In the days following NASCAR Confederate flags banned From its events and properties, journalists and political commentators have raised questions about why the auto racing giant took so long to make the change and how its mostly male fans reacted. white, in the months and years to come.
To fully understand NASCAR’s decision and its impact, the researcher Joshua I. Newman suggests studying the history of NASCAR, its ties to conservative politics, and its role in the development of stock car racing as a sport that attracts primarily white drivers and fans.
Newman, a professor of media, political and cultural studies at Florida State University, has studied the relationship between NASCAR and American politics for more than a decade. He co-wrote multiple peer-reviewed research articles on the subject as well as a book, Sport, spectacle and nation NASCAR: consumption and cultural politics of neoliberalism.
His prediction: A backlash from mainstream fans against NASCAR’s new stance against the Confederate flag, a symbol of racism often used by white supremacists. Defenders of the flag say it does not represent hatred, but is a tribute to their Southern heritage and Confederate Army veterans.
“These are people who see sports — as it has evolved — as the last bastion of Old South conservatism and traditionalism,” Newman said. Journalist Resource by email. “The removal of the flag effectively signals the end of their ability to use racing to promote not only nostalgia for ancient times that have not been forgotten, but also the racial and gender politics of the Old South that have been put in place in NASCAR for decades.”
We asked Newman, who also serves on the editorial board of the Journal of sociology of sport, for tips to help journalists better understand and report on the connection between NASCAR and American politics. Here are five tips, based on his advice.
- Learn about NASCAR’s historical alignment with conservative politicians and issues.
Conservative politicians have long been associated with stock car racing, Newman pointed out. NASCAR founder Bill France and other members of the France family in senior positions in the industry have publicly supported conservative candidates. In 1972, France managed the presidential campaign of former Alabama governor George Wallace, a segregationist.
Newman discusses NASCAR’s ties to the Republican Party in a paper which appeared in the International Journal of Sociology of Sport in 2007. He deepens in his book.
“What has been consistent throughout the history of the sport is that only conservative politicians have been invited to speak, drive a pace car or make a public appearance at a weekend racing,” Newman said. NASCAR’s target market, he added, “came to overlap with the ‘base’ of the Republican Party in the late 20th century — and a synergy formed between a sports brand and a political movement.”
“Think of a NASCAR race as a ready-made political rally ten times larger than what was on offer in Oklahoma late last week,” Newman said, referring to President Donald’s political rally. Trump in 2017. Tulsawhich took place the next day June 10the annual celebration of the emancipation of black people from slavery in the United States
- Examine NASCAR’s role in the development of stock car racing as a sport promoting and celebrating the Confederate flag.
Examine the partnerships that NASCAR and racetrack owners have formed with Confederate memorabilia sellers. The sale of these goods has been good business for NASCAR and its subsidiaries, Newman advised.
“Ask NASCAR what role they historically played in introducing the Confederate flag into superspeedway spaces,” he suggested. “NASCAR appears to be shifting the burden onto fans for how these flags have become popular symbols at their races. But in the beginning, track owners and even league officials often adorned the spaces with these symbols.
Years ago, a man dressed as a Confederate soldier rode on the hood of the winning car, waving a Confederate flag, at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina. The flag has long been a fixture at races, whether worn on fans’ clothing, flown on RVs parked on the grounds or waved by race spectators.
Newman noted that NASCAR’s success in building its brand identity is the result of “promoting certain symbols, working with certain brands and suppliers, largely excluding certain drivers (the drivers of color and women) and alignment with certain politicians over the years.
- Note that the sport began to evolve culturally before the flag was banned.
In recent years, NASCAR officials have tried to bring more women and racial and ethnic minorities into the sport. In 2004, for example, the auto racing league launched its Promote diversity program, which helps women and minorities pursue career opportunities within NASCAR, including as drivers and pit crew members.
Driver Darrell “Bubba” Wallace, who initiated the banning of the Confederate flag, is a graduate of this program, according to his personal website. Wallace made NASCAR history earlier this month when he drove a car featuring a paint scheme dedicated to the Black Lives Matter civil rights movement during a race at Martinsville Speedway, located in Virginia.
NASCAR recently announced he had named Brandon Thompson to a newly created position – vice president, diversity and inclusion – to lead its “diversity and inclusion strategy, as well as programs and initiatives designed to champion and enhance diversity in the NASCAR industry “.
“In the long run, the sport will change,” Newman wrote to J.R.. “It might still serve as a sports shorthand for the Republican Party, at least for a while, but Bubba Wallace is breaking a number of cultural fixities in sports, attracting new fans.”
- Follow the money — from racing sponsors to NASCAR to the Republican Party.
Identify companies and organizations that have sponsored races and drivers over the decades. Find out which political candidates and organizations have received public or financial support from prominent NASCAR drivers, officials and racetrack owners. Look into the different types of government assistance that NASCAR receives.
“Look at the subsidies that NASCAR receives from state governments,” Newman recommended. “Look at the relaxed tax deals they are getting for rail development. »
A starting point is the non-profit organization Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks money in politics and its effects on American elections and politics. The center’s website provides information on how much money and to whom NASCAR affiliates, such as its employees, owners and political action committee, have made donations.
- Pay attention to how sports are used in politics.
For generations, sports have been an important vehicle for promoting certain political ideologies, Newman explained. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick drew national criticism and praise in 2016 when he refused to perform the national anthem, a protest against racial injustice and police brutality. That year, professional soccer player Megan Rapinoe made national headlines for impersonating Kaepernick in kneel during the anthem during an international match.
“Many people tend to see politics in the actions of Colin Kaepernick or Megan Rapinoe, but ignore how a gathering of 200,000 almost exclusively white stock car fans saluting a flag, a fighter jet flyby or a head of state can be deeply political.” Newman wrote to J.R..
To better understand why the sport remains unappealing to certain groups, Newman suggested looking for people who avoid NASCAR.
“Talk to people who don’t go to NASCAR events,” he urged. “The best way to understand NASCAR’s policy is to see who is excluded and why they would avoid or feel unsafe at these events.”
Looking for more information about the Confederate flag? Check our research collectionwhich examines its use as a historical symbol and its role in American politics.
If you need research on sports topics, take a look at our articles on high school football concussions, performance enhancing drugs and the impact of youth sports on leadership skills.
