NASCAR, along with its owners and drivers, has come to the forefront of the mainstream media's attention following comments made by Richard Petty and Richard Childress over the weekend. Both team owners essentially said they would fire anyone on their teams who did not stand for the national anthem.
The latter is an act that has been widespread in the National Football League. More than 100 players and owners either took a knee or some other action last weekend to express solidarity and bring awareness to what they believe to be inequality in the United States.
While NASCAR does not have a particular rule for the national anthem, it has become customary for teams to stand in a line by their pit stalls (
pictured) while drivers and other individuals do so by the cars.
After President Trump tweeted his support for NASCAR, the sanctioning body released the following statement Monday afternoon:
"Sports are a unifying influence in our society, bringing people of differing backgrounds and beliefs together. Our respect for the national anthem has always been a hallmark of our pre-race events. Thanks to the sacrifices of many, we live in a country of unparalleled freedoms and countless liberties, including the right to peacefully express one's opinion."