NASCAR’s Bubba Wallace was booed during a race on Wednesday, and many in the crowd cheered when he crashed into a wall.
At the qualifier held on Wednesday in Bristol, Tennessee, it was the first time there were a considerable amount of fans present at a NASCAR race since Confederate flags were banned, and according to Deadline, there were quite a few of the flags present.
Jenna Fryer, the auto racing reporter for the Associated Press, tweeted that Confederate flags were heavily present not only inside the speedway but around it as well.
“FWIW, in addition to Confederate flag flying over Bristol there was another hanging off a balcony of a condo across from the main entrance as well as others along Speedway Blvd. Spoke to fan @Matt2Harrison and he said he say many flags on shirts and other items in stands.”
Wallace announced in June that he supported the removal of the Confederate flag from NASCAR, one day prior to NASCAR announcing the flag ban.
FWIW, in addition to Confederate flag flying over Bristol there was another hanging off a balcony of a condo across from the main entrance as well as others along Speedway Blvd. Spoke to fan @Matt2Harrison and he said he say many flags on shirts and other items in stands.
— Jenna Fryer (@JennaFryer) July 16, 2020
Bubba Wallace was also booed when he was introduced, and many cheered when he crashed. NASCAR still has a lot of work to do to back up its position. The group Justice 4 Diversity held signs along Speedway Blvd. after the race.
— Jenna Fryer (@JennaFryer) July 16, 2020
Fryer also tweeted that Wallace did not receive a warm welcome from the crowd and was booed by many of those in attendance.
“Bubba Wallace was also booed when he was introduced, and many cheered when he crashed. NASCAR still has a lot of work to do to back up its position. The group Justice 4 Diversity held signs along Speedway Blvd. after the race.”
NASCAR’s only Black driver, Wallace made headlines when a noose shaped rope was found in the Talladega Superspeedway garage stall assigned to him in Lincoln, Alabama. Federal officials concluded after an investigation that Wallace was not the target of a hate crime.
