NASCAR driver Ray Ciccarelli is done with NASCAR, citing politics

Everything is for sale

It’s been a busy and highly political week for NASCAR.

Last week at Atlanta, an African-American NASCAR official kneeled during the National Anthem. This came in the same week as protests from coast to coast.

Ahead of the green, cars were brought to a stop on the front stretch. The President of NASCAR jumped on the driver channels to announce a need for change.

A rule was in place requiring all NASCAR members to stand during the Anthem. That rule has since been removed, opening the door for kneeling, peaceful protests.

It didn’t stop there…

After Atlanta, Bubba Wallace did an interview with CNN. He stated the next step would be for NASCAR to ban Confederate flags.

Related: Bubba Wallace comments on kneeling and the Confederate flag at NASCAR races

Later, Wallace announced that he would be fielding a Black Lives Matter paint scheme for Martinsville.

And, just a few hours ahead of Martinsville Speedway, NASCAR announced that the Confederate flag had been banned from all NASCAR races and tracks.

The sanction has encouraged fans not to bring a Confederate flag, for years. They’ve even engaged in a flag swap program, allowing fans to swap out a Confederate flag for an American flag. But, until yesterday, they’ve never issued an outright ban.

Related: Confederate flag banned from NASCAR events

Not everyone is on board, fans included. But, some drivers aren’t on board either…

Ray Ciccarelli announces he’s done with NASCAR

Shortly after the Confederate flag ban, Ciccarelli took to fakebook to post the following:

“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 has made 18 NASCAR Truck Series starts since 2017. He’s turned 1,292 laps and grabbed a single top-10 finish in 2019.

Ciccarelli has not made a start for 2020. However, he is on the entry list for this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Links

Martinsville Speedway | NASCAR

Categories

Tags