NASCAR bans use of Confederate flag
NASCAR banned the Confederate flag from its races and venues on Wednesday, formally severing itself from what for many is a symbol of slavery and racism.
The move comes amid social unrest around the globe following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in Minneapolis while being detained by several white police officers. Protests have roiled the nation for days and Confederate monuments are being taken down across the South – the traditional fan base for NASCAR.
Confederate flags have been a familiar sight at NASCAR races over its 72year history, dotting the infield atop RVs or being waved by fans in the grandstands, though the stock car se
ries with its roots in moonshine running has in recent years taken cautious steps to sever the connection.
The issue was pushed to the forefront this week when Bubba Wallace, NASCAR's lone black driver, called for the banishment of the Confederate flag and said there was “no place” for it in the sport. At long last, NASCAR obliged.
“The presence of the confederate flag at NASCAR events runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry,” NASCAR said. “Bringing people together around a love for racing and the community that it creates is what makes our fans and sport special. The display of the Confederate flag will be prohibited from all NASCAR events and properties.”
NASCAR said it would have no additional comment.
The move was announced before Wednesday night's race at Martinsville Speedway, where Wallace, an Alabama native, was driving Richard Petty Motorsports' No. 43 Chevrolet with a #BlackLivesMatter paint scheme. Wallace
was praised for his stance by several athletes, including NBA star LeBron James, and for using the scheme in the race.
NASCAR did not address how it would enforce the policy or what might happen for fans who bring the Confederate flag to the track. NASCAR has not raced with fans since the sport resumed last month amid the pandemic. It has announced plans to welcome a small number of fans at races this month in Florida and Georgia.
Five years ago, the flag issue was front and center for NASCAR after nine black churchgoers were slain in Charleston, South Carolina. The man currently on death row for the murders, Dylann Roof, had embraced Confederate symbols before the attack, prompting a reappraisal of the role such symbols play in the South.
The NASCAR chairman at the time, Brian France, said the series was “working with the industry to see how far we can go to get that flag to be disassociated entirely from our events.” Tracks offered to exchange Confederate flags for American flags, but there were few takers and flags have continued to be seen at the events.
NASCAR had been more open in recent times to the eradication of the Confederate flag.