Uppity: The Willy T. Ribbs Story

Before Lewis Hamilton became Formula 1’s rockstar, there was Willy T. Ribbs—boxing with Muhammad Ali, golfing with Jack Nicholson, and shattering racing’s color line with a middle finger and a gas pedal.

We found this one on Benjamin Dzialdowski’s 17 Documentaries To Get Stuck Into That Range From Disturbing AF To Genuinely Inspiring.

Trailer for “Uppity: The Willy T. Ribbs Story”

You Can’t Make This Sh!t Up

• A promoter at Charlotte Motor Speedway invited Ribbs to race just because he was Black. The threats were so intense that people warned he might not leave the track alive.
• Ribbs’ engine was allegedly sabotaged on race day by his own team, just to keep a Black driver out of the winner’s circle.
• Despite death threats, financial sabotage, and being called “uppity” by his peers, he still became the first Black driver to qualify for the Indy 500 and to win a Trans-Am race.

Watch “Uppity: The Willy T. Ribbs Story”

You can watch “Uppity: The Willy T. Ribbs Story” on Prime Video and Apple TV.

Ratings:

• My Rating: 93/100
• IMDB Rating: 7.8/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 97/100 (Users); not yet rated (Critics)

Director’s Note: This doc is directed by Adam Carolla and Nate Adams. Carolla (the comedian and radio host) is a hardcore gearhead and brings a deep passion for motorsports. The film is unflinching and fast-paced, just like its subject.

Release Date: The film was released on January 7, 2020.

My Review of “Uppity: The Willy T. Ribbs Story”

The Setup

Willy T. Ribbs was built to race, but the system was built to stop him. This documentary tracks his battle against a sport that barely tolerated his presence and often actively tried to push him out. He wasn’t just up against fast drivers—he was up against white team owners, media bias, racist promoters, and threats to his life.

This is what happens when talent collides with racism at 200 mph.

More Highlights from the Doc

• The film tracks Ribbs from karting in California to testing a Formula One car in 1986—15 years before Lewis Hamilton debuted in F1.
• He trained in England as a young driver, winning Formula Ford races against future F1 stars—yet American owners wouldn’t back him because of his race.
• He got his big break thanks to boxing legend Don King, who helped fund his entry into the Indy 500 in 1991.
• There’s raw archival footage of confrontations with reporters, tense interviews, and race day chaos, all narrated by Ribbs himself with no filter.
• His relationship with his father (a master plumber and mentor) is a touching undercurrent—his dad was his first sponsor and fiercest defender.

Lesser-Known Details from the Doc

• Ribbs once said of his critics, “They didn’t want Jackie Robinson with a pair of Ray-Bans and a big mouth.” He was cocky on purpose—to make them uncomfortable.
• He wasn’t just a racer—after retiring from motorsports, he became a champion-level competitive shooter in the National Sporting Clays Association.
• His first win in the Trans-Am series came in 1983 at Sears Point Raceway. He dominated despite having only one top-tier mechanic backing him.
• Ribbs briefly tried NASCAR, but his sponsors were pressured out. He was given underperforming cars that often failed to finish races.
• Years later, Lewis Hamilton would cite Ribbs as a pioneer and trailblazer—though Ribbs never got the support or platform Hamilton did.

Wrap Up

Thanks for reading!

Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc