NASCAR turned heads on Wednesday with significant changes to race day procedures. FOX Sports reporter Bob Pockrass announced that racing’s governing body will remove the “national anthem conduct” instructions from pre-race handouts, providing the opportunity for kneeling in protest. Hours later, NASCAR announced that the confederate flag is now banned from all future events.
These surprising decisions coincided with one of President Donald Trump‘s old tweets resurfacing. Back in 2017, Trump praised NASCAR after some of the team owners said that they would not allow protests during the national anthem. He said that he was so proud of NASCAR and its fans. “They won’t put up with disrespecting our Country or our Flag — they said it loud and clear!” he wrote.
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With this old tweet making the rounds, racing fans and outsiders alike took the opportunity to reflect on how the times change. They specifically mentioned how the Cup Series season started with Trump serving as the grand marshal for the Daytona 500 and how Bubba Wallace is driving a Black Lives Matter car during the Blue Emu 500. Not every Twitter user used this old tweet to make their point, but they directly referenced the president with every comment.
Always a tweet lol https://t.co/wTpCkKGCzC
— steve baysinger (@TheDukeFan23) June 11, 2020
Which flag was Trump talking about? https://t.co/sDXPruwokF pic.twitter.com/2q0sYBCBeY
— BidenBeatsBaboon🆘 (@biglydisaster45) June 11, 2020
Annnnnd just after I said Trump and people would get mad by the anthem thing. NASCAR just days after Bubba Wallace spoke on CNN said they should ban confederate flags at race tracks. They have made that decision. I applaud this move 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/bDRt6VJwQv
— Phillip Newsome (@PhilNewsome) June 10, 2020
‼️👉NASCAR just banned the Confederate Flag from all events and earlier reversed policy and is now allowing for peaceful protest (kneeling) during the National Anthem. Not a good day for Trump. https://t.co/kJo0yAKlri
— Tim Neufeld is listening (@timneufeld) June 10, 2020
How long before Trump complains about NASCAR banning the confederate flag? #helovesheritageright
— 🐄 (@cowchaser2020) June 10, 2020
How do you feel about NASCAR banning the Confederate flag and dropping the requirement to stand for the anthem? Many people are saying you lost the key Battle of NASCAR Ridge. You can share your feelings with us. We’re here to help. We know things haven’t been going your way.
— atthebeach345 🆘🗽⚖🌎 (@thebeach345) June 10, 2020
No more Dixie flags at NASCAR I guess Trump will no longer be attending.
— Lula ❤️ (@Badgetten2) June 10, 2020
Surprised Trump has posted a hate tweet to NASCAR yet.
— Willow (@umnwillow) June 10, 2020
@NASCAR @NFL Hey NFL, why not follow the example of NASCAR and separate the issues? Have the Anthem everyone can stand to honor our Flag and country and follow it with a moment of reflection where people can kneel or do whatever individual silent protest they want?
— Larry (@LarryDMilton) June 8, 2020
How long until Trump blasts NASCAR on Twitter?
— Alex Welch (@awelch744) June 10, 2020
In the last 5 minutes, I’ve read that NASCAR has banned the Confederate Flag and Trump is kicking off this rally tour in Tulsa, OK on Juneteenth. I’m glad I was sitting down.
— Casual Observer (@CasObserver19) June 10, 2020
Is Trump going to take back his Daytona 500 lap? Say he didn’t, wouldn’t attend or support such an organization😂😂😂
— HKB (@HobbsandTillie) June 10, 2020
Trump and his henchmen must be getting really uncomfortable: NFL does a reverse on BLM, Nascar bans the Confederate Flag. 2 staples of conservatism don’t seem afraid to piss Trump off. Polls are slumping. 15 days of protesting. Statues of racism coming down. Recession in place.
— Belle Weather 🇺🇸 (@Thoreaus_Horse) June 10, 2020
We’ll see if NASCAR is a son of a bitch for disrespecting trump’s heritage
— mac steele (@mac__steele) June 10, 2020
Former Army soldier Kirk Price, now NASCAR official, takes a knee during the national anthem at Sundays NASCAR race. Call him disrespectful, Donnie. You clown. pic.twitter.com/WadJZJ5ym3
— I Am A George Floyd (@IAmAGeorgeFloyd) June 9, 2020
So the only public place anyone will see the flag of racism and treason is Trump rallies. Huh.@NASCAR bans #ConfederateFlag at its events https://t.co/cRNC4zgJEX via @nbcnews
— Victoria Brownworth #DemilitarizePolice (@VABVOX) June 10, 2020
