Black Lives Matter Protests Are Even Reaching NASCAR
The mass protests against police violence have had an impact on even the most culturally conservative element of American sports culture: NASCAR.
Bubba Wallace, driver of the #43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet, wears a Black Lives Matter T-shirt and stands next to his car painted with “#Black Lives Matter” prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway on June 10, 2020 in Martinsville, Virginia. Jared C. Tilton / Getty
On Saturday afternoon, I joined tens of thousands of protestors on Pennsylvania Avenue marching from the Capitol Building to the White House demanding justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other victims of police violence. On Sunday afternoon, I sat down to watch NASCAR’s race in Atlanta.
Two activities that could not seem more detached from each other. However, the impact of protests was immediately visible in the day’s events.
NASCAR and its fans are not typically at the forefront of racial justice. It was not until Wednesday afternoon that NASCAR banned the display of Confederate flags by fans at races.
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