NASCAR issued an apology Wednesday for “recent actions” that are “not aligned” with its mission after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) waved the green flag ahead of last week’s All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway.
The world-famous auto racing and operating company, headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida, marked the first day of LGBTQ+ “Pride Month” with a unique version of the pride flag along with a message apologizing for actions it deemed uncharacteristic of its mission.
“As we celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, we acknowledge that recent actions have not aligned with NASCAR’s mission to be a welcoming sport for all,” the company wrote.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to create a more inclusive environment — in our workplaces, at the race track & in the stands,” it added.
Last Sunday, Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott waved the green flag ahead of the All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway.
An Associated Press (AP) reporter confirmed that Abbott’s presence at the event had been regarded as an error, though the governor is not mentioned in the NASCAR tweet.
In February, Abbott asked state agencies to investigate any reports of children undergoing treatment to alter their biological development shortly after Attorney General Ken Paxton defined such treatment as child abuse.
Transgender advocates call giving children drugs that block the onset of puberty necessary for “gender-affirming” medical care — or care that advances the idea that one can choose their sex, alter their biological makeup, and have body-altering surgery.
In response to NASCAR’s tweet, many took to social media to mock the company’s groveling.
“Perfect example of wokeness invading a business to the point where they have completely lost touch with their customer base,” wrote communications strategist Caleb Hull.
“This is just getting silly,” wrote conservative writer and commentator Chad Greene.
“Laughingly pathetic,” wrote conservative radio host Steve Deace.
“People on here triggered that a politician was allowed to be at a race in a red state and wave the green flag need [to] grow up,” wrote Curtis Houck of the Media Research Center (MRC). “People who don’t vote as you do shouldn’t be forced into either caving or be[ing] silenced.”
“Woke NASCAR? WTH?! What next, woke MMA?” wrote conservative attorney Harmeet Dhillon.
“Go woke, go broke. You people will never learn,” one Twitter user wrote.
The car racing association has increasingly been accused of seeking to expand its appeal by enacting woke, left-wing policies despite its fan base being overwhelmingly red-state conservatives.
But NASCAR was not alone in its attempts at pandering to the LGBTQ+ community at the start of “Pride Month.”
The U.S. Marine Corps went full woke as it shared a celebratory image of a Marine helmet featuring rainbow bullets.
In addition, the United States Air Force tweeted out a graphic with “#CELEBRATEPRIDE” and a female airman saluting with rainbow colors on her hand.
Follow Joshua Klein on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.