NASCAR’s Struggle for Representation and Diversity 1

Mikal Muhammad
MARK 399

NASCAR’s Struggle for Representation and Diversity

The second-place finish of Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. is the perfect PR tool for

NASCAR in changing the direction of their demographics showing the lack of multicultural

participants within the sport. NASCAR, although not one of the top four most popular sports in

America, is still seen as a staple of sports for some Americans, especially those Americans from

the south. The problem that NASCAR has still in today’s diverse society, which fights for social

justice and equality, is the lack of representation, not only with the racers, but as well as the pit

crews and the fans. The barriers for entry for black people in NASCAR may not be the

organization itself, but multiple factors that can stem from perceptions of the brand, past events

that has occurred in NASCAR and the factors brought upon by the fans within the sport, amongst

other things as well for the industry.

First, give credit to Bubba Wallace for having the highest finish by a black driver in

NASCAR race in 47 years and the highest finish ever by a black driver in Daytona 500 ever.

Thankfully for Wallace, he was celebrated with a lot more praise in his win than the previous

winner Wendell Scott, who had started racing in the 50s amid the Civil Rights Movement in

America. A biography of Scott was written and recalls the treatment after his first race stating,

“…a race in which officials initially tried to deny Scott the trophy because it meant he would be

entitled to kiss the white race queen” (Hard Driving). Wallace is the product of NASCAR’s

“Race for Diversity” campaign which is trying to expand the range of competition in the sport

from the typical white male seen in most cars on the track. The program was not as progressive
 NASCAR’s Struggle for Representation and Diversity 2

as it could have been when it was first being implemented. In the article, Finally, it mentioned

the numbers from the initiative saying, “Between 2004 and 2012, NASCAR's heavily funded

minority-focused Drive for Diversity program did not graduate even one full-time driver into any

of the organization's three major series” (Pearce 2013). So for Wallace, having been under the

spotlight in NASCAR for some years now, is finally getting a chance to be a major factor in the

sport, almost like Tiger Woods like in golf and Serena and Venus Williams for tennis. Wallace

was not the only milestone from NASCAR either, with the first black female pit crew member,

Brehanna Daniels, and, believed to be the first African-American to win the race as an over-the-

wall crew member, Darrell Edwards being recognized as well. So, what is the issue with

celebrating the success of black people in NASCAR? It comes down to the minor details that

have been occurring in the sport between the gap of Scott and Wallace’s victories.

NASCAR has a slight problem regarding racial tensions within the sport, especially if

you are one of the minorities who attend the sporting events. One instance, the most notable

Latin driver, Juan Pablo Montoya, invited 50 Cent, a famous rapper, to the Daytona 500 and the

article writes, “he looked around the track and tweeted, "Damn I don't see no black people here

lol" (Sparito 2013). That tweet may seem like a minor observation to a bigger issue which was

seen in recent history as well. An article in the NPR states, “And in the past, NASCAR hasn't

always been considered welcoming for ethnic folks, especially black ones. An incident from two

years ago, when first lady Michelle Obama was booed by some in the crowd during her visit to a

Florida track, still remains a sore spot for many black folks” (Bates 2014). Imagine the first lady

of the United States, being booed by the people in the crowd which shows the thoughts and

perceptions of the people in the crowd as well. NASCAR is trying to expand the demographics
 NASCAR’s Struggle for Representation and Diversity 3

of its audience, which can be the biggest obstacle the sport is facing now. Below are the most

recent viewers by ethnicity in NASCAR according to Nielsen.

Knowing that the demographics of the country are distributed more evenly than what NASCAR

sees right now, the efforts to reach multicultural consumers is way behind the times.

Inclusivity is the goal for NASCAR as a company, and with racers such as Wallace at the

forefront it can continue to impact a diverse viewing audience and participating racers. However,

in 2016, NASCAR was filed a lawsuit by a racing organization for $500 million. In the New

York Post article, NASCAR Sued for ‘Discriminating’ Against Blacks, had shown a lawsuit

being filed by Terrence Cox stating, “The plaintiffs said they sued after NASCAR refused to let

them field a team or join its Drive for Diversity program, and last year told them to cease
 NASCAR’s Struggle for Representation and Diversity 4

contact” (Reuters 2016). The lawsuit was trying to bring light to the issue of NASCAR’s lack of

diversity in their racing when Cox and his company, Diversity Motorsports LLC, were not

integrated into the NASCAR race series or the drive for diversity program. NASCAR denied the

claims by Cox and said no discriminatory act was taken against him, and his lawsuit was more of

a “publicity stunt” than anything. Ironically, Cox dropped his case the same weekend Darrell

Wallace was set to start his NASCAR debut which may not seem like it holds weight, but it can

show the possible reasoning behind the lawsuit.

