from The Mind Unleashed:

NASCAR drivers have also come out in support of #BlackLivesMatter in recent days.

On Wednesday, NASCAR formally banned the Confederate flag from all races and properties in a bold move that distances the company from what many see as a symbol of slavery and white supremacy, but which also served as a mainstay at the stock car racing company’s events for over 70 years.

As the United States continues to be gripped by over two weeks of social upheaval and protests for racial justice and an end to police brutality, some of the largest companies in the United States ranging from HBO to the NFL have been re-examining their approach to race relations and redoubling their efforts to back away from content and symbols associated with systematic racism in American society.

Following the May 25 killing of unarmed 46-year-old Black man George Floyd by Minneapolis police, the company was also caught in the crossfire of demands for change as Bubba Wallace, NASCAR’s only Black driver, called for the Confederate battle flag to be banished as it had “no place” in the sport.

pic.twitter.com/ALtTVvzfoy

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 1, 2020

“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 in a statement released Wednesday afternoon. “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 move was announced just hours before a Wednesday night race at Martinsville Speedway where Wallace plans to drive a Chevrolet coated in a #BlackLivesMatter paint scheme. The Alabama native’s decision to use the BLM scheme has been hailed by several athletes on Twitter, including NBA star LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers. NASCAR drivers have also come out in support of #BlackLivesMatter in recent days.

We will listen and learn!#BlackLivesMattters pic.twitter.com/AYoYdY8IlX

— Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) June 7, 2020

The move could serve to rile up fans of the sport, however. According to Statista, the vast majority of NASCAR fans – approximately 91 percent – are white, and the sport remains rooted in the U.S. South. In 2015, ex-Chairman Brian France attempted to ban the flying of the Confederate flag at races and received an angry backlash from fans.

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