Photo: Rob Carr | AP Photo
"I never thought I would see it in my lifetime," says ESPN's Ryan McGee. "When I first walked into the [NASCAR] garage ... to cover a race, it was 25 years ago. There was an old man sitting at the table, right at the entrance ... selling Confederate flags." In the wake of George Floyd's death, Bubba Wallace, NASCAR's only black full-time driver called for NASCAR to take down the Confederate flag, viewed as a proud symbol of Southern heritage for some, but not others. For millions of African-Americans, its legacy draws up a history of slavery, segregation and racism. In its statement, NASCAR wrote: "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 display of the Confederate flag will be prohibited from all NASCAR events and properties."
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