NASCAR Bans Confederate Flag From Its Races And Properties
Jun 10, 2020, 3:13 PM
The NASCAR Series flag flies alongside the old Confederate Stars and Bars battle flag during the NASCAR Winston Cup Series Primestar 500 race on 9 March 1997 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton, Georgia, United States. (Photo by Darrell Ingham/Allsport/Getty Images)
(Photo by Darrell Ingham/Allsport/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – NASCAR has banned the Confederate flag from its races and properties.
NASCAR says Wednesday the Confederate flag “runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry.”
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 10, 2020
Bubba Wallace, NASCAR’s lone black driver, called this week for the banishment of the Confederate flag and said there was “no place” for them in the sport. Wallace asked the stock car series with deep ties to the South to formally distance itself from what for millions is a symbol of slavery and racism.
At long last, NASCAR obliged.
.@bubbawallace will run a special paint scheme to honor #BlackLivesMatter for Wednesday night’s race at @MartinsvilleSwy. pic.twitter.com/1axOlSsig7
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 10, 2020
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Former chairman Brian France in 2015 tried to ban the flying of Confederate flags at race tracks, a proposal too broad to enforce and one that angered NASCAR’s core Southern-based fan base.
The move was announced before Wednesday night’s race at Martinsville Speedway. Wallace was set to drive a Chevrolet with a #BlackLivesMatter paint scheme.