One major obstacle that NASCAR has is the struggle for allowing their fans express

themselves freely and being more inclusive to other demographics of people.

 NASCAR’s Struggle for Representation and Diversity 5

The Confederate flag being flown on a racetrack in South Carolina may seem to some as a

symbol of southern pride or tradition, but others seen it as a sign of aggression and history of

racism within the country. An article in USA today addresses how NASCAR has handled its

issues with the Confederate flag stating, “NASCAR’s push toward diversity in recent years led

chairman Brian France to call the flag an “offensive symbol” in 2015 and ask for — but not

require — its removal from speedways” (Hembree 2014). The passiveness for NASCAR to

remove the flag entirely from the sporting events can lead to a negative image to potential

customers, especially black consumers. One fan experience was recorded by the Wall Street

Journal when they write about Helen Bailey saying, “The 47-year-old African-American from

Salisbury, N.C., has been to more than 20 Nascar races and always makes sure she parks in areas

that are free of Confederate flags. "I'm going to go out on a limb and say a lot of people who fly

that flag do have some hatred," Ms. Bailey said. "I have not had any problems but when I see the

flag, I know I'm not welcome there. I'm not going to try it” (Mickle 2015). The fear alone of

racially-based violence towards a group is a reason why NASCAR has to take a more proactive

approach of handling the situation. The same article also mentions the University of Mississippi,

which also had a similar issue with Confederate flags, writing, “At the University of Mississippi

in Oxford, Miss., football fans brought Confederate flags to games for decades. The flags led to a

negative public perception of the school, so in 1998 then-Chancellor Robert Khayat pushed a

controversial ban on sharp objects -- essentially flag poles -- in the stadium. Within a year, the

flags were gone. Student enrollment has more than doubled and the school's image improved”

(Mickle 2015). Although this situation took place in the late 90s, in today’s society, a social shift

like this may swing the perception of NASCAR and their inclusivity in their events quickly.

Bringing a change in the culture may attract a more diverse selection of fans, and with Wallace
 NASCAR’s Struggle for Representation and Diversity 6

taking charge could lead to more black children be inspired to race in NASCAR. However, one

of the biggest hurdles the sport faces is something out of its control.

The wage and income gap between white Americans and black Americans is widespread

and has been diverging itself farther along over the years. This becomes extremely difficult

because NASCAR may possibly be the most expensive sports to begin to get into especially at a

young age. An article called Speed Trap speaks about the hurdle of entering NASCAR writing,

“The biggest obstacle to a more diverse sport isn't necessarily race or gender; it's money.

NASCAR's creation myth is built around the trials of hardscrabble moonshiners driving souped-

up cars to evade the tax man. In reality, stock-car racing may be the most elite sport in America.

To get into the game, all a teenager needs is about $100,000” (Saporito 2013). The price tag on

this sport alone can cause a disadvantage to any American, especially those whom are minorities.

NASCAR has been struggling to make it easier fund drivers of a diverse background with

different budget cuts to programs for diversity. Darrell Wallace had been placed in a situation

that was able to support his dreams of NASCAR financially, although his father is white which

gives him a slight advantage economically over most other minorities. In the article, Finally, it

explains the contributions of his father saying, “Darrell Wallace Sr. estimates he spent $1 million

getting his son competitive enough to be noticed in his mid-teens” (Pearce 2014). While

groundbreaking as Bubba Wallace’s path has been, his upbringing still exemplifies the struggle

which burdens other minority drivers who try to get into racing. He still will be a role model for

young black Americans to get into NASCAR, but more efforts need to be made to support these

efforts more effectively.

NASCAR, aside from all the issues about race and diversity, has been struggling

financially with its revenue and reaching out to their fans. The chart below shows the recent
 NASCAR’s Struggle for Representation and Diversity 7

trends the sport has seen regarding television broadcasts.

