Nextel Cup debutant Bill Lester says he can't believe the level of support he has received since successfully qualifying for Sunday's Golden Corral 500 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Lester, who became the first African American driver to qualify for a Cup race in 20 years when he planted his #23 Bill Davis Racing Dodge in 19th position on the Bud Pole qualifying time charts on Friday night, says he has received countless messages of support and visits from his fellow drivers.

“It's been extremely exhilarating and gratifying to see how many people care about me and support me,” said Lester, who set 39th and 40th fastest times in Saturday's two practice sessions. “I can't believe how many drivers have taken the time to come by and say congratulations and that they're proud of me. My voice mail is full right now and I've been pulled in so many directions that I really haven't had time to take it all in.”

But despite the euphoria surrounding his Cup debut, the 45 year-old Californian, who has more than 100 Craftsman Truck Series starts under his belt, remains realistic about his chances in Sunday's race.

“Practice this morning went extremely well,” he added. “Now that we know we're racing on Sunday, I'm happy. We made a bunch of adjustments today for race setup. My crew chief offered a lot of input and he listened to what I had to say and I think with what we've got, we've got something to go 500 miles.

“For me, racing on the big stage is exciting. My goal for tomorrow is to go 500 miles, to add knowledge to my database and earn the respect of my competitors.”