Confederate flags flew in full force at NASCAR’s Coke Zero 400 race last weekend despite event officials asking fans to keep the controversial banner away from the event. While several major retailers stopped carrying the flag after a white gunman apparently obsessed with the racist symbol allegedly slaughtered nine black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina, earlier on June 17, Florida’s Daytona International Speedway and 29 other NACAR racetracks stopped short of an outright ban and asked fans to voluntarily keep them away from future events. At the Coke Zero 400 race in Daytona this weekend, the first NASCAR race since the shooting, event officials also implemented an optional…
Confederate flags flew in full force at NASCAR’s Coke Zero 400 race last weekend despite event officials asking fans to keep the controversial banner away from the event.
While several major retailers stopped carrying the flag after a white gunman apparently obsessed with the racist symbol allegedly slaughtered nine black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina, earlier on June 17, Florida’s Daytona International Speedway and 29 other NACAR racetracks stopped short of an outright ban and asked fans to voluntarily keep them away from future events.
At the Coke Zero 400 race in Daytona this weekend, the first NASCAR race since the shooting, event officials also implemented an optional exchange in which attendees could trade in their Confederate flag for an American one.
Many fans passed on NASCAR’s offer. According to the Associated Press, “dozens” could be seen flying in the stands.
“It kills me that NASCAR is jumping on the bandwagon,” attendee Paul Stevens told the AP. “They should just let it pass, let everything die down. But NASCAR is too quick to try to be politically correct like everybody else.”
Other fans reiterated the oft-heard argument that the Confederate flag is a point of Southern pride, not racism.
“It’s just our heritage and our Southern way of life. And it makes us happy when we’re able to show something that represents us,” attendee Jason Clark told First Coast News, adding that he’s flown the Confederate flag at the Daytona race for 25 years. “People with the Confederate flag are not just going to give it away.”
Going forward, NASCAR might be less flexible. Daytona speedway president Joie Chitwood hinted to ESPN that he may consider imposing a ban.
“[Banning it] is definitely an option that we have to look at, but also understanding the nature of our event, and when you have people that actually have purchased tickets, they’re attending and in terms of policies that are in place when they purchase their tickets — all those elements come into play,” he said. “We want to do what’s right. But we have to be thoughtful and have a good plan to get there where it’s appropriate for everyone.”
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NASCAR Fans Ignore Request To Leave Confederate Flags At Home
