One day after the sport’s only Black driver, Bubba Wallace, called the industry out for it, NASCAR announced on Wednesday that it would be banning all Confederate flags from its races. USA Today reports that in recent years an unenforced distinction of “disallowing” the flag at races was in place, but will now be replaced with a flat-out ban.
In a statement released by the league, officials write: "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.” And more importantly: “The display of the confederate flag will be prohibited from all NASCAR events and properties."
On Monday, Wallace talked with CNN about his sport and the ongoing protests across the country, saying he hoped to see his sport take steps toward the future. "No one should feel uncomfortable when they come to a NASCAR race. So it starts with confederate flags. Get them out of here. They have no place for them. The narrative on that before is I wasn't bothered by it, but I don't speak for everybody else. I speak for myself. What I am chasing is checkered flags, and that was kind of my narrative."
It’s a least they can do statement, but it’s an important one for a sport almost ubiquitous with the Confederate flag.