In the current atmosphere of increased racial awareness in the United States, NASCAR has announced the move to ban the confederate flag at all NASCAR events.

NASCAR issued the following statement Wednesday afternoon:

The presence of the confederate flag at NASCAR events runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry. Bringing people together around a love for racing and the community that it creates is what makes our fans and sport special. The display of the confederate flag will be prohibited from all NASCAR events and properties.

On Monday Bubba Wallace, the series' only black full-time driver, said that he wanted to see the removal of the confederate flag from NASCAR events. Wallace told CNN,

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. There's going to be a lot of angry people that carry those flags proudly, but it's time for change.

The Blu-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 is tonight at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia at 6:00 PM CT on FS1.

Pete Hanson is on 98.1 Minnesota's New Country weekday mornings from 5:30 to 10:00.

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