With the camera zoomed in on him and his ginormous smile and a herd of reporters waiting to get a word, you would have thought Bill Lester had won the Golden Corral 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
He finished 38th.
Yet the coverage was deserved. Not just because Lester became the first black racer to compete in a Cup Series event in nearly 20 years but also because the veteran racer made strides for himself by gaining respect and a bevy of knowledge in just one day.
"He got 500 miles in or right near that, and that was his goal," Mark Martin said after the race. "He ran hard. He drove his car hard, and he learned a lot about the racetrack and about the tires -- probably three truck races worth in one day. He did a fabulous job. He was giving her everything he had, and I'm happy for him. I'm happy that he's gotten an opportunity to drive a Cup car and made the most of it today."
Had Lester been born white and done the exact same thing, would he have gotten the attention? Probably not. And that's not a notion lost on him.
"I don't really deserve the attention I am getting," he said after the race. "I am looking forward to the time when racing is about racing and not race. I am really excited to have the opportunity to live my dream and race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, my hometown track. It has been indescribable. Racing 500 miles with the fuel and tire run was a good experience for me. I was able to bring it home in one piece. I'm looking forward to running more races."
Lester, although he finished in the back of the pack, showed the patience and good judgment of a veteran racer -- which he is on other circuits but not in Cup. His performance raises hopes for himself and for other minorities as he prepares to run at least two more Cup events this year.
With Toyota coming into the Nextel Cup Series next season and boasting several open seats, Lester understands that he has an opportunity to become one of the most visible drivers in NASCAR as a Cup full-timer.
Still, he said he believes two things: (1) he owes it to himself, not to his race, to excel, and (2) his best shot at helping others right now is by helping himself and becoming more visible and more prominent in NASCAR's highest circuit.
"I represented myself," he said. "I am doing this for my family and myself. I am glad that the minority community took an interest. However, I am driving for myself. At the end of the day, if it wasn't for me I wouldn't be here."
Lester made his NASCAR debut in the Busch Series seven years ago. He completed every lap and finished 21st at Watkins Glen. Since then, he has been a mainstay of NASCAR's Craftsman Truck Series. In 106 events, he has posted two top-five finishes, six top-10s and three poles. Although still seeking his first victory, Lester has been consistent his last four seasons -- his only full seasons in the Truck Series. In that span, he has completed an average of 92 percent of laps raced.
That's the kind of showing he put forth Monday.
"There were opportunities for me to take chances that I don't think would have been worth it," the 45-year-old driver said. "At the end, I got four tires and fuel and could have passed Mark Martin [who was on the lead lap, six laps ahead of Lester], but chose to stay out of the way. I didn't want to cause an incident and make the other drivers fearful of racing with me. I want them to feel comfortable around me. Some of the most important things I learned out here were the driving characteristics and tactics from the drivers I competed against. That is information I am going to carry with me to future races."
The future races this season are at Michigan and California. With strong runs there, Lester hopes to make the jump from NASCAR's lower rungs to the highest.
"I kept my nose clean for the most part," he said. "I ran a smart race. I wasn't out there in contention, but that was the first time I drove a Nextel Cup car. So I hope that everyone keeps that in mind. I know I learned so much today that I can take with me to Michigan that is going to make me so much better. I can't wait for June. I think it was a good day. I didn't get a top-20 like I wanted. These drivers have been racing for a long time. I got a late start in my career, and I am trying my best to catch up as quickly as I can."
And if Lester does catch up -- if he posts a top-20 or even better -- what then?
"The possibilities from this point forward are endless," he said, "and I can't wait to see what happens from here."
Rupen Fofaria is a regular contributor to ESPN.com. He can be reached at rfofaria@yahoo.com.