NASCAR Drivers and Staff Join in the Protests During the Atlanta Cup Series Race

The death of George Floyd has shocked not just the USA, but also the world. the plague called racism has festered in society, long before the coronavirus struck. Unfortunately, there is no such cure for this pandemic, and Floyd’s death only shows how much worse its becoming. Fortunately, many have joined hands to fight back against racial bias and brutality. Among them is NASCAR, who recreated Colin Kaepernick’s infamous protest.

As always, ahead of every NASCAR race, the US National anthem always blares out. Normal protocol says that everyone stands to attention and pay their respects. However, in light of the police brutality incidents against African-Americans, some NASCAR personnel mirrored Kaepernick’s 2016 protest and knelt.

How did other NASCAR drivers and officials protest?

Meanwhile, other drivers and personnel taking a stand, wore T-shirts with the words, ‘Black Lives Matter’ emblazoned on them. In addition to that, NASCAR vowed to to do a better job of fighting against racial injustice in the wake of Floyd’s death. Bubba Wallace is the sole African American NASCAR driver and has been the sport’s most outspoken voice.

After NASCAR President Steve Phelps delivered a strong message, drivers observed 30 seconds of silence. Wallace, seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson, and Dale Earnhardt Jr even banded together to send a powerful plea to the country and the world.

Several drivers even posted the video on their Twitter accounts. They all vowed to ”listen and learn” from the protests that have rocked the nation.

It is worth noting that NASCAR has its roots in the South, thus has a checkered racial history. The good news is that the organization has launched diversity programs to make drivers, teams and personnel more aware. Unfortunately, it still struggles to shake its reputation as a largely white sport. A notable example was when driver Kyle Larson got fired after casually uttering a racial slur while competing in a video racing game.