship from Budweiser. He won five races and was named Pro Rookie of the Year, while teammate David Hobbs won the series championship. Ribbs won four races in 1984 driving factory-backed Mercury Capris for Roush Racing.
Ribbs’ first attempt at the Indianapolis 500 came in 1985, but during testing he topped out at 170 miles per hour while other rookie drivers exceeded 200 miles per hour. He ultimately withdrew from the race, a deal partially arranged by boxing promoter Don King, with sponsorship from Miller Brewing Company and a Cosworth engine from Arie Luyendyk.
Ribbs attempted NASCAR again in 1986, running three races in the No. 30 Red Roof Inns car owned by DiGard Motorsports, achieving a best finish of 22nd at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Also in 1986, he became the first Black person to drive a Formula One car, testing for the Bernie Ecclestone-owned Brabham team at the Autódromo do Estoril, Portugal, but was not offered a drive for the upcoming season. In 1987, Ribbs drove Toyota Celicas for Dan Gurney in the IMSA GT Championship, winning four races.
In 1990, Ribbs joined the CART circuit with funding from comedian Bill Cosby, earning one top-10 finish that season. He was involved in an unfortunate incident in Vancouver when a track marshal ran in front of his car and was killed after attempting to assist Ross Bentley, who had stalled on track.
In 1991, Ribbs became the first African-American to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, and raced there again in 1993. He continued in the CART series in 1994, finishing in the top 10 at both the Michigan International Speedway and New Hampshire International Speedway races.
In 1999, Ribbs participated in an Indy Racing League IndyCar Series event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for McCormack Motorsports, but crashed on lap four and finished last. After three top-10s in the Trans-Am Series in 2000, he signed to drive the No. 8 Dodge Ram for Bobby Hamilton Racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, finishing 16th in points with a best finish of 13th in 23 races.
In May 2011, Ribbs formed Willy T. Ribbs Racing to campaign Chase Austin in the Firestone Indy Lights’ Freedom 100 at Indianapolis, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of his Indy 500 qualification. Ribbs himself returned to racing for the team in the Baltimore GP.
Ribbs’ career highlights include winning the pole for the 1982 Long Beach Formula Atlantic race, being named IMSA GTO Driver of the Year in 1987-88, and Trans Am Series Driver of the Year in 1983. He won 17 Trans Am and 10 IMSA GTO races and was enshrined on the Long Beach Walk of Fame. In 2019, Ribbs won the Indy Legends Charity Pro–Am race with co-driver Ed Sevadjian.
After retiring from racing, Ribbs became a professional sport shooter, specializing in sporting clays, and his son, Theodore Ribbs, is also a professional sport shooter. He married hotel management executive Stephanie Bauer in August 2018.
Ribbs was known for his outspokenness, which drew criticism during his career, even from within the Black racing community. Leonard T. Miller, a Black car owner, felt Ribbs was not a suitable representative for the community. Ribbs also expressed negative opinions about his experiences in NASCAR. In 1984, Ribbs was fined $1,000 for punching Bob Lobenberg during a Trans-Am warm-up session at Road Atlanta. He was suspended by IMSA for one month in 1987 after punching Scott Pruett following a race at Portland International Raceway.
In the Disney Channel cartoon The Proud Family and its 2021 reboot The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, Penny Proud and her friends attend “Willy T. Ribbs Middle School,” where the mascot is the “Racer.” He was the subject of the 2020 documentary Uppity: The Willy T. Ribbs Story, released on Netflix. After driving in the 2021 SRX Series, Ribbs became a roving reporter for the 2022 season.
Ribbs was inducted into the Trans-Am Series Hall of Fame in 2025.
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