Bubba Wallace wants Confederate flags removed from NASCAR tracks

Authored by espn.com and submitted by PrincessBananas85
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Multiple NASCAR drivers come together to vow to do a better job of addressing racial injustice in light of protests around the world. (1:26)

Bubba Wallace wore a shirt that read "I Can't Breathe/Black Lives Matter" before Sunday's NASCAR race in Atlanta, and now the circuit's only black full-time driver is pushing for change at the track.

"My next step would be to get rid of all Confederate flags," Wallace told CNN on Monday. "No one should feel uncomfortable when they come to a NASCAR race. So it starts with Confederate flags. Get them out of here. They have no place for them."

Wallace, who drives the No. 43 car for Richard Petty Motorsports, recognizes his position will not sit well with some people.

"There's going to be a lot of angry people that carry those flags proudly, but it's time for change," he said. "We have to change that, and I encourage NASCAR -- we will have those conversations to remove those flags."

Wallace, a 26-year-old native of Alabama, said he wasn't always bothered by seeing Confederate flags.

"What I'm chasing is checkered flags, and that was kind of my narrative," Wallace said, "but diving more into it and educating myself, people feel uncomfortable with that, people talk about that -- that's the first thing they bring up."

When asked whether he thought his opinion on the Confederate flag was unpopular, Wallace said he sees it as something the sport must take a strong stance on.

"We should not be able to have an argument over that," he said. "It is a thick line we cannot cross anymore."

NASCAR's next race is Wednesday night at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia.

Euphi_ on June 9th, 2020 at 15:33 UTC »

How will they know they are on the last lap without the white flag?

innerearinfarction on June 9th, 2020 at 14:17 UTC »

I'll be honest, it's an unexpected surprise to hear some progressive thinking from someone named bubba

Twonine333 on June 9th, 2020 at 13:56 UTC »

I thought that had already been done?