 NASCAR’s Struggle for Representation and Diversity 8

The sharp decline over the last year can be one of the barriers that keep only the

wealthier Americans in the NASCAR world. In the article, Speed Trap, the author mentions the

revenue from ticket sales from the Sprint Cup Series saying, “As a result, ticket revenues are in

their sixth straight year of decline. At the racetracks owned by Charlotte, N.C.--based Speedway

Motorsports Inc., which hosts 13 Sprint Cup races, ticket revenue fell from $188 million in 2008

to $116 million last year” (Saporito 2013). The article initially attributes it to the perception of

safety precautions NASCAR has taken to the race itself, but comparing it to the other issues of

having Confederate flags flying around some tracks may also play a factor in the decline over the

last couple of years. Although NASCAR has put an emphasis on inclusion and diversity, it still

seems a far way away from the type of representation they look to achieve in the sport.

Bubba Wallace breaking into the racing world could be the next big thing in the sports

world for inclusion and diversity across all fields of sports. While he may have a mixed

background and upbringing, he still can be the face for young African Americans in the racing

world which has not been equally represented in the last five decades. NASCAR cannot solely

rely on his racing performance alone to drive in a more diverse crowd it must continue to make

proactive efforts to make minorities feel welcome into the sport. The issue with Confederate

flags and certain fan behavior is one of the major influences that can contribute to this lack of

representation in the fanbase and the sport. Along with the lack of revenue the sport has been

making which can hinder the progress of recruiting and promoting minorities into the sport

because of financial burden. Like any sport, it takes practice, determination, and passion for the

sport to make it into the big leagues, but NASCAR must find a way to level the playing field

much quicker to catch up to the other major sports in America such as basketball and football.
 NASCAR’s Struggle for Representation and Diversity 9

Works Cited

Cain, Holly. (2018). NASCAR Drive for Diversity member Derrell Edwards makes history with

Daytona 500 victory. NBC News. Retrieved from https://www.nascar.com/news-

media/2018/02/23/derrell-edwards-drive-for-diversity-crew-member-daytona-500-win-

rcr/

Grigsby Bates, Karen. (2014). Drive For Diversity, NASCAR's Commitment To Race. NPR.

Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2014/02/14/277024295/drive-

for-diversity-nascars-commitment-to-race

Hard Driving: The Wendell Scott Story: The American Odyssey of Nascar's First Black Driver.

(2008). Publishers Weekly, 255(24), 45.

Hembree, Mike. (2017). NASCAR fans: Confederate flag still important symbol. USA Today.

Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2017/08/19/confederate-

flag-still-important-symbol-nascar-fans/583320001/

Mickle, T. (2015, Jun 27). Business news: Nascar stance earns a yellow flag --- driver dale

earnhardt jr.'s comments on confederate flag put spotlight on racing use. Wall Street

Journal Retrieved from http://flagship.luc.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-

com.flagship.luc.edu/docview/1691392896?accountid=12163

Morning Consult. (n.d.). Share of NASCAR TV viewers during the 2016-2017 season in the

United States, by ethnicity. In Statista - The Statistics Portal. Retrieved March 1, 2018,

from https://www-statista-com.flagship.luc.edu/statistics/801332/nascar-viewers-

ethnicity/
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Nielsen Scarborough. (n.d.). Number of people who watched any NASCAR event on broadcast

TV within the last 12 months in the United States from spring 2008 to spring 2017 (in

millions). In Statista - The Statistics Portal. Retrieved March 2, 2018, from https://www-

statista-com.flagship.luc.edu/statistics/231904/any-nascar-events-on-broadcast-tv-usa/.

PEARCE, A. (2013). FINALLY. Autoweek, 63(23), 70.

Racing Against the Odds: The Story of Wendell Scott, Stock Car Racing's African-American

Champion. (2009). Publishers Weekly, 256(32), 57.

Racing News. (2018). TERRANCE COX HAS DROPPED HIS $500 MILLION RACIAL

DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT AGAINST NASCAR. Racing News. Retrieved from

https://racingnews.co/2018/02/21/nascar-discrimination-lawsuit-for-500-million-dropped/

Reuters. (2016). NASCAR sued for ‘discriminating’ against blacks. New York Post. Retrieved

from https://nypost.com/2016/09/19/nascar-sued-for-discriminating-against-blacks/

Saporito, B. (2013). Speed Trap. Time, 182(16), 40.

Thomas Whitfield, Chandra. (2018). NASCAR drives diversity with black history milestones.

NBC News. Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/nascar-drives-

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