NASCAR bans Confederate flag from its races, venues

NORTH CAROLINA (AP) — NASCAR has banned the Confederate flag from all events and properties.

NASCAR says the Confederate flag “runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry.”

Former chairman Brian France in 2015 tried to ban the flying of Confederate flags at race tracks, a proposal too broad to enforce and one that angered NASCAR’s core Southern-based fan base.

Bubba Wallace, the lone black driver in the series, had called for the ban. He says it has been a stressful couple of weeks.