Les Montgomery
Les Montgomery is an American .
Background
Leslie Harris Montgomery (born April 23, 1953, Jacksonville, Florida) was born to Theodore William Montgomery, Sr. of Jacksonville, Florida and Sara Nims Montgomery of Tallahassee, Florida. He earned Bachelor of Science Degree at Florida A. & M. University, FAMU, in Tallahassee, Florida in 1975.
In August 14, 1982, married LaTangie M. Williams of Jacksonville, and have three children, Elizabeth MaeAlice, Leslie K. and Paul Harris Montgomery, all born in Atlanta.
Start in NASCAR
Some of his racing career included feature writer in the 1977 Daytona 500 racing program to track photographer for Daytona International Speedway under the direction of Houston Lawing. From 1983 until 1988 became President and Founder of The Wendell Scott Racing Foundation and Automotive Scholarship Fund established in Atlanta, Georgia and awarded three $500 scholarships to students attending Atlanta Area Tech studying Automotive Engineering 1985 through 1988.
Montgomery worked for WTLV in Jacksonville and covered NASCAR races in Daytona Beach, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia. He became a freelance photographer with Stock Car Magazine.
In 1986 Montgomery met in Roswell, Georgia Harry Robinson, owner of Robinson Racing Enterprises. During one of his visits to Robinson's garage he was offered a deal to purchase an old 1976 Pontiac Firebird used to Endro races on local dirt tracks. Robinson wanted to see more black people like Les in racing. He agreed to work along with Robinson and his staff to prepare the car to race in the Sportsman Division at Lanier National Speedway in Gainesville, Georgia across form Atlanta's fame road course Road Atlanta. A year later, Montgomery competed in his first stock car event as a car owner creating The "Les Is More Race Team". He raced in eight races that season but a lack of sponsorship cut into his ability to race.
Atlanta
In July of 1983, Montgomery relocated to Atlanta, Georgia after being hired by Atlanta's leading television news organization, WSB-TV and began working as a video tape editor, then later promoted to coordinating editor. There he worked both as a news editor and as the station's NASCAR Expert covering the NASCAR season and attending races in Atlanta, Talladega, and Charlotte.
Wendell Scott
After noticing that there was no acknowledgement of Wendell Scott's birthday in 1983, the only African-American to win a NASCAR Cup event, Montgomery saw it that needed to change, then sat upon to create the Wendell Scott Racing Foundation and Scholarship Fund in Atlanta.
Thet next year Montgomery organized and sponsored the first of five, "Tribute To A Pioneer Diner" in Atlanta honoring Scott for his NASCAR accomplishments and to celebrate his 63rd birthday, featuring civil rights leader and community leader Hosea Williams as guest speaker.
Over the next five years Montgomery and Scott toured several NASCAR events in Atlanta, 5Charlotte, and Rockingham promoting the efforts of the racing foundation and scholarship fund.
Television career
As a video tape producer/editor for local news giant WSB-TV from 1982 to 1996 he won seven Regional Emmy Awards in Editing, Sports and News, with over 25 nominations. He also won over 20 Associated Press Awards, Georgia's Green Eye Shade Award, a National Association of Black Journalist Award in News, and some 12 Atlanta Association of Black Journalist Awards.
In 1996 Montgomery joined People TV, a local cable access network and created his own television show called The Les Is More Race Show featuring African-American efforts in motorsports. It featured stories about local and national individuals in NASCAR, NHRA drag racing.
Today
Presently, 2009. he is a producer/editor with Time-Warner CNN in Atlanta, Georgia. From time to time he competes in Legend Cars racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He is also working on a book about the history of NASCAR from his point of view, calling it Passion Road.
Background
Leslie Harris Montgomery (born April 23, 1953, Jacksonville, Florida) was born to Theodore William Montgomery, Sr. of Jacksonville, Florida and Sara Nims Montgomery of Tallahassee, Florida. He earned Bachelor of Science Degree at Florida A. & M. University, FAMU, in Tallahassee, Florida in 1975.
In August 14, 1982, married LaTangie M. Williams of Jacksonville, and have three children, Elizabeth MaeAlice, Leslie K. and Paul Harris Montgomery, all born in Atlanta.
Start in NASCAR
Some of his racing career included feature writer in the 1977 Daytona 500 racing program to track photographer for Daytona International Speedway under the direction of Houston Lawing. From 1983 until 1988 became President and Founder of The Wendell Scott Racing Foundation and Automotive Scholarship Fund established in Atlanta, Georgia and awarded three $500 scholarships to students attending Atlanta Area Tech studying Automotive Engineering 1985 through 1988.
Montgomery worked for WTLV in Jacksonville and covered NASCAR races in Daytona Beach, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia. He became a freelance photographer with Stock Car Magazine.
In 1986 Montgomery met in Roswell, Georgia Harry Robinson, owner of Robinson Racing Enterprises. During one of his visits to Robinson's garage he was offered a deal to purchase an old 1976 Pontiac Firebird used to Endro races on local dirt tracks. Robinson wanted to see more black people like Les in racing. He agreed to work along with Robinson and his staff to prepare the car to race in the Sportsman Division at Lanier National Speedway in Gainesville, Georgia across form Atlanta's fame road course Road Atlanta. A year later, Montgomery competed in his first stock car event as a car owner creating The "Les Is More Race Team". He raced in eight races that season but a lack of sponsorship cut into his ability to race.
Atlanta
In July of 1983, Montgomery relocated to Atlanta, Georgia after being hired by Atlanta's leading television news organization, WSB-TV and began working as a video tape editor, then later promoted to coordinating editor. There he worked both as a news editor and as the station's NASCAR Expert covering the NASCAR season and attending races in Atlanta, Talladega, and Charlotte.
Wendell Scott
After noticing that there was no acknowledgement of Wendell Scott's birthday in 1983, the only African-American to win a NASCAR Cup event, Montgomery saw it that needed to change, then sat upon to create the Wendell Scott Racing Foundation and Scholarship Fund in Atlanta.
Thet next year Montgomery organized and sponsored the first of five, "Tribute To A Pioneer Diner" in Atlanta honoring Scott for his NASCAR accomplishments and to celebrate his 63rd birthday, featuring civil rights leader and community leader Hosea Williams as guest speaker.
Over the next five years Montgomery and Scott toured several NASCAR events in Atlanta, 5Charlotte, and Rockingham promoting the efforts of the racing foundation and scholarship fund.
Television career
As a video tape producer/editor for local news giant WSB-TV from 1982 to 1996 he won seven Regional Emmy Awards in Editing, Sports and News, with over 25 nominations. He also won over 20 Associated Press Awards, Georgia's Green Eye Shade Award, a National Association of Black Journalist Award in News, and some 12 Atlanta Association of Black Journalist Awards.
In 1996 Montgomery joined People TV, a local cable access network and created his own television show called The Les Is More Race Show featuring African-American efforts in motorsports. It featured stories about local and national individuals in NASCAR, NHRA drag racing.
Today
Presently, 2009. he is a producer/editor with Time-Warner CNN in Atlanta, Georgia. From time to time he competes in Legend Cars racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He is also working on a book about the history of NASCAR from his point of view, calling it Passion Road.
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