NASCAR Bans Confederate Flags at All of Its Races

NASCAR has banned the flying of the Confederate flag at all of its races going forward. The stock-car racing giant's decision arrived late Wednesday (June 10) as racial tensions in the United States remained high amid civil unrest following the May death of George Floyd in police custody.

Earlier on Wednesday, popular NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace called for an end to the sport's association with the Confederate flag. Quickly it seems the auto racing sanctioning and operating company has taken that directive to heart. A message on the company's website outlines the change.

"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," the statement says.

"Bringing people together around a love for racing and the community that it creates is what makes our fans and sport special," it continues. "The display of the confederate flag will be prohibited from all NASCAR events and properties."

NASCAR's prohibition of the Confederate flag arrived ahead of its Cup Series race Wednesday night in Martinsville, Virginia, as CNN pointed out. At that race, Wallace will drive a race car sporting a special paint scheme that calls attention to the Black Lives Matter movement.

"No one should feel uncomfortable when they come to a NASCAR race," Wallace says in a recent interview with CNN's Don Lemon. "It starts with Confederate flags. Get them out of here. They have no place for them."

Wallace is widely recognized as one of the most successful African American drivers in all of NASCAR's history. He told Lemon there's "going to be a lot of angry people that carry those flags proudly, but it's time for change."

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