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NASCAR president Steve Phelps was asked about the league’s recent Pride Month tweet that drew confusion from some racing fans.
The part of the tweet that stuck out to fans was “We acknowledge that recent actions have not aligned with NASCAR’s mission to be a welcoming sport for all.” It is unclear what “recent actions” the league refers to in the message.
When asked about what this section could allude to, Phelps said that in general, NASCAR hasn’t been as “welcoming and inclusive” as it wants to be now and in the future.
“Generally, we as a sport haven’t been as welcoming and inclusive to the LGBTQ community, and we want to be,” Phelps said, via Fox Sports. “The efforts that we’ve made with Hispanics and with African Americans, this is another important group that we want to reach out to. We want our sport to be as welcoming and inclusive as it can be. That’s what race fans, our existing fans primarily, not all of them, but they want to share this sport with others. They do. Whether it’s someone’s sexual orientation or the color of their skin or whatever that might be, it’s immaterial. It’s a love for racing that they want to celebrate with each other. That’s really something we’re working really hard at.”
There was speculation that the tweet was referencing the NASCAR All-Star Race when Texas governor Greg Abbott waved the green flag. Abbott has been heavily criticized for his anti-LGBTQ policies in recent years.
This month, NASCAR will be showcasing Pride Month–themed cars, including Alex Bowman’s Ally Bank–sponsored car at this weekend’s race. The league’s focus on inclusivity comes after NASCAR partnered with the Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce in January for the 2022 season. The racing league also became the organization’s diversity, equity and inclusion partner for this year.
