Story at a glance
- The announcement comes two days after professional race car driver Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr., called for the ban.
- NASCAR said the presence of the Confederate flag runs contrary to its commitment to provide an inclusive environment for fans.
- Confederate monuments and statues have been removed in several states following national protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
NASCAR will be banning all Confederate flags at racetracks just two days after professional race car driver Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr., called for the ban.
“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 communications said in a statement Wednesday reported by ESPN.
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“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,” the statement read.
Wallace, the circuit’s only African American full-time driver, told CNN this week there’s no place for Confederate flags at NASCAR.
“No one should feel uncomfortable when they come to a NASCAR race. It starts with Confederate flags,” Wallace told CNN’s Don Lemon. “Get them out of here. They have no place for them.”
“There’s going to be a lot of angry people that carry those flags proudly but it’s time for change,” he said. “We have to change that, and I encourage NASCAR to have those conversations to remove those flags.”
NASCAR’s next race is Wednesday night at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia. Wallace is expected to drive a car with a Black Lives Matter paint scheme, ESPN reports.
The news comes as protesters around the country and the world are calling out issues of police brutality and racial injustice following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. Floyd died during an arrest in Minneapolis on May 25 when a police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes, despite Floyd’s cries for air.
Other Confederate symbols have been removed following national protests in the wake of Floyd’s death. In Virginia, Kentucky, Florida and Alabama, local governments and protesters have removed monuments and statues that celebrate and commemorate slave-owners and Confederate figures.
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