A father’s son, but still his own man, Dale Earnhardt Jr. stands alone in the fray of controversial discussions about athletes and the right to protest.
He clearly separated himself from the screaming crowd of conservative-leaning NASCAR Nation with a single tweet.
“All Americans have won the right to peaceful protest…Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable – JFK.”
Quote John F. Kennedy in a NASCAR-related topic may be a first. But it also puts NASCAR in a complicated situation.
Would NASCAR or any of its partners dare cut ties with Earnhardt for expressing such a sentiment?
Junior’s point of view certainly doesn’t fit with the rigid “stick to the sport” theme mindset in the NASCAR garage. Two known and respected owners — Richard Childress And Richard Petit — told the Associated Press that anyone making a gesture of protest during the national anthem would be fired.
“Anyone who does not stand for the anthem should be expelled from the country. Period,” Petty said. “What got them to where they are?” United States.”
Childress chimed in, telling the AP: “Anyone who works for me should respect the country we live in.” So many people gave their lives for this. This is America.”
Let us consider the historical context here. Childress was once the team’s owner and best friend Dale Earnhardtdied on the final lap of the Daytona 500 in 2001.
Times are changing, my friends.
So is NASCAR, as it attempts to navigate the slippery slope of fortifying a dwindling traditional fan base that doesn’t agree with Junior’s point of view.
Meanwhile, NASCAR has made a decisive effort to engage a broader fan base with initiatives such as NASCAR Drive for Diversity. Full-time Cup drivers include Daniel Suarez from Mexico and Bubba Wallacewho is black.
Slippery slope indeed.
NASCAR appeared to straddle both sides of the fence in an official statement released Monday, saying: “Sports is a unifying influence in our society, bringing together people of different backgrounds and beliefs. Our respect for the national anthem has always been a feature of our pre-race events. Thanks to the sacrifices of many people, we live in a country with unprecedented freedoms and countless freedoms, including the right to peacefully express one’s opinion.
Earnhardt is not fighting the status quo. He just expresses what he thinks in an honest and direct way, and he always has. When President Trump issued a travel ban in January, Earnhardt also entered the fray on Twitter:
“My family immigrated from Germany in the 1700s to escape religious persecution. America is created by immigrants.
Earnhardt will be missed after he retires from full-time Cup racing after this season due to multiple concussions suffered over the years. He was voted the sport’s most popular driver for 14 consecutive years. But he’s always been his own man and doesn’t fully fit into NASCAR’s conservative culture.
NASCAR’s base will likely dismiss Dale’s sentiments on the anthem. Their point of view corresponds more to that of the driver Brad Keselowski tweeted:
“I can help make the world a better place. I can’t bear to put others down; kneeling clearly does both.
Maybe one day everyone can start “sticking to sports” again. But not soon, it seems.
The controversial fire rages on. NASCAR’s favorite son isn’t going to scorched earth, but he definitely wants to be heard: This isn’t your grandfather’s NASCAR anymore.
The Champion’s Challenge
What’s going on with Mr. Seven-Time?
Jimmy Johnson hasn’t won a race since week 13 at Dover. And while the season’s reigning champion hasn’t run poorly, he’s certainly not in the conversation of favorites to advance to the final four at Homestead in November.
His 14th-place finish Sunday in New Hampshire did nothing to dispel that. Johnson is seventh in the playoff standings and 73 points behind the leader Martin Truex Jr.
“It’s been a frustrating summer, obviously,” Johnson said after the race at Loudon. “I think we may have been too strong at times and made non-ideal situations worse. And the last three or four weeks we just settled in and got what we could.
“Today we left a few points on the table, which is not fun, but the last few weeks I think we finished where we ran. And from there we will start learning. I don’t think we’re going to learn much, but we’re right. These fast cars continue to struggle and I feel like there might be some opportunities if we sit in the right position.
