By Patrick Reynolds
You've noticed the headline reads NASACAR and Politics Collide. I make it a point to not discuss or write about politics on the Motor Week LIVE! radio program or our accompanying website. MWL is a motorsports talk show and that is what we stick to. The site is home to columns from me, and other writers. We are knowledgeable about auto racing and cover various forms of the sport. Readers that look for solid racing commentary come to us for that.
I have strong views on the political landscape but I keep my writing in the motorsports field. Our audience heads elsewhere to read and listen about politics.
Until the piece you are reading right now.
The time has come to speak up; actually, past time because NASCAR and this country are heading downhill.
Over the summer of 2015 politics have made their way into NASCAR headlines. In reality, politics are in everything, yet in an underlying portion. Politics came to NASCAR’s surface and into mainstream media headlines with several major news events.
Let’s recap the groundwork for the NASCAR and politics collide recipe.
Businessman Donald Trump announced his bid for the Republican nomination for President of the United States. Trump’s speech was filled with remarks that were not politically correct. That immediately endeared him to many, and caused him to be shunned by others. The NASCAR connection began with his statements toward border security between the United States and Mexico.
Taken from the Washington Post transcript of Trump’s Presidential announcement:
“When do we beat Mexico at the border?” Trump said. “They’re laughing at us, at our stupidity. And now they are beating us economically. They are not our friend, believe me. But they’re killing us economically.”
Trump said, “The U.S. has become a dumping ground for everybody else’s problems.”
Said Trump, “It’s true, and these are the best and the finest. When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.
“But I speak to border guards and they tell us what we’re getting. And it only makes common sense. It only makes common sense. They’re sending us not the right people,” said Trump.
“It’s coming from more than Mexico. It’s coming from all over South and Latin America, and it’s coming probably—probably—from the Middle East. But we don’t know. Because we have no protection and we have no competence, we don’t know what’s happening. And it’s got to stop and it’s got to stop fast,” Trump said.
Marcus Lemonis, star of The Profit on CNBC and CEO of Camping World who has the naming rights to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, described Trump’s remarks as “blatantly bigoted and racist comments.”
The 2014 Camping World Truck Series awards banquet was held at the Trump National Doral in Miami. In a letter to NASCAR Chairman Brian France, Lemonis expressed his displeasure with what Trump said.
“I will not, nor will any representative of Camping World, participate or attend in the ceremonial event if it is held on any Trump property,” Lemonis wrote.
Coincidentally, one day after Trump’s Presidential announcement, the tragic Charleston, South Carolina shooting by a white man in whom he killed nine black people in a church, rekindled the controversial discussion of flying the Confederate flag. Photos of the shooter posing with the Confederate flag surfaced.
Mainstream media reported how the flag is associated with racism, hatred, slavery and is offensive to many.
Prior to the Coke Zero 400 over Independence weekend held at the Daytona International Speedway, a group of NASCAR industry members released a statement on July 2nd.
“As members of the NASCAR industry, we join NASCAR in the desire to make our events among the most fan-friendly, welcoming environments in all of sports and entertainment.
“To do that, we are asking our fans and partners to join us in a renewed effort to create an all-inclusive, even more welcoming atmosphere for all who attend our events. This will include the request to refrain from displaying the Confederate Flag at our facilities and NASCAR events.
“We are committed to providing a welcoming atmosphere free of offensive symbols. This is an opportunity for NASCAR Nation to demonstrate its sense of mutual respect and acceptance for all who attend our events while collectively sharing the tremendous experience of NASCAR racing,” read the statement.
International Speedway Corporation, Speedway Motorsports Inc. and several other major facilities including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Eldora Speedway were credited with the statement.
One day before that, on July 1st, NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications and NASCAR sent out two media releases detailing how Fortune 500 companies have increased their involvement for the third straight year.
I have enough of political correctness.
I love NASCAR. I love the United States even more. However, both are on a downward spiral from their former high integrity and character.
Here are my feelings on politics and NASCAR.
Lemonis has hitched his cart to the liberal bandwagon that uses “racism” as a defense and accusation for anything they do not like. “Racism” is the liberal’s go-to defense.
Trump was clearly speaking of illegal aliens or illegal immigrants if you will. As an aside it is shameful that mainstream media- including the Associated Press- will not use those previous terms. Mainstream media uses the sugar-coated “undocumented immigrants” so as not to offend the aforementioned group.
Trump points out a big problem in this country. He refers to illegal immigrants, not everyone of Mexican heritage. There is a massive difference that the liberal media likes to blur and paint the image of Trump that suits their needs. Mainstream media’s journalism quality has slid lower and lower for decades. They are largely a liberal information machine.
Like Trump or dislike Trump. He shines a light on a problem in the United States.
Note to Lemonis: Mexican is not a race, it is a nationality. Illegal is not a race either, it is a status.
Someone would have to design an elaborate extortion plan against my family to get me to believe NASCAR Industry’s July 2nd Confederate flag restraining press release was not designed to kiss the asses of the touted Fortune 500 companies highlighted in the July 1st release.
