NASCAR President Steve Phelps urged the sports and whole for the country to “do better” against the fight against racism and racial justice.
Speaking ahead of the Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the president delivered the message over the radio in front of the 40-cars that stopped their warm-up. The president said:
“Thank you for your time. Our country is in pain and people are justifiably angry, demanding to be heard. The black community and all people of color have suffered in our country, and it has taken far too long for us to hear their demands for change. Our sport must do better. Our country must do better.”
“The time is now to listen, to understand and to stand against racism and racial injustice. We ask our drivers … and all our fans to join us in this mission, to take a moment of reflection, to acknowledge that we must do better as a sport, and join us as we now pause and take a moment to listen.”
A moment of silence and a message from NASCAR President Steve Phelps and drivers. pic.twitter.com/jy1U48qeLX
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) June 7, 2020
After the message, everyone observed a 30-second moment of silence in
Bubba Wallace, the only African American driver in NASCAR’s top series, wore a T-shirt which George Floyd’s pleading words “I can’t breathe” to the former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin when he was pinned down by the knee for more than eight minutes. Floyd’s death has sparked protests in all the states in the US against racial injustice.