NASCAR weaves through checkered racial history

NASCAR has a checkered racial history. From an affinity for Confederate flags among the fan base to a driver losing his job just this season for casually uttering a racial slur, the good ol’ boys have never been known for diversity.

Maybe it’s not surprising this mostly white sport seemed hesitant to join the national outrage over the death of George Floyd while in police custody — a striking contrast to its rush to be the first major sport to return during the coronavirus pandemic.

Looking toward NASCAR’s weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, which will be the fourth track to stage races without fans, trucks driver Matt Crafton was asked about the protests in all 50 states and around the world demanding an end to police brutality against African Americans.

“I just try to stay off social media,” said Crafton, clearly uncomfortable with the subject. “At the end of the day, there’s a lot to talk about. I don’t try to get involved in a lot. That’s a terrible thing that happened to the gentleman in Minneapolis. But there’s a lot of things going on that I’d rather not talk about.”

Bubba Wallace, the only African American in the top-level Cup series, expressed frustration that so many drivers were reluctant to speak out.

“A few drivers — a very few — have given their opinion on the day’s matter and I appreciate that,” Wallace said on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s podcast. “But the silence from the top drivers in our sport is beyond frustrating. Our sport has always had somewhat of a racist label to it. NASCAR — everybody thinks redneck, Confederate flag, racists — and I hate it. I hate that because I know NASCAR is so much more.”

Wallace said he encouraged other drivers to take up the cause, including rising star Chase Elliott, who won at Charlotte on May 29 and will start from the pole in Sunday’s Folds of Honor Quik Trip 500 — essentially a home race for the Georgia native.

“I said do you all not care about what’s going on in the world?” Wallace said. “That’s not the right way to go about it. Our voices carry so much more weight than Joe Schmo from down the street. I mentioned we’ve got to do better, we’ve got to step up for everybody to say what they feel.”

A.J. Allmendinger cruised to victory by nearly 2 seconds over pole-sitter Noah Gragson in the Xfinity Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway to win a NASCAR oval race for the first time in his long career. “Oh my god,” Allmendinger said as he climbed from his No. 16 Chevrolet. “I won on an oval.” Allmendinger started 30th but quickly showed the strength of his car, spending much of the day running in the top 10. ... Taking advantage of a late caution, Grant Enfinger passed local favorite Austin Hill on the final lap to win the NASCAR Truck Series race in overtime at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In front of empty grandstands, Hill appeared to be cruising to his first win of the year, building a 4 1⁄2- second lead after several miscues ruined Kyle Busch’s chances of winning for the sixth time in 12 truck races in Atlanta.

Kevin Durant won’t play for the Nets if the NBA season resumes. “My season is over,” Durant told The Undefeated on Friday. “I don’t plan on playing at all. We decided last summer when it first happened that I was just going to wait until the following season. I had no plans of playing at all this season.” Durant ruptured an Achilles tendon a year ago for the Warriors in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Raptors. He also had COVID-19 this year. ... The NBA has told teams that playoff seeding will be based on winning percentage, and that any tiebreakers necessary after that will follow the usual procedures. It was an issue that needed clarity because the 22 teams that will be going to the Disney complex near Orlando, Fla., for the planned resumption of the season next month will not have played the same number of games.

Germany’s soccer league was marked by gestures against racism and support for the Black Lives Matter movement as Bayern Munich took another step toward a record-extending eighth straight Bundesliga title. All of Borussia Dortmund and Hertha Berlin’s 22 outfield players took a knee in the center-circle together before the top tier’s late game with no fans present. Coaches and other team members from both sides did likewise beside the field, bringing to mind former 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick’s protest before games against police brutality and racial inequality. Dortmund’s players had warmed up wearing T-shirts with slogans such as “United together,” and “No justice, no peace.” ... Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal were among the clubs who stepped up their preparations for the Premier League’s return by holding practice matches. Clubs are attempting to build up players’ fitness as well as get used to playing without fans before the league resumes on June 17 following a 100-day suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic. The league also announced Saturday that the sixth round of COVID-19 testing of 1,195 players and staff across the 20 clubs on Thursday and Friday produced no positives. ... Barcelona said Uruguay striker Luis Suarez (right knee) has been cleared by team doctors to play when the Spanish league resumes.