Days after the NASCAR Industry release, the July 5th Coke Zero 400 had plenty of Confederate flags waving high and proudly in Daytona’s infield; many more than in recent years and likely strictly out of principle to rebel against NASCAR’s statement.
The Confederate flag has never been about slavery, racism, discrimination, or white supremacy. It never will be. The symbol does not change in meaning.
The flag in question over this controversy is actually the Confederate Battle Flag. As the name implies, the flag was carried into battles by several armies such as the Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of Tennessee. The Confederate Battle Flag was never a National Flag of the Confederacy and was also used as by the Confederate Navy.
Slavery was an atrocity, but let’s not tell revisionist history. Accurate printed history books- not You Tube, Wikipedia, or some short sighted limited-character chat room- tell the facts. Southerners had slaves. Northerners had slaves. Slavery existed all around the world. It is an evil and reprehensible time in American and worldwide history.
I have attended auto races for close to 40 years. I have never- I repeat… NEVER- have experienced or witnessed any hatred or unwelcome attitude towards any group. Not once.
Has racism existed in NASCAR? Of course. The same as it existed in many facets of America through history. Wendell Scott in NASCAR and Jackie Robinson in Major League Baseball are two sporting examples.
Hate groups have posed for photos with the Confederate flag. That does not change the true meaning of the flag.
Hate groups have taken a revered piece of history, and have tainted the image of Southerners and the honor of Confederate soldiers that fought under the flag. The Confederate Flag has never represented hate or violence. Southern heritage groups fight against what the hate groups have twisted the flag into.
The KKK has posed with American flags. They also staged lynching while displaying Bibles.
Bibles and American flags are not symbols of hate. They are both symbols of prosperity and hope. Both have been misused and hijacked by hate groups. The Confederate flag is no different. It is misused by a hate group but the liberal media has fanned the flames of fear by picking this particular symbol to equal hate.
The South Carolina shooter was also photographed wearing a Gold’s Gym t-shirt. By the same logic, all Gold’s Gym fitness centers should be closed down because they are racist symbols. The previous statement is quite illogical, yet many are applying that exact same illogical thinking to the Confederate flag.
If hate groups such as the KKK posed with New York Yankees jerseys, would the renowned baseball team suddenly be a symbol of racism and slavery? Of course not. That is the exact logic that uninformed people are applying to their opinion of the Confederate Flag.
None of us were offended by the Dukes of Hazard’s General Lee roof for over 30 years until liberals told us we were.
Many whine about being offended by something in this country the past few decades. I find the many changes Brian France has made to NASCAR Sprint Cup racing offensive to me.
I will state that NASCAR should be highly commended for the safety initiatives that have taken place since France has sat at the helm. Safety initiatives have been wonderfully productive and likely have saved lives over the years. This is a change for the better.
The now-eliminated top-35 rule, the wave-around rule, the free-pass, the moving of the Southern 500 off Labor Day weekend, and most atrocious change ever- the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship- have turned many off from NASCAR Sprint Cup competition.
The manufactured excitement of a championship Chase is change for the worse.
The Chase applies resetting and tying drivers over the final 10 races. This is stick-and-ball style playoffs that have no place in motorsports. The last legitimate Sprint Cup champion was Matt Kenseth in 2003.
“Changing is progress” is not necessarily true. Changing for the better is progress. I consider many changes made under Brian France’s tenure at NASCAR for the worse.
Political correctness has overrun this country and many problems are not addressed because of fear from liberal media backlash.
This week NASCAR Nation now looks ahead to the Southern 500’s return of its rightful date on the Sprint Cup schedule- a date the race never should have left- Labor Day weekend at Darlington SC.
Darlington has been a bastion of Southern heritage and pride. Liberal media will not admit that attitude has absolutely nothing to do with racism.
Confederate flags have flown proudly and confidently in Darlington’s campgrounds for decades. With the race landing back on its traditional calendar spot and the defiance towards NASCAR displayed at Daytona, I expect a multitude of flags on display.
Donald Trump, Marcus Lemonis, and Brian France all have their rights to say what they think. So do I.
I am a huge proponent of the United States and NASCAR but strongly dislike the changes and decisions both have made in recent years. The knuckling-under to liberal voices on both parts has me more than a little disgruntled. Each has poor leadership with a blind following.
I want each one to stop giving things away. NASCAR- its heritage, championships, and integrity, to the whims of liberals. The United States- its heritage, benefits, and integrity, to the whims of liberals. The fruits are there for everyone to earn. They are not gifts.
I see our country and NASCAR evolving in parallel paths. So, why did I title this NASCAR and Politics Collide? To me, both are going more and more liberal and away from the tougher and stronger principles on which they were founded.
The United States and NASCAR can still recover to their once healthier states. It is time for people like me to speak- and write- to let our thoughts be known.
Patrick Reynolds is a former professional NASCAR mechanic who hosts Motor Week LIVE! Mondays 7pm ET/ 4pm PT on www.racersreunionradio.com. http://motorweeklive.com
