NASCAR driver Ray Ciccarelli says he’s leaving sport over Confederate flag ban
(Meredith) – Not long after NASCAR announced its decision to ban the Confederate flag from its racetracks, driver Ray Ciccarelli said he intends to leave the sport over the new policy.
Ciccarelli announced the decision on Facebook, saying he is concerned about NASCAR’s direction and will stop racing after the 2020 season.
Per CBS Sports, the full post reads:
Well its been a fun ride and dream come true but if this is the direction Nascar is headed we will not participate after 2020 season is over , i don’t believe in kneeling during Anthem nor taken ppl right to fly what ever flag they love. I could care less about the Confederate Flag but there are ppl that do and it doesn’t make them a racist all you are doing is f—ing one group to cater to another and i ain’t spend the money we are to participate in any political BS!! So everything is for SALE!!
Ciccarelli’s social media accounts were deactivated sometime later, but not before multiple media outlets captured what he wrote.
The Houston Chronicle reported that Ciccarelli races part-time in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series.
His post came within hours of NASCAR announcing it will prohibit the Confederate flag at future events in the wake of George Floyd’s death. Floyd died in police custody after a Minneapolis officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes, sparking nationwide protests and calls for police reform.
“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,” NASCAR said in a statement on its website.
“Bringing people together around a love for racing and the community that it creates is what makes our fans and sport special. The display of the Confederate flag will be prohibited from all NASCAR events and properties.”
The issue was pushed to the forefront this week by Bubba Wallace, the only full-time African American driver in NASCAR’s Cup Series, who called for the banishment of the Confederate flag and said there was “no place” for it in the sport.
NASCAR President Steve Phelps also vowed to do a better job of addressing racial injustice.
Photo Credit: David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire/kmov